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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, Deer Godchild, by Marguerite Bernard and
+Edith Serrell
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: Deer Godchild
+
+Author: Marguerite Bernard and Edith Serrell
+
+Release Date: August 6, 2004  [eBook #13125]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DEER GODCHILD***
+
+
+E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Tamiko I. Camacho, and Project
+Gutenberg Distributed Proofreaders
+
+
+
+DEER GODCHILD
+
+by
+
+MARGUERITE BERNARD and EDITH SERRELL
+
+Published for the Fatherless Children of France
+
+1919
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+DEDICATED
+
+TO OUR FRIEND
+
+LOUISE HURLBUT MASON
+
+
+
+INTRODUCTION
+
+A young New-Yorker of twelve lately heard an appeal for the Fatherless
+Children of France, and his heart was touched. He had no money, but
+he resolved to give his spare time and his utmost energy to support a
+"kid in France." The French child needed ten cents worth of extra food
+each day, in order to grow up with strength and courage. The little
+American godfather earned those ten cents; he sold newspapers at the
+subway entrance, after school hours, and undertook an amazing variety
+of more or less lucrative odd jobs. Sometimes business was slow, and
+it was hard to keep up the game; but he did. He is still, in the true
+American expression "making good" for his deer godchild, and doing
+it with a broad and brotherly grin. He is James P. Jackson Jr. His
+letters to and from the kid in France are published just for fun--and
+yet in the hope of encouraging more "dear benefactors" to join our
+large family and help along, in the same spirit and with the same joy.
+
+EDITH SERRELL.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls,
+November 27, 1916.
+
+Deer miss Secretary
+
+How are you? It is al-rite about the french orfan and I wood like a
+boy between ten and twelve if it is the same to you. At fust dad sed
+I coodnt have him because there was plenty of rich godfathers who wood
+take him if I didn't, but mother told him of the apeel you made and
+that I was goin to raze the money myself, and he sed well I guess you
+are rite and if he can raze enuf money to raze a kid on he is well
+come to it, and she sed I guess that is the rite spirit. And so I am
+sending you 85cts. which is 70cts, fer the fust weak, and you can
+keep the change which is 15cts, fer the next weak, so I will only send
+55cts, fer the fust weak after that. The 85cts. is my birthday money
+which was on thanksgiving day and I guess the folks will be glad to
+give me work when they no I am suporting a kid in france.
+
+Hoping you are well and I am the same I will, close.
+
+Yours truly,
+James Prendergast Jackson Jr.
+
+P.S. I shood like his name to be Bill or Pete in french and not one of
+those girly names if it is the same to you.
+
+
+
+
+To Mr. James Prendergast Jackson Jr.
+Dear Sir:
+
+According to your instructions, we have assigned to you André Leblanc,
+aged 11, No. 18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris, as your godchild for one
+year. Thanking you for your interest in this worthy cause, we beg to
+remain
+
+Very truly yours,
+The Junior Committee for the Fatherless
+Children of France.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls, N.Y.
+Dec, 1st, 1916.
+
+Deer godchild
+
+How are you? I am very well and I have ganed 5 Ibs. in one weak which
+makes me 85 Ibs. which is thot very good in America. Have you had much
+snow? We have had it considerable hear which has spoylt the skating on
+Frost Lake which is beehind old Sam Bursars house who is our naybor.
+I am glad you have a short name, I had ruther be cald André than
+Nickulus, Cristuff or Jean-Marie, but I wood ruther you were cald Bill
+or Pete or Sniper, but you cant help being what they call you so never
+mind. I suported you this weak by selling 70 copies of the Greenville
+Mirror by hand. It is a good paper and shood be patronized. I wakt
+into Jim Parkers offis he is the editur and sed, Mister Parker, if you
+have a loose job and no man fer it I am the man you want, and he sed
+how old are you? and I sed 11. and he sed what you want a job fer? and
+I sed, O fer a kid I have in France and he sed since I was suportin
+you if I cood sell 70 copies of the Mirror he wood give me 35 cts.
+and Mother had give me 15 fer mindin the chikens when she went to
+Peeks-kill, so I new it would be al-rite, so I sed very well your on.
