JMJT
The 16 July 1896
Jesus
My dear Aunt,
I would have liked to go to you first; but there remains only the gentle and amiable duty of thanking you for the beautiful letter which I have received.
How good you are, dear Aunt, to think of your little Thérèse. Ah! I assure you that you are not dealing with an ungrateful woman.
I would like to tell you something new, but no matter how much I rack my brains, absolutely nothing comes out of it but tenderness for my dear parents... and this thing is far from being new since it is as old as me...
You ask me, my dear Aunt, to give you news of my health like a mother, that's what I'm going to do, but if I tell you that I'm doing wonderfully, you won't believe me, too. I am going to leave the floor to the famous Doctor de Cornière, to whom I had the signal honor of being introduced yesterday in the parlor. This illustrious personage, after having honored me with a look, declared that: "I looked good!..." This declaration did not prevent me from thinking that I would soon be allowed "to go in Heaven with the little angels» not because of my health but because of another statement made today in the chapel of Carmel by Father Lechêne... After having shown us the illustrious origins of our Holy Order, after comparing us to the prophet Elijah fighting against the priests of Baal, he declared that “times like those of Ahab's persecution were about to begin again”. It seemed to us already flying to martyrdom...
What happiness, my darling little Aunt, if our whole family entered Heaven on the same day! It seems to me that I see you smiling... perhaps you think that this honor is not reserved for us... What is certain is that all together or one after the other other, we will one day leave exile for the Fatherland and then we will rejoice in all the things for which Heaven will be the prize... As well, for having taken the potion on the days of reception as for to have attended matins in spite of our sad appearance, or to have hunted rabbits and picked oats...
I see to my great regret that it is impossible for me to say anything this evening which has any common sense, it is certainly because I had wanted to write many things to my little Aunt whom I love so much.. .
Fortunately, Sr. Marie of the Eucharist is going to make up for my misery, it is my only consolation in my extreme poverty... We are always together at work and we get along very well. I assure you that neither one nor the other engenders melancholy, we must be very careful not to say useless words, because after each useful sentence there is always a little amusing refrain which we must keep for recreation.
My dear Aunt, please offer my regards to all the dear inhabitants of La Musse, in particular to my dear Uncle, whom I ask to send you a big hug for me.
Your little girl who loves you Thérèse of the Child Jesus rel.carm.ind.
