Vernon
July 2nd 1916
Dear Nell
It is raining like the devil right now and so I thought I would drop you a line, I got your letter yesterday, glad to hear from you and the money sure came in handy because it was a holiday and I was broke per usual you know I didnt get any money on the end of the month, because you got $20 and I got $5 on the 15th and five dollars for a uniform, thats squares the uniform, and I got one book of canteen tickets, that was two dollars and one dollar regimental fund made up the $33 so I did not have any coming. As regards that trip on the twelfth of July I dont think they are going to let them go, another thing they have raised the fare to seventeen dollars and a half return so I cant think of paying that, because I dont get that in a month, and of course I’m always broke when pay day comes, so you had better wait untill we find out what we are going to do, nobody seems to know anything about going away I have not even been examined yet by the doctor and dont know when Im going to be, my vaccination did’nt take that helped some, I suppose though they will do it over again. Im not worrying any about that, but I here they are going to inocculate us this week. thats supposed to stop you from having fever, its just like a needle run into your arm there is not much to it and it dont hurt. Well I guess I better change the subject I dont quite understand you as regards Josh you never mentioned him in your last letter and the other letter I wrote to you I asked you what he said so I could talk to him about it and you never said anything so what do you want me to do about it. I dont think that Jack Westwood and I were bad friends when I left if we were its the first I knew about it remember me to him, tell him I will allways regard him as my friend. How are you getting along yourself you never said how you were feeling or anything about yourself in the last letter and it was a long one to, I think that McGowan scrape will just blow over like every thing else up at that end of the town, I dont think a hell of a lot of Mrs Rider myself, so would like McGowan’s to get the best of it at least if it amounts to anything. I Saw, Walter Guy, Burt or Jack will tell you who he is, he’s in the 158th Battallion and likes it fine, Im in a non comissioned officer’s class now taking a course in bayonet fighting and physical culture and of course I had to take a stripe on my arm to get in the class, but when the class is over, that will be another week anyhow Im going to hand back my stripe because I dont want it but I do want to take that course beccause it will come in handy some day, to be able to handle the rifle quickly, so you will have to put Lance Corporal instead of Private on the address just like this L/Cpl. Say Kid try and spare me five dollars this week I hate to ask you but it is a long time until the middle of the month and Im broke, and you know a fellow likes to go down town and there is a few things I would like to get, of course if you dont get the government money you cant do it, I wish you were up here, but of course we cant afford that and things are dear here, worse than at the coast they seem to want everything the soldier gets up here, they charge ten cents straight for beer and you can only buy it between the hours of 4:30 and 9 PM. and you cant buy whiskey that is a soldier at all at no hour in the day, of course we manage to get a mickey once and awhile they go up to Penticton and get it their you cant beat the Irish they will get it somehow. What I meant about not being able to afford it that is you coming up here it would cost $40 return or pretty near that for a civilian beside that you would have to pay for the kid and that counts just now and I can come down their for fifteen days that is if I get a pass for $17.50 seventeen dollars and fifty cents thats quite a difference dont you think another thing we may get leave after awhile for harvest their is some talk of it now the main thing is dont get downhearted keep hoping for the best and I guess things will come out allright in the end. I got the socks they are fine and dandy thanks ever so much. I want you to send me a couple of pair of laces, these they sell in the canteen are rotten and leather laces are ten cents a pair pretty stiff dont you think. Their is a lot of girls up here from Vancouver they charge $3 but their is to many soldiers go their so Ill wait until I see you and then Ill pay up for lost time, what do you think I have not hardly spoke to a girl since I came up here they dont seem to have much use for a soldier, and you cant blame them because their are 6,000 soldiers here now what do you think of that and more to come, what chance would a decent girl have in that bunch, Well I dont think I will write anymore this time remember me to inquiring friends especially Bert and kiss little sweetheart for me and be good yourself.
Your loving husband
Frank.
Address L/Cpl Burnett A.F.
No 761242 Base Co.
Western Irish
Vernon BC
xxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxx
from daddy Boy.
[postscript added to top of first page:]
write soon and dont show this letter to anybody. F
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