+So I took the mirrors and stood on the corner of School street, and
+bimeby the men begin to come home from the city, and some of them
+stopt to buy a Mirror and some did not, so I thot I wood make an
+appeel so I hollered, Buy a Mirror fer a kid in France, and waived it
+in there faces, and you shood have seen them buy! Enneway I guess the
+Mirror is a good ole paper, when all the men had come home I thot I
+wood take the papers to the folks that wernt on the street, like the
+schoolmaams and the sisters. Well most of them hot fine exept miss
+Leigh the Sunday school teacher, and she sed the Mirror was a low down
+politishuns sheet and I sed buy it fer Lily Blanche her help, and she
+sed what are you so ankshus to sell papers fer? And I sed how do you
+expect me to suport a kid in France if you peeple wont help out? and
+she sed the Lord will provide, but I told her I wood ruther do it
+myself; and she said I guess He's doin it threw you, so at last she
+forkt up, and I went home at 6 o'clock, but I tell you I had a prety
+tuf day. Say how is your mussel? Have you enny brothers and sisters? I
+have five, they are Amanda aged 16, Cecilia aged 10, Myra-Louise aged
+7, Molly aged 6, and Heloise aged 5. I come between the fust too. Dad
+wanted to call Heloise Omeega after Alfred and Omeega in the Bibel,
+but Mother sed that was foolish and I guess it was, cause there was no
+boy to be Alfred excep me, and I was alredy James, so he give it up.
+Sid Perkins is suportin a girl in France and hes auful rich, and
+dont have to work to keep her goin. Gee, Im glad your a boy, girls is
+al-rite in there line but I woodnt adop one fer love or money. Can
+you here the shootin from where you are? I have seen the new American
+submareen and it is a fine bus, I tell you if ever the Yankees come
+runnln over there you wont see Kaiser Bill fer dust. Do you like
+prisners base? What grade are you in? Well, hoping you are well and
+that some day we will meet somewhere in France, I will close.
+
+Your affecshunate godfather,
+James Prendergast Jackson Jr.
+
+P.S. If ever we go to war, and I inlist and go to France I mite take
+you back to New York on firlow.
+
+
+
+
+16 Dec. 1916.
+Dear Benefactor,
+
+I thank you with the bottom of my heart for your kindness unto me.
+Maman and me have been so content to receive your letter and your
+donation generous! Your succour will sweeten the times difficult that
+we are traversing; and the silver[1] you send will permit me to eat of
+the meat and be forceful to aid maman she has so much of labor and of
+pain! I will tell you, dear benefactor, that I am not the most robust
+But I take the oil of liver of cod-fish all the days for make myself
+high and good-carrying.[2] Yes, dear benefactor, I will forget never
+what you do, and all the nights I make a prayer for you be happy in
+the life.
+
+I cannot to read your letter very well alone, because I know not
+sufficient the English. But I have one aunt, she is dead, she know
+very well the English, and she teach me of it and my great sister
+also; she is a dactylographer,[3] and she know the English very
+perfect, and she me aids so I do mistakes not at all. And I serve me
+of the dictionary also. Maman say your letters will make complete my
+education. But some words I comprehend not. What is, for example, the
+kid? I search and I see only it is the offspring of a goat. I am sure
+in the book is the mistake, for my dear godfather will not make the
+pain to me and my Maman in calling me the offspring of a goat.
+
+Dear godfather, I am also surprise that you be so much heavy. I have
+11 years like you, and I am only 39 kg heavy. But in Amerique, Maman
+tell me, all is big, big! It is droll, so big little boys. Sometimes
+I ask myself if you are veritably a little boy. Perhaps it is to
+make laugh you tell me you are one infant. Perhaps you are the old
+gentleman.
+
+Tell me dear godfather, what is it the Sunday-school? In Paris we
+go not to school the Sunday. We rise more lately, and we dress more
+pretty than the days of week, and for breakfast we eat the cacao in
+lieu of soup of potato left of last night. And we go to the grand mass
+with Maman. Little brother Jean is one infant of choir at the church.
+He do nothing but balance and smoke the incense, and be pretty like
+one angel; because his hairs are like the gold, and his eyes like
+the heaven when the sun make shine. All at the beginning he was not
+content because the smoking make him to sneeze, and he did cry, and
+he wanted not to indorse[4] the dress white, with lace; he say he
+resemble to a girl; and he believe all the world in the church was
+regarding him. But now he is habituated, and he become more sage. It
+is very necessary he become sage, because he is so devil. Yesterday,
+for example, Mr. le Curé give him a pretty card postal with the image
+of angels and tell him he must apply to resemble to them; and Jean
+responded, "no I want not to be the angel and have wings like one
+hen!" Mr. le Curé say it is Satan that commands the wicked words like
+that, and when he go to fall in temptation Jean must say, "Vade retro
+Satanas," and that make Satan go behind. And Jean say, "yes but then
+Satan go at my back and push hard, so I fall!" It is very sad little
+Jean be so much bad.
+
+I will tell you, dear benefactor, that I effort myself to work and be
+very sage so little brother take model on me. I go to catechism two
+times by week, and I am on the table of honor, and for Christmas Mr.
