Letters from Grandpa 27 February 1916

Golconda Hot Springs Hotel

Golconda, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley

Modesto,

California

Dearest:-Two letters from you this morning and a heavy snow storm were the starters for an exciting day. We've been "swamped" alright with the excitement of leaving Golconda and there hasn't been a second, hardly since morning that we haven't been doing something. Collecting and paying bills--packing and repacking--, we've got such a collection of "junk" that it must be packed just so or it won't fit~ and saying goodbye to the bunch.-Why it seemed like we'd lived in Golconda for ever. Anyhow we are here in Battle M't'n and the Post office is open for a few minutes while the trains mail is made up-hence my hurry. The train goes to Austin in the morning instead of the motor car as I tho't. Motor is rougher riding but makes better time than the train. "Everything equalizes" (Rich man gets his ice in the summer, poor man get's his in winter).

'Twas very nice of Marian Decker to get off and take a look at Elko and then to admit that it is a very nice place.

I've got to stop else you won't get this--

Love from 

Frank

Sunday 27th

Telegram from Grandpa 27 Feb 1916

Western Union Telegram

Golconda Nev 1205PM Feb 27 1916

Miss Allene Kelley

Modesto Cal

Adios Allene Snow storm today but ish ga bibble

Frank

443 PM

Letters from Grandpa 24 Feb 1916

Golconda Hot Springs Hotel

Golconda, Nevada

Miss Allene Kelley

Modesto,

California

Allene, My Dearest:-

Keep on taking "foolish powders" if that's the way they effect you. That's the grandest letter you ever wrote me. You just turned yourself loose in good shape and filled it full you-eyness and I like it. And I don't know whether I've done any giggling but I do know I caught myself laughing out loud several times while I was reading it and even afterwards when I'd think of something you'd said.

I just love those spontaneous letters dear and I try to write 'em too but mine don't always come out that way. They're labored. Suspect I'm worrying when there isn't a thing in the world to bother me, but if you'll continue to send me those letters with so much of you in them dear, 'twill do wonders toward diverting my mind from unnecessary business worries.

Darn it all, (excuse the french) anyhow I wish I was constituted differently. I'm not at all satisfied with myself. When everything is going along fine and there isn't anything on hand to bother me I take a fit of some sort and get restless and all out of sorts and that's a ~~~~~~well it is. But thanks to you dear,-your letter has filled me up with real live "Joys" and chased the "Glooms" miles and miles away. Hurrah!! Also my cold didn't linger. It went as fast as it came but the summer suit is folded nicely and packed away in my suitcase.

Just for that I'm not going to send you any more candy for a long time dear. If you can't, or won't. eat it, what's the use? Think of the pile of money I'd have if I'd save all that I spend for candy for you!! Maybe it'd amount to $2.00 in a year or 2. When I do get rich dear, I'll remember what you said so no more lectures, altho' I like them too.

I'm planning too, dear, but it isn't Mills or anything like it~~Will tell you later on---just as soon as I can see some of said plans materializing. In the meantime forget your woman's curiosity--if you can, if not you must.

Yes, I am glad you didn't go to Mills this year.

And to look back, it is agreeably queer,-our meeting, the trip, etc. It was a most pleasant trip for me I can assure you. If the opportunity presents itself I certainly will tell Dr. Moore what you said, tho' I hardly think he'll ever tell me that he objects to my presence in Elko, but I guess he'd rather I'd be there than out on the road covering "his territory" as he calls it. Poor Moore!

Calling my attention to the length of your letter dear was entirely unnecessary. I noticed it with great pleasure the first thing. You were happy and so am I.

Always yours

Frank

February 24th

P.S. We go to Austin from here.

Letters from Grandpa 23 February 1916

Golconda Hot Springs Hotel

Golconda, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley,

Modesto,

California

Allene Dearest, will you please enlighten me? If is was anything about the real letter, as you so considerately called it, that gave you the giggles tell me what it was so I can join in. I need a few pounds, as per your suggestion and, you know--"Laugh and grow fat." If it wasn't anything in the letter I'm disappointed, but none-the-less interested, and if it was thunder and lightening, what in thunder was it?

Yes, business is good dear, but slacking up and Sunday eve we leave. I just wired to Austin to find out if there is a dentist there now. If there is we will go to Eureka instead. "Nox nix house."

You said something about the weather being so nice down there--Say, dear, He must have had an over supply cause we're getting quite a bit of it our own selves and I don't think it agrees with me. It makes me nervous and fidgety and I want to get out and do a lot of crazy things, like climbing mountains and other things that will make me all sweaty. While you may think we've had a lot of liberty,-on the go all the time, still we're always cooped up in a little old box of a room like a hot house plant--which I hasten to assure you I'm not--and when the sun comes out and makes it nice and warm out doors my feet just get itchy, that's all.

Your billet doux was rather brief, but tomorrow I'll know if you kept your promise of today. 

Now I pay you back in your own coin.

