MARAIS Louise, Mrs Edouard Legendre

Born May 5, 1849 in Merlerault, died December 10, 1923 in Ste Marie de Gacé.

She entered the service of Madame Martin at Alençon at a very young age, and remained there for a dozen years, until the family left for Lisieux. She believed herself responsible for subduing Léonie's difficult character, but at the cost of what suffering! When Mrs. Martin realizes this, she is revolted and ready to fire her. Yielding to Louise's pleas to stay, Mrs. Martin will keep this woman who is otherwise a friend in everyday life, and Louise will care for Mrs. Martin until her death, giving her the highest praise thereafter. In her crude and picturesque language, she canonized her, evoking her generosity, her kindness, her intrepid courage in the face of death. Tormented herself by excruciating pain from articular rheumatism, she never ceased to invoke the admirable nurse who had once cured her of a first attack of this illness.