+le Curé give me a pretty shawl for hold my neck and shoulders warm
+when I go to school.
+
+For Christmas Jean put his shoes in the chimney for the little Jesus
+fill them like all the years. But Maman say to him: "This year the
+little Jesus carry nothing, because with all the sous in the world he
+want to get our big victory so the dirty boches kill no more our dear
+Papas."
+
+But, grace to you, the morning of Noël the shoes were all of same
+remplished. There was apples red and some chocolate and stockings with
+long legs. We make many of holes in our stockings and all the time
+there is no more cloth in places, so Maman cuts them down. So in the
+beginning they are long, then 1/2 long, then socks. It was socks all
+the winter, dear benefactor, but when your silver come, the legs come
+long again.
+
+In the after-dinner Noël we make a promenade in the woods of
+Boulognes. Now it is the vacancies[5] of Noël and I aid Maman, she
+make me some black aprons new for go to school, and I sit myself down
+on the side of her. She loves not that I play in the streets, because
+she desire that I be well elevated [6]. And it is much snow in Paris;
+it make so cold that I love not to go out.
+
+Dear benefactor, you demand what grade I am. I comprehend not. Only
+the officers have grade. Are you an officer? I think yes, because you
+talk so much the submareens, etc.
+
+I have nothing more to say at you, but Maman joins herself to me to
+pray you to agree, dear benefactor, the expression of our sentiments
+the most distinguished and respectuous.
+
+Your godchild,
+A. Leblanc.
+
+[1] Silver _(argent)_ money.
+[2] Good-carrying (_bien portante_) healthy.
+[3] Dactylographer (_typist_).
+[4] Indorse _(endosser)_ to put on.
+[5] Vacancies _(vacances)_ vacations.
+[6] Well elevated _(bien élevée_) well bred.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls. N.Y.
+Jan. 2, '17.
+
+Deer Miss Secretary,
+
+There is something off about my godchild, you no the one you give me
+to suport, well dad rored when he saw the letter but I think he is a
+nut and mother sez he is two elevated fer me, so hoping you will get
+me a nuther one I will close hoping you are well.
+
+Yours truly,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+P.S. I will rite just the same to this one till you get me a nuther
+one.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls. N.Y.
+Jan. 2, 1917.
+
+Deer godchild
+
+How are you? I got your letter al-rite and what I wood like to no is
+what in thunder is that goat stuff you are drivin at? I didnt call you
+no names excep dere godchild and kid and you are both, and a godchild
+is a godchild and sometimes a kid is a goat and sometimes a goat is a
+kid and if you dont stop your kiddin you'll get my goat see? Mebbe you
+didn't mene to be fresh and if you didnt will call it square and say
+no more about it, ennyway I guess you use that bloomin dickshunary two
+much. Dickshunaries is like girls and is al-rite in there line, but
+I aint got much use fer them and you had best chuck yours out the
+window. I guess 85lbs. is a good ole wait but 39 is something feerce,
+why even Heloise aged 5 ways 45 and she dont eat enny of that codfish
+liver, and say what does it test like ennyway? I bet it tests like ole
+get out. I told Mother you wade only 39 and she sed, my goodness he
+must have tuberculosees, and dad sed, no, he has not had enuf meat,
+but I sed no but he is going to have some now I am suporting him. What
+do you think? I got enuf money to suport you fer too weaks, and if you
+will cross your heart not to tell because I promist I woodnt and you
+must do the same, I will tell you how it hapened, well it was this
+way, I was readin the Motor Boys Under the Sea beehind the portyares
+and its great, when in walk Carl Odell the young feller across the
+way and Amanda aged 16, and they set down and didnt say much and bimby
+Carl he takes Amandas hand and sez, Amanda you no how tis with me? and
+she sez, why no how is it Carl? and he sez I love you, and she sez to
+Carl, this is so suddin, and he sez, little girl will you be my wife?
