Letter from Mrs. Martin to her brother Isidore CF 50
8 February 1870.
...I wasn't surprised to hear the news you're telling me. I accept with great pleasure to be godmother, I am quite ready to render you much greater services; but I think you'll have the trouble of having the child wave, because I probably won't be able to go to Lisieux at that time, because I too am expecting a baby sometime in August. You won't be godfather to that one, I'll try to find a little boy we know who will have that honor, and Pauline will be godmother.
So here I am delayed in my journey. In this way, I won't be going to see you at Easter, the little girls will be well caught, but they will come with me in September.
Little Céline is growing like a mushroom; she is never sick, has a very good appetite and eats what we want to give her. As for Hélène, she is very delicate and for two days she has had a fever, which incidentally happens to her frequently; she learns very easily and reads fluently.
The two eldest from Le Mans are doing very well. Marie had the cross of Excellence, the ribbon of Application, the cross of Order and the ribbon of Manual work. Louis is going to see them on Shrove Tuesday.
The religious aunt is also doing very well, she was only four days in the infirmary this winter. She wrote to me on Sunday and told me about you, about a token of gratitude that I received from Issoudun, for the “Little Work of the Sacred Heart”. She told me that she was upset that you withdrew from it, especially since you had admitted to her that you did not have many opportunities to give alms, and yet you have to do it. alms to go to Heaven.
I see that your little girl is always very nice and well
advanced, be sure that it will continue and that she will be very intelligent. The only drawback I find in it is the pride it could give him; the children who are everyone's idols have more than others this defect to combat, if it is not repressed by the parents.
You don't tell me if you still have the maid you had when you came to Alençon?
I'm sorry you don't have the Hospice in your clientele, because you need to earn money, everything is so expensive in Lisieux, and the children are coming. If you have as many as I do, it will require a great deal of self-sacrifice and a desire to enrich Heaven with new elect.
I did receive Marie's handkerchief; he's too handsome, that's not how I understood him; I promised myself never to say what I wanted, because they don't give me what I want, it's always half as beautiful! It's like little Céline's dress, I'm shaking in advance; they sell very pretty ones in Alençon for 10 or 12 francs, piqué and trimmed, I'm sure it's double that in Lisieux. Let me buy this dress on my own, it will be one less errand for your wife, who already has too many worries, and one less postage to pay. You will pay me back, tell me if that suits you?
Kiss your dear little wife well for me and assure her that I will be delighted to be godmother to a fat boy or a beautiful little girl. In the meantime, I really want her to be better, I won't be at peace until she has given me her own news.
A thousand kisses to little Jeanne. Tell him that his aunt from Alençon loves him with all her heart. My husband makes a thousand regards to you all.
