From Marie Martin to her parents. January 28, 1872.
Sunday January 28, 72.
My good Parents,
I am writing this letter to you because I think that Mademoiselle Pauline (Pauline Romet, Pauline's godmother) will come next Thursday and that she will give you our news when she returns to Alençon.
I hope my dear parents that you are doing well and that mum [lv°] is cured because I pray to God for you every day. Dear little Mother, we did a grammar composition the day before yesterday and I was first, I only had half a mistake, my aunt had also told me that if I was very good everything would be fine; I'm going to try to make her happy by having the honor roll because I know she would be very happy and you too my little mom I'm sure of it. However yesterday [2r°] I was not good at the beginning of history class but I'm going to get back to it now because I don't want to get discouraged, it brings bad luck. If you knew my darling little mother how much Pauline loves my aunt, every day she says to me: Oh my poor girl if you knew how good my aunt is, she recognizes now I can see that everything my aunt does is for our good, she is indeed very good for us she does everything she [1v°] can to make us happy she told Pauline that tomorrow she would take us and that she would surprise us as it was Feast of St Francis de Sales.
And you, my darling little father, if you knew how much I think of you and Mum, your memory always comes to me, this morning again I said to myself it's Sunday today, if we were with our good parents, what happiness but I would like my aunt to come with us too, that's when we'd never have [2v°tv] grief. Yesterday we heard the bell ringing in the cathedral and Pauline was saying: I'm sorry about that big bell because it reminds me of Alençon. My little mother, the letter you sent me consoled me but I am so happy when they are very long, please tell Louise and Léonie that I will write them a letter soon.
Goodbye my very dear parents I kiss you tenderly as well as my little sisters and Louise.
I forgot to tell you that I had the rosette.
Your respectful and affectionate little girl
Mary martin
My dear little mother, my sister Marie Paula has just told me that I will take communion tomorrow. I will pray to the good Lord for (“for you” or “for you”) and will ask the good God for the grace to become as good as my aunt.