+and she sez, o Carl I dunno, and he sez, I demand an answer yes or no,
+and she sez well I dunno but as I will, and he sed, sweatheart what
+day shall it be? And I stept out and sed, Hold on, dont go and make it
+Tuesday becaus Amandas promist to go fishin and dad wont let me go
+to Frost Lake without her, caus its 16 feet deep, and you should have
+seen them jump. They was scart plump out of there wits, and Amanda she
+sez, If he tells dad I shall dye, and Carl he grabd me by one ear and
+sed, Jim, I give you the choyce of keepin quiet and gettin $1.50 or
+squealin and being skinned alive, and I sed, Well I am suporting a
+kid, I mean a boy, in France so I will take the coin, so I crost my
+heart and sed hope to dye if I squeal and you must do the same, caus
+bimby if the Yanks come runnin over there you mite mete a frend of
+Carl Odells and hed tell a nuther frend, and bimby all the Yanks wood
+no it and it wood get back to Carl Odells ears. I bet that Jean is
+some brother, say hes al-rite, all excep his name, coodnt you make it
+Buster? Say what you want to go wearin a shawl fer, fust thing you
+no all the boys will call you girly, and I dont intend to have no
+godchild of mine cald that, no siree, not if I have to skin them alive
+fer it. I no its hard when things are give to you not to wear them,
+last yere the Sunday-school teacher give me a baby-blew tie and darn
+if I didn't have to wear it every Sunday till Lady Evelin Jack Burtons
+fathers best bull dog found it and et it. But you go eezy on that
+shawl. Never you mind about Sunday-school, just you be glad you dont
+have to go to it, though I dont no but goin to see that balancin stunt
+of Jeans is just as bad. And dont you be askin two many questions
+about me, mebbe Im an officer and mebbe Im not, and mebbe I no
+something about submareens and mebbe I don't but I woodnt let it
+sprize you if I come ridin in in one of those busses one of these
+days, and if I do and I like you I mite even take you back with me
+to New York, and then goodnite--you'll see some sites. Say whats that
+dope on sage? Hoping you are well and will rite to me soon I will now
+close hoping you are well.
+
+Your affeckshunate godfather,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+P.S. I made Carl Odell give me the money rite off becaus he is a Red
+Indian fer cheatin. Did you get the Christmas presents I sent you?
+
+
+
+
+18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris.
+4 Jan. 1917.
+
+Dear Godfather:
+
+The big paquet from Amerique come late but I receive it to-day and I
+thank you very much. You are very good to think so much of me and it
+is very pretty, dear benefactor, There is one glove only, and I am
+fearful that the other rested on the road[7]. But it makes nothing[8];
+I have not business[9] of two, because one is enough big for my two
+hands, and it is a muff very warm; but veritably, dear godfather, you
+are big like giants, in Amerique! The little cage is very commodious
+also, and very pretty. Jean believe it is a muzzle for dog, but no,
+I comprehend it Is for suspend on the ceiling for to make pretty the
+house, with plants green, climbing.
+
+Goobye, dear benefactor, I kiss you with the bottom of my heart
+
+Your godchild all devoted,
+A. Leblanc.
+
+[7] Rested on the road (_resté en route_) went astray.
+[8] It makes nothing (_cela ne fait rien_) it does not matter.
+[9] I have not business (_le n'ai pas besoin_) I do not need.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls. N.Y.
+
+Deer miss Secretary,
+
+Pleese you must do sumthing quick about my orphan he is awful. I sent
+a baseball glove and mask for Cristmas and he used them fer a muff
+and to hang plants in, and he wares a shawl and sits on the table of
+sumthing, and now he is kissing me with the bottom of his heart and
+that is the limit and he must cut it out because I wont stand fer
+that. Hoping you are well and you will answer soon in answer to my
+leter I will close.
+
+Yours truly,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+
+
+
+18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris
+18 Jan, 1917.
+
+Dear Benefactor:
+
+I thank you for your pretty letter so interesting. My great sister
+Marie work very hard for to aid me read it, but it is very difficult
+to comprehend. It is because you talk the American and the dictionary
+talk only the English. I will try to learn the American if you will to
+me give the instructions. Dear godfather, you are not in anger against
+me? I make always attention to be polite and genteel, because already
+I love you from far. But Marie say there is the miss understand in
+our letters she cannot explicate. For three nights I sleep not well
+because I search to comprehend what is it that makes bad, then this
+morning I have it the idea brilliant; there is on the place des Clercs
+the dentist American. It is writ on his door, Dr. Yanket, and Maman go
+to sew on the dresses of Madame. She talk very well with two tongues,
+and Maman say she regard the letters then she laugh very strong.
+Then she say to Maman: "Console your infant, it may sleep on the two
+ears[10], because the godfather is one very genteel little boy." And
+then she write a little paper she desire me copy for you very careful.
+Here is it: "Jimmy, in Uncle Sam's name I am proud of you. You're the
+right sort keep it up and don't get cold feet. For that godchild of
+yours is very much all right, as you will very soon realize. But let
+me give you frankly just one piece of friendly advice; don't tell your
+kid to 'chuck the dictionary out of the window,' but rather get
+one yourself, and polish up your English. Your spelling and your
+vocabulary are, to use your own expression, 'something fierce;' how
+can you expect the poor little French child to understand your slang?"
+
+There; I have made copy, and again I understand not very well. But I
+am sure it go to make all arrange. And I know that you are one little
+boy; I am so content!