As ever dear, yours

Frank

February 23rd 1916

Letters from Grandpa 22 February 1916

Golconda Hot Springs Hotel

Golconda, Nevada

Miss Allene S Kelley, 

Modesto, 

California

Little bread is better than no bread at all Dearest, and it will be the little that my girlie'll be getting today. Haven't had a moment's time all day till now and the train will be here in about five minutes, or less, so if there's an abrupt ending you'll understand. Trains only come to about a standstill and then start right up again at this place,-and I don't blame 'em.

Tho't you'd appreciate those pictures of me. Honestly I didn't know I did look that way. Hardly see how pictures can lie tho'.

That's a real luxury,--living so close to the City [San Francisco-ed.] that you can go almost whenever you wish without losing a lot of time. Selfishness makes me glad that the Berk'y [Berkeley-ed.] and Oak'd [Oakland-ed.] boys have dates ahead till the 24th of March and causes me to wish they'd continue to have dates ahead--way ahead. Of course I want you to have a dandy time--all the time dear--but the City is no place for a nice respectable girl to be running around loose with college boys (or any others) than Carlin is for a boy.

Train's coming--

I love you dear.

Frank.

Washington's Birthday

Letters from Grandpa 21 February 1916

Golconda Hot Springs Hotel

Golconda, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley,

Modesto,

California

Dearest, kindly tell Mrs Maze I thank her for the perfectly frank manner in which she expresses her opinion of my intelligence,~~or rather the lack of it. You might add that I'm a very hard worker, -when I get started,-and don't need a coat when I'm at the small end of a "Number 2" shoveling snow.  Also I'm going to answer her letter,-that great big dandy "thriller" that make me feel so good.

Yes, that nice chubby round face man is Dr. Whitesides. He's 6 feet 2 and weighs a little over 200. And he's been married and has a married daughter and he's engaged (so I was told) to a nice lady in San Francisco and he's a pretty fine fellow and I hope he does well in matrimony, for his sake, and business, for ours. And I'm a dude and wear white collars in cold weather because I catch cold when I wear flannel shirts unless I leave them unbuttoned at the throat and by golly, it's too cold in this country in winter to do the likes of that.

Oh say dear, I'm sorry you had to go clear up (or down, or over, or across) to the express office after that package. Next time I express anything, other than myself, I'll try and remember to put the street number on the outside. 

Let's see,-about tomorrow I'll get a letter with a comment on that picture of me in the gateway at Midas. Would like to see you try to make a face like that. The snow was about four feet deep on the level when that was taken. A trench or path was dug from the level of the packed snow in the street to the ground at the gateway. The picture hardly shows the picturesqueness, but it was very pretty in reality.

We're going to leave for Battle M't'n next Sunday afternoon and will go up to Austin Monday morning on the motor.~~~~~Providing, of course, no new work comes in to hold us. I hope we're held cause we're a good many hundreds of dollars short.

Yours with love, dear.

Frank

Monday, February 21st, 1916

Letters from Grandpa 20 February 1916

Golconda Hot Springs Hotel
Golconda, Nevada

Miss Allene S Kelley
Modesto,
California

Allene Dearest, have you consumed the contents of that case of complexion compound and did it add to your avoirdupois? I've been told that sweets would do that and I know you hadn't reached the desired limit, so tell me it was sweet of me to remember you in that way,--or something equally nice, dear. I know you cried quits on the candy stuff but I don't think you meant that to last forever and there's a very slim assortment of things to select remembrances etc. from out here. I'll try not [to] be monotonous tho' and will only "sandwich" candy occasionally.

Almost wish I hadn't gone to Elko cause I've contracted a peach of a cold to pay for it. Put on a light summer suit and wore it back. It fixed me alright. It's a mighty good thing I've got plenty of clothes, also that I bro't another heavy suit with me, and if this weather continues the light suit will last a long time.

You ask the trouble between Dr. Moore and me. It's a long story dear, covering over four years. It is just a case of misplaced confidence and of my being too lenient with him after I saw that he was abusing the trust I placed in him. The inevitable split up was the result and in the settlement, I forced an acknowledgement of our business relations and an agreement to settle the accounts and amounts in full within a specified time. This document was drawn up by my lawyer, (where I out-witted Moore), signed by Moore and his wife doesn't love me at all. All I can say is that I "have it on him" and will make it very uncomfortable if he doesn't pay up.

I've gotten all your letters now dear. The Jan. 17th  one was the first sent to Midas,- the first time we didn't go, and it was held there till the day we left. The other one went up there and came right back so if it has a good beginning, "all's well that ends well" So you got two,--you spelled it "to-," valentines dear,- Well I got a couple too and darned if I know who did send 'em. Came from Calif. One from Oakland and the other from San Francisco. Are you guilty, dear, or am I on the wrong track? If you didn't send one I must agree with you that they are silly things but if you did,--I agree with you anyhow.

If the Ne'er-do-Well was as good in pictures as the book you had a real treat. Don't blame your grandmother for being romantic this kind of weather and with these moonlight nights but that light suit of clothes took all the romance out of me.

If boarding school has all those effects you say it has on one I'm mighty glad you didn't stay and furthermore I'm glad you're immune if that doesn't cover too much territory and include Nevada.

All my love dear.

Ever yours,
Frank

Sunday, February 20th,
1916