From Marie Martin to her parents. November 22, 1868.
My dear and good parents,
I'm writing to you telling you that I don't have the rosette but I hope to have it next week because I'll be very good to make you happy my aunt told me that you had to send me some pieces for my towel because it's torn and it's too embarrassing to send it to Alençon I'll also tell you that I really like the Visitation and the little girls are much cuter my aunt gave us pearls to make two practice beads: one for Pauline and one for me we use them a lot for practice I will also tell you [1 v°] that my aunt told me to tell you that I am not learning well enough my lessons if I wanted I'll learn them better I'll also tell you that she's going to take me today and she's going to give us cakes and from time to time I eat fat and that doesn't hurt me. I am waiting for New Year's Eve with great impatience I am very happy to see it arrive My dear and good parents, you told me that the Garden of Providence was very large but that of the Visitation is ten times larger and there a little wood who is very nice we have a lot of fun at recess I was told that I was making progress I know how to do verbs well and a little analysis I will also tell you that I am 2nd for spelling and j I was very close to being the second for the writing but I am the 4th because I turn my letters too much but I will try to be the first in the next composition [2r°]. My dear and good parents, I send you lots of love Pauline, too, I send you lots of love, good mother and Adolphe (grandmother Martin and M. Leriche) and my little sisters, I give you a very warm kiss, Louise, and tell her that I pray for her every night and for my good daddy and all the practices that I do I do them for my good daddy and I pray for you and for daddy every night and for all my family. I embrace Sister Dosithée and I pray to God that I have a good character.
Mary Martin.
The Visitation November 22, 1868