+
+Dear godfather, it is very droll the fashion you do to make silver
+in Amerique! But it is very dangerous, and never in Paris we do like
+that. I see in my book of images English how the terrible Red-skins
+scalp the enemy, "skin 'em alive," like you say, and I see the image
+of the chef. He have long hairs black, with plumes red and green;
+and chains brilliant suspended, and he carry in the middle one little
+apron of fur; and he have not knowledge of the bon Dieu. It is call:
+"trading with the Indians." Oh please, dear godfather, do not for me
+trading with the Indians! I will permit not that you risk to be skin
+alive. I make the promise like you say, and I make like you the sign
+of cross, but I hope not to die if I squeal; I cry not very often, but
+sometimes, and my poor Maman will be to much desolated if I die.
+
+Goodbye dear godfather; believe at my sentiments the more affectuous,
+
+Your godchild,
+A. Leblanc.
+
+[10] Sleep on two ears (_dormir sur les deux oreilles_)
+to sleep like a top.
+
+
+
+
+To Mr. James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+Dear Sir:
+
+I am much interested in the account of your correspondence with your
+French godchild, and I would advise you not to be discouraged if he
+does not seem, in every way, to be living up to your expectations. You
+must remember that these fatherless children have suffered more deeply
+and more courageously than you can possibly imagine. If his letters
+sound rather effeminate I hope you will in time realize that it is
+merely a difference of language and convention that gives you that
+impression. The French are a very affectionate and demonstrative
+people. You know that even their "Papa Joffre" kisses his brave
+soldiers on both cheeks when he decorates them.
+
+You are doing splendid work for a boy of your age, and I hope you will
+not let small prejudices get in your way. Remember you are unusually
+fortunate to have a child who can write in English.
+
+With my best wishes and congratulations, I remain cordially yours,
+
+Secretary for the Junior Committee
+of the Fatherless Children of France.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls, N.Y.
+Feb. 3, 1917.
+
+Deer godchild
+
+How are you? Say will you do me a faver and cut out kissin me with the
+bottom of your heart? If you think you ot to do it you can kiss me
+on both cheeks if that is the custim I guess I can stand it but I had
+ruther you did not kiss me at all if it is the same to you as we shake
+hands in America. Say that missis Yankit is some woman beleeve me and
+you had better keep away from her, fust thing you no she'll be trying
+to make me go to school every day and buy a dicshunary. What she no
+about the American languidge ennyway? what she have to come buttin
+in with her too tongues between us? You are my godchild and I am your
+godfather and if there is ennything you dont understand I am the one
+to explane, and you tell that Yankit woman she had better be helpin
+her husband with his teeth and let us alone, and to put that in her
+pipe and smoke it. I am glad you like the Cristmas presents I sent you
+and if you want to string the mask from the ceilin you are well come
+to it, but it is ment to keep your nose from gettin smasht when a
+hard ball comes bingin through the air. Say, that must be some stunt
+sleepin on both ears, I have slep on my stummick an on my back an on
+one ear, but not on both. Last nite we had welsh rabit fer super and
+I did not sleep enny way. It is a good thing I have that $1.50 Carl
+Odell give me becaus I do not feel al-rite and Mother wont let me go
+out to work, but I guess I will get out soon again so dont worry about
+my suportin you. Say, thats al-rite about the Red Indians--corse they
+aint as numrous as they was once but there still plentiful in parts
+but dont let that worry you cause I been brot up with them and no how
+to handle them. Red Skins is like snakes and is al-rite if you keep
+your eye on them. Course I woodnt advise you to medal with them, but I
+guess I can look out for myself. Say, how is Jean and has he done enny
+more stunts? I have a sister Molly aged 6 and she is going to rite
+plays and say she turns out some great stuff. Yesterday she dresst
+Cecilia, you no the one aged 7, as a queen and Molly she was the
+subjeck boughed before her and sed, Your majesty to-day unto you a
+child is born, and Cecilia, I mean the queen sed, Bring it in, and
+Molly the subjeck brot in Snookie the cat only it was the child then
+and it was all rigged up in Heloises close, and bimeby Heloise who was
+a wicked king come runnin in to kidnap the baby and she sed, no I mean
+he sed because she was a king, That is my child! and the subjeck sed,
+It is not! and the king sed, It is too! and the sujeck sez as cool
+as a cucumber, Your majesty you are a lyre! and then they had the
+darndest fite over that baby you ever saw. Fust the king hit the
+subjeck bingo in the eye then the subjeck he pincht the babys tail,
+you no Snookies, and bimeby Mother come runnin in and stuck them all
+in bed, but it was a buly fite. I feel auful queer so guess I will
+close hoping you are better than I feel
+
+Your affeckshunate godfather,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+P.S. Do you like rabit? I hate it!
