Letter from Mrs. Martin to Mrs. Guérin CF 32
Mai 1868.
I learned with great pleasure the good news of your little Jeanne. You must be happy to have such a nice little girl; I was also very happy when I brought up my first, she was in such good health. I was too proud, the good Lord didn't want it to last, all the other children I had afterwards were difficult to raise and gave me a lot of worries.
The last little Joseph is still there, he is still sick. Three months ago he had bronchitis which put him in a sad state; last week we thought he was going to die. The doctor had him put a blister between his two shoulders, we left it for several days. Imagine how this poor child must have suffered! And with that a continual cough and a tightness that choked him. I went to see him twice a day; in the morning, I left at five o'clock, and in the evening at eight o'clock, and I always returned with a heavy heart.
He's been better since Saturday, he's starting to take a little food and coughs less, but he's far from cured, I'm sure your little one is much more resistant than him, because he's reduced to nothing and has no no strength. I would, however, have been very happy to have had a very vigorous little boy; I mustn't be happy now, perhaps it's reserved for later, I console myself with this hope.
I am happy that you have decided to come to Alençon this year; it's almost time after two years that we haven't seen you there! Since I will have the pleasure of having you here, I will not go to Lisieux, as I had thought, you have to reason with yourself. If you only knew how useful I am to us and how difficult it is for me to be absent. I cannot trust my father's servant, I can only compare her to the one I sent to you, they are no more serious than the other and are only good for watching passers-by. and setting a bad example for children.
I'm delighted that your business is doing well, that reassures me, mine is going badly, completely badly, it couldn't be worse. I believe positively, that I am at the end of my reign, it is however against my will, because I would have liked
work until the end for my children. We already have five, not counting those who may arrive, because I do not despair of having three or four more!
My father has been ill for several days, he was unwell yesterday, he was complaining a lot about all his limbs, he thinks he is going to die. I'm very sorry to see him like this. He doesn't want to see a doctor, but if this continues, I'm going to get one.
