Letter from Mrs. Martin to Mrs. Guérin CF 57
July 19 1870.
...I was in Le Mans, on July 2, for the solemn Second Communion of Mary. How happy I was to see my dear elders! They have both changed a lot. Their mistresses are very happy with it. I would have liked, at the start of the school year, to send Léonie with them, but I had the misfortune to speak, in a letter, of the character of the little one, and the Mother Superior no longer wants her. I'm not sorry about that, in a way, because I don't think we would have kept it; it is better to wait another year, to train it further. She is very sweet at heart, and despite that, it is difficult to make her obey.
Little Céline has been very ill for two weeks because of her teeth; she has two breakthroughs and more are ready to come. Except that, she is fine and runs like a little bunny; it's curious to see her take all her little precautions not to fall; she is very cute and very intelligent.
On Corpus Christi, I made her wear the charming dress that her godmother gave her; If you only knew how well she suited him! everyone admired her, and I assure you that I was proud of my daughter! She had, with that, a pretty hat with a white feather, well, everything was lovely. We've taken a liking to wearing her in white, she only goes out with white dresses, very simple, but she's so beautiful like that! I have never dressed my other children so well.
I think I'm going to find myself without a sponsor. Miss X. is like a spirit (local expression meaning that one is distracted). The poor godfather is going to fight; I'm really afraid for him. The young lady has already chosen MT in the event of an accident, but that does not suit her as well. She will have a blue silk dress ordered expressly for the baptism. She wanted to give her godchild a white cashmere fur coat, but I beat her to it. I quickly bought the fur coat that I showed her, so that she has nothing to give, which suits her very well, I believe, as well as Mama X.!
I think it's in Lisieux, as in Alençon, about conscripts leaving for the army. Mr. Pierre Romet has twelve employees who are leaving. I'm afraid you're embarrassed because of your young people. Have you had enough? Please answer me right away, because I can't wait to hear from you! I didn't have time to write to you, I got up this morning at half past four for this. What worries me the most is whether you have a good one, I'm afraid you'll be in trouble.
Let Isidore not worry about my father's succession; we will give him, in the month of January, or at the end of December, the sum he desires and he will have nothing more to pay; it will be enough to pay the rents when he has the money; it displeases me enough that you make me an annuity.