+
+P.S. Dont ferget to tell that Yanket woman to put what I told you in
+her pipe and smoke it.
+
+
+
+
+18 rue d'Autancourt,
+Paris,
+18 Feb. 1917.
+
+Dear Godfather:
+
+How are you? I hope you are no more fatigued. Very sure I will send
+you the kiss cut out as you say if you prefer. And also I will shake
+your hand. I will do all things American and all things that make you
+pleasure. But, dear godfather, you demand that I tell to Madame Yanket
+to smoke the pipe and I like not to say that because she is one very
+great lady, very genteel. But Maman say that is only a fashion of talk
+American and I must not make attention to it.
+
+Yes, dear godfather, I like rabbit. When we live in the country we
+have two, one white and one black, and at the end of time we have 26!
+But not Welsh rabbits; French. They make not sick like yours.
+
+Dear benefactor, I will write you not very long this day, for my great
+brother Jules come tonight on permission of four days, and I am much
+occupied to aid Maman arrange all things clean and pretty. I will
+relate on him in my letter of the week next.
+
+I squeeze your hand, and envoy to you the kiss cut out with my heart.
+
+Your godchild.
+A. Leblanc.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls. N.Y.
+Feb, 5, 1917.
+
+Deer godchild
+
+How are you? It waznt the rabit it is the hoopincoff, I guess I am
+goin to dye al-rite.
+
+J.P.J.
+
+
+
+
+18 rue d'Autancourt,
+Paris,
+Feb. 20, 1917.
+
+Dear Godfather:
+
+Your letter made me to cry. I will permit you not to die. When I
+get your letter I go and break my tire-lire. It is the little dog of
+porcelain with one hole in the stomach. Maman give it to me for my
+fete, the Ste. Andrée, and she give me two sous for put in the
+hole all the Sundays, and it come out nevermore until it break, you
+comprehend? I guard[11] the little dog under my pillow and it make bad
+in my heart to break it, but what will you? My dear godfather who is
+only one child like me, work strong like a man for make me happy and I
+would break not my tire-lire for to save him from the death? Oh yes, a
+thousand times yes! So I take it out in the court and open the stomach
+with one stone and I make to fall out 26 sous! And I go to the store
+of objects pious, and I demand one candle of 26 sous or two candles of
+13 sous, but the lady say 13 is a number of unhappiness so she give
+me one of 25 sous, and one sou of paper of lace of gold to put around.
+And I go quick to the church, and put up the candle to the Ste.
+Vierge, and she will see it from the sky, and she will see you also
+in Amerique and make you not to die, M. le Curé see the little flag
+American that you send me and that I attach to the candle-stick and he
+caress my head and say: "What for is it?" So I tell him and he say I
+am very genteel. But all of a hit[12] I melt in tears[13], because I
+know I am not genteel, dear godfather! I am very, very bad and wicked;
+I tell not the truth and I conduct not myself well unto you. Perhaps
+you will pardon me never! I go to confession and M. le Curé say for
+my penitence I must also confess to you that I am one little girl! Oh
+dear godfather, be not too much in anger! I am so sad! I comprehend
+not how it arrived, but when you write to me and say you love not the
+little girls I was afraid and responded nothing. Dear godfather, I
+will tell you that when I was little I pray often the bon Dieu make me
+one boy, because you know, for Him nothing is impossible. But He wish
+I remain a girl, and now I have cheated and He punish me very strong
+in make you so much fatigue you almost die. I cannot write more this
+day because I am too much sad. But if you die not please tell me soon
+because I am so much unquiet. I assure you I will nevermore be so
+villain.
+
+Your godchild repentant,
+
+Andrée Leblanc.
+
+P.S. Maman say the Comité Americain put me like one boy. It is the two
+"e" that make one girl.
+
+P.P.S. I search what is the hoopincoff, but I find it not. Surely it
+is the very dangerous malady, but if you die, you go to Paradise; M.
+le Curé promise me.
+
+[11] I guard (_je garde_) I keep.
+[12] All of a hit (_tout d'un coup_) suddenly.
+[13] Melt in tears (_fondre en larmes_) burst into tears.
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls. N.Y.
+Deer miss Secretary,
+
+The boy you give me is a girl What are you going to do about it?
+
+Yours respekfully,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+
+
+
+Dear Mr. Jackson
+
+In reply to your letter, we would state that the mistake was due to
+the handwriting of the child's mother, making the name appear to be
+spelt with one "e" instead of two, and thus making it a boy's name.
+
+We will endeavor, as soon as possible, to repair our error, as it was
+never our intention to deceive you.
