Letter, 20 August 1918 with cover

Frank Raymond Lane, Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky, to Nellie Rahe, Milan, Indiana.

Manuscript Collection, The Filson Historical Society

Mss. A L265 / 1

Letter addressed to Miss Nellie Rahe, Milan, Indiana, Route #2.
Postmarked [Wednesday], August 21, 1918.
16 Battery
O.T. Camp.
Camp Taylor, Ky
[Circa August 20]
Dear Nellie -

Again I am off duty and have just come back from Cokes Station where I had my hair cut and you just can't guess by who. well I will tell you it was a married woman[.] she barbered me while her man did some one else. you will have to come down here and start a barber shop then you can cut my hair to suit. see ha! ha! and you could love any one of the boys who came in. ha! ha! not.

I got my watch to-day and it is O.K. and thank you very much for the fob. it is O.K. sure enough I am going to send you a little present[.] it was the best I could find but if you don't like it to wear lay it aside. will send you a picture when I have them taken, as I had my money order cashed today, but I did not have my coat on so I could not have it taken otherwise, as the coat is what puts the finishing touch on.

It is nice and cool here where I am writing but when I was outside it was hot and I sweat just like I was in the harvest field.

am looking for Alice & you any day now and I don't want to be disappointed, as I have had to[o] many disappointments now.

Well I did a big washing today washed three towels and undershirt and an union suit but have not done any ironing yet and you know that we dont do any down here until we get them on. ha! ha! and they look like S.t. (oh look out now quaker.)

I have not started to school yet and don't know when I will but suppose they will let me know when they get ready for me.

I cant think of much to write today but perhaps I can think of something else after a while. I am going to take this over to the Y.M.C.A. and send it when I mail your Service Pin so that they will come about the same time. wish I had my pictures now so you could see how I look. I sure feel good but don't get much heavier and don't think I will yet a while. I sure eat plenty but have not been able to eat as much as 14 [Sic. Probably meant 4. Could also be read as 1 1/2 ] pieces of pie altho we had apple cobbler today for dinner, and tomorrow we are going to have Indian Pudding for dinner.
I am also going to send a slip I cut out of the Louisville Paper and see if you read it in the Republican.

I have been writting [sic] letters for a fellow who can't write his name is Earnest Minor from the Hills of Kentuck. he is a good fellow but as green as [word indecipherable]. now don't let any one see this letter because they might think that the Army hadn't helped me much toward bettering my character.

Well sweetheart I just received you letter you wrote Aug 18. it sure was some letter. no I don't think Ann is mad as I had a letter from her it was written Aug 7 and I got it about the 14th so you see it did not come straight to me.

Well if it would have been any one else but Ruth [Ligget] & Noel [Lane, his brother] Liggets would talk their old head off about it. I don't care how much they stay together just so they let you alone, but they must not step on your toes as that make[s] my Irish dander arise.

You asked what I did. Well we get up at half past 3 in the morning when I am on duty help get breakfast then serve it, and just as soon as breakfast if over we get the table ready and scrub it with Dutchs then dry it good, also scrub the floor, clean out the ice box, also the storeroom and the bread box. the[n] the meat comes and if beef we have a meat class, for instance if a hind quarter, we say the first thing to do is to cut off all the fat then seperate [sic] the Loin and flank from rump, round and shank, then the round from the shank, next the flank from the loin then it is hung in the ice box, so you see we have some little to do. now it is time to get dinner and we proceed to put on potatoes, beans make corn bread, or what ever is to be done. we have inspection every morning so we have to have every thing ready by nine oclock.

Then when I am not on duty I wash clothes write letters attend the meat class, or go over to the Y.M.C.A. and walk around some so that I got some out door exercise, because to[o] much indoors is not good for me.

Perhaps Octave will get to serve Uncle Sam yet if they keep on I hope so at least altho I don't want to wish any one any bad luck.

No I have not seen Agnes and I don't care to as she is not to my suiting altho any one from home would look good if only a curdog.

Well I havn't [sic] been over to see Mr. Boldery and I don't think I can as it is quite a ways from here.

My God kid I can [not] bear to think of you in camp as a nurse and whatever you do think of your care at home first you are needed there and perhaps I can see you once in a while [if] you are at home but if you get in the Nurse Corpse why I may never, and that is not all[.] you can do your bit at home better than here.

What was the matter with the machine went [sic] it would not go was it out of oil or was it just contrary?

Well if Octave is not careful I will have the best record after all when it comes to Sunday School work as the Preacher never called me down once I just despise to have a class act like they did, but I guess they don't know any better.

I certainly do prize every thing that you send as I did when at home if anything more so because it speaks now for you and love but when at home you could speak for yourself. When you are away it only makes ones love come out stronger and I can think of nothing else but you, and that will keep me as God is my helper.

Wishing you luck I remain as ever yours with all Love

Frank