From Marie Martin to Mr. and Mrs. Guérin. December 11, 1870.
December 11, 1870.
My dear Uncle and my dear Aunt,
I am very happy to see the arrival of the 1st of the year to write to you. I wish you and Jeanne a happy new year. I hope that our new little cousin (Marie Guérin, born August 22) is doing well. But I have very sad news to tell you, it is that my little sister Thérèse, whom I love so much, is dead (Mélanie-Thérèse, October 8, 1870), I was very sad when they told me announced this news, I cried a lot and immediately wrote a letter to Mama to comfort her.
I took communion on the day of the Immaculate Conception and I prayed to the good Lord for you, I hope to take communion at Christmas if I'm good. This year my conduct is not so good as the other years, but now that I have received Our Lord I will be fine.
I'm very happy to be going to Alençon on New Year's Eve to see my good parents and my little sisters because it's almost three months since I've seen them. Mom told me that since the railways were stopped we would go by car. I look forward to this happy day. My dear uncle and my dear aunt, I often think of you and of Jeanne, I told my companions how kind she was and above all how well she sang: to die for one's country. I still seem to be in Lisieux and Trouville where we had so much fun. My good Uncle Mum told me that you are not going to war, I am very happy about that, I pray to the good Lord that Dad does not go.
Goodbye my dear Uncle and my dear Aunt I kiss you with all my heart with Jeanne and Marie whom I love so much, please wish good morning for me to Madame Fournet and to all the family, and to the maids we know .
Your respectful and affectionate little niece.
Mary Martin.