+
+Very truly yours.
+Junior Committee of the Fatherless
+Children of France.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls. N.Y.
+Deer Miss Secretary,
+
+I didnt say you were deceivin, I just want to tell you the boy you
+give me was a girl so you wood not make that mistake agen. It is the
+limit when you have told the fellers you had a boy, to go and get a
+girl, and when I shod the letter to dad he sed by jove youre in a fine
+posishun you are and I sed how is that, and he sed fust thing you no
+you will get yourself talkt about, ritin to a girl in France and that
+would be fine woodnt it?
+
+Respectfully yours,
+J.P. Jackson Jr.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls, N.Y.
+March 7, 1917.
+
+Deer godchild,
+
+I received your letter and I did not dye. Of corse you cant help
+bein a girl insted of a boy and thats al-rite because Heloise and
+Myra-Louise and Nelly the girl next dore and pretty nerely every body
+wood ruther be a boy than a girl, but you were the limit to fib about
+it and you have put me in a auful queer posishun, so no more fer this
+time.
+
+Your godfather,
+J.P. Jackson Jr.
+
+P.S. I will suport you just the same so do not worry.
+
+
+
+
+Paris,
+21 March 1917.
+
+Dear Mr. James,
+
+I have your letter, and I perceive that you are very much offensed.
+One time more I demand pardon; but I cannot be like you want, and by
+consequence I can never more call myself your dear godchild; if you
+love me not, and I am offensive, I have not business of you and your
+silver. Please give it to one unhappy little boy. It is worth better
+that I have hunger, it is worth better that I be made dead by the
+boches, than to be like one little mendicant. I demand to Maman if it
+is not true, and she say yes.
+
+I thank you for all the pain you did take for me and I forget never.
+When I become grand I will render to you all you pay for me.
+
+Goodbye monsieur James. Receive the expression of my best salutations,
+
+Andree Leblanc.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls, N.Y.
+April 2, 1917.
+
+Deer godchild,
+
+Say what is the matter with you ennyway and why don't you want me to
+support you enny longer? I am your godfather and you are my godchild
+and it is a legal afare, dad sez, and if ennybody sez ennything about
+it they will have to deel with me, see? Ennyway mebbe I was kinder
+cranky about it, and you kinder fibbd, so lets say we had a scrap
+and shake on it and let it go at that. Lots of the fellers hear have
+scraps with the girls, and last weak Dinky Odell who is Carl Odells
+yungist brother had one with Heloise because he hollerd, Heloise go
+wash your feet, the bord of helths across the street, at her and she
+cried, but he sent her a peach of a poim to make up, and hear it is,
+"If you dont like me enny more, then I shall inlist and go to war!" I
+guess Dinky is goin to be a poit al-rite. You no I mite go to war two,
+lots of the fellers hear are inlistin in forrin regimunts, theres Carl
+Odell who has joind the Canadian Royal Fling Corpse, and Hanky Jones
+is goin to drive a truck in France and I guess he will be some driver
+al-rite because he has druv the new automobile hearse fer too years
+now, and say he goes like the dickuns. Corse I aint sayin Im goin
+to inlist rite away but I got some ideas in mind and Im thinking of
+raisin a regiment of boy scouts or Red Indians, I guess the Red skins
+wood be the best, and say woodnt Kaiser Bill look chepe if he saw
+a bunch of Red Skins beatin it after him? I bet hed run to beat the
+band, and I bet theyd catch him, and if they did, goodnite fer Kaiser
+Bill. Say they woodnt do a thing to him exept mebbe scalp him or skin
+him alive, and woodnt he look chepe then? Red Skins is auful feerce
+when they get goin, and I dont rekon ennybody cood stop them once they
+got started. We had an auful scare last nite I had been suportin you
+all day by choppin wood and I was dead beet but all of a suddin I
+was woke up by dad and he was yellin Murder! Murder! and Amanda and
+Cecilia and Mother who had her hare in curl papers rushd in, and there
+was dad having a buly fite in bed, and he was punchin the pilo, and
+yellin Murder! Murder! and we was all scart to go neer him because he
+wood punch us like the pilo, so Mother took a pitcher of cold water
+and throo it in his face, and that woke him up and he was mad as time,
+and sed, what you tryin to do, drown me? And then he laft and told
+us his dreme and it was this way, Max Dinkelheim, the shoomaker was a
+German spy and he was trying to sell hot dogs with boms in them and no
+one new there was boms in them exept dad. And he sed, you dirty Fritz
+cut that out, and Max he grabd dad by the hare and dad he yankd Max
+by the ear, and they was havin a buly fite when out come five more
+germans and begun to paist dad on the head, and corse he coodnt manige
+the 6 of them so he was yelling Murder! Murder! And then he got the
+pitcher of water and that was all. I bet dad cood have lickd the
+stuffin out of Max Dinkelheim al-rite, and I bet we are goin to have
+war this weak and if we do, dad sez the Kaiser will find out he has
+bit off more than he can chew, and you had better make up with me
+because I think you are al-rite, and if we have war I mite be in a
+posishun to help you. Thank you fer burning that candle fer me, we
+have been burning some sulfur ones fer Heloise and Molly and they seem
+to be gettin along nicely. Dont fergit when you rite to say if you are
+not mad at me enny more.
