Love Letters from the Past

This week has been slow. Or I have been slow. One or the other. I have not gotten much done, but I have read a lot, worked on my yard, and worked on my genealogy. Yesterday, I went through a stack of letters I had. I thought I knew they what they were, but had no idea at the pleasant surprise I found. Being something of a romantic, (and I emphasize the word "something") I was quite excited to find two different sets of love letters from two different generations. Here is some of what I found:

The oldest was from my great-great grandfather Jim Lane to my soon-to-be great-great grandmother Olough Means.

The first scan is hard to read so I will transcribe it:

June 15, 1893
Mifs Olough Means Ollie, Mifs Ella Brown gives a party to-night at the residence of (I forgot) and I would like to escort you there if you can to go. Sincerely, JHL
Tell Florence to break that engagement and go too. I don't think she has an engagement do you?

Yes, that is his "I forgot." I thought that was hilarious.

The next one is from Jim on a trip to Minnesota. He is writing from Chicago, Sept. 10, 1893.

Here are some excerpts:

Mifs Olough Means Jonesboro, Ark Dearest Ollie: I will now try and write a few lines, so that you may know we are still alive and kicking.
... some details about the trip, including a boat ride that "made a lot of girls sea sick. They were heaving up Jonah all over the deck, it looked real funny."
How many beaus have you had since I left. I have seen a thousand pretty girls, but none of them can compare in ???? with my girl. (don't tell her though)
Please answer this right away and divert to Coldwater, Mich. so that I will get it on my arrival there. Now write soon and relieve suffering humanity.
Lovingly, James Lane
P.S. I will write more next time. Will is over the other side of the office waiting for me to smoke with him before we go to bed. Good night, JHL

This just trips me out. How he can go from writing such romantic things to such common things as throwing up and smoking, and back again. This is so fascinating in that I now have an idea of his sense of humor, that I can put with those old black and white photos.


The last letter I came across from him was in Feb of the following year, 1894. Just a short note:


Dear Olough
Are you mad at me yet? I will never write another card to Florence or any one else if it is going to cause trouble! I got two seats at the Opera for tonight. If you are still mad I will send another fellow in my place.
Lovingly, Jim

I believe the Florence he sent the card to, and mentioned in his first invitation, was Olough's sister, one year older. I can only imagine the family dynamics there.
It is a nice reminder to know that these people had the same relationship issues we have. I guess some things don't change through time.
They obviously worked things out, since they got married a couple months later in May of 1894, and I am now here. Working in Arkansas, I got the opportunity to visit Jonesboro, and look up there marriage license. Very cool to actually touch the same paper they signed 115 years ago.