+
+Your affeckshunate godfather,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+P.S. Hows your big brother been makin out?
+
+P.P.S. Thank you very much fer bustin that dog fer me. I have a pig
+with a hole in it and if I ern enuf money next weak I will send it to
+you.
+
+P.P.P.S. Who is that Mr. le Cure you talk so much about?
+
+
+
+
+18 rue d'Autancourt.
+April 16.
+
+Dear Monsieur James:
+
+When I go to school the week past I see the flag of Amerique floating
+well high! And all the world is content because you come to aid us
+terminate by a peace victorious this war so terrible, and be like
+one brother for the triumph of the Justice, and the Liberty, and the
+Humanity. That is what the mistress of school explicate to us, and we
+love and honor the Amerique like the great sister Republique, and then
+she tell us get up and learn chant the song of the Banner of Stars.
+Perhaps you have hear it? It begin: "_Oh, dites, voyez-vous aux
+lueurs du matin_" etc. The mistress write it all on the tables
+black,[14] and we copy in lieu of the exercise of grammar, and it
+make us all joyful. But all that make me think so much of you, that I
+cannot empeche[15] myself even if you are no more my godfather, to pin
+the little flag American that you give me, on my heart, that save you
+from the death by the hoopincoff when I attach it to the candle of the
+Ste. Vierge. And then, pending the recreation of mid-day, I go home
+and the factor bring your letter! And when I return at school I effort
+myself so strong to read your letter, that I cannot make like it
+must[16] my chart geographic. But I promise Isabelle Gaveau, the
+little girl of the merchant of shoes, that if she will to aid me, I
+will lend her my pretty handkerchief new, for go to church the morning
+of Easter. So we be all content and I have very much the time to
+reflect and respond at your letter.
+
+Dear Monsieur James, I comprehend that you want I continue be your
+dear godchild. I demand to Maman what I do, and she say: "Take the
+silver, and make no more infantile foolishness. Only one onion cost
+five sous now, and the life is very hard, but Amerique have the great
+heart to help us and give us the hand, and we work all the two for the
+Patrie." So, dear godfather, we be not mad at ourselves any more, and
+I promise I make no more the fib, and you make no more the cranky, is
+it not? I must to make many progress in American for when you come
+I reckon you come like the dickuns, like yellin thunder, with the
+skin'em alive Red-skins and the hot dogs!
+
+Dear benefactor, what is it the hot dogs? My great sister say it is a
+species of machine-gun American.
+
+It is very funny your Papa make the wicked dream! You have the very
+beautiful family. Me too. Great brother Jules is already the corporal
+and he is like the Chevalier Bayard without fear and without reproach.
+One day, he tell me, a great _éclat d'obus_ take off his hat,
+and he pick it off the ground and say: "Ho Fritz! I wanted not be
+so polite and salute you!" And my great brother tell me many things
+important on the war. But I write them not, because the censure would
+scold me; perhaps put me in prison.
+
+Pending his permission of four days, he teach little Jean the chants
+of the regiment. Some are not for the little infants, Maman says, so
+he whistle them. But Jean love the military chants much more than the
+ones of latin he learn to sing in the church, and I hope he mix them
+not. Dear godfather, tomorrow is Easter and I am making an egg for
+you. It is a surprise so I tell you not what is in it.
+
+Your affeckshunate godchild,
+Andrée Leblanc.
+
+[14] Tables black (_tableaux noirs_) black boards.
+[15] Empeche myself (_m'empêcher_) I cannot help.
+[16] Like it must (_comme il faut_) nicely.
+
+
+
+
+May 5, 1917.
+Greenville Falls, N.Y.
+
+Deer godchild,
+
+Gee whiz but Kaiser Bill is in fer it! Gee whiz, you ot to see how
+Uncle Sam is fixin up fer him! Jo Kelly and Walter Daly and lot of the
+felers are going in fer aviashun and Bill Wilson's scout-master and
+organizin a crack bunch of boy scouts and we have a home Deefence and
+dad has got a uniform and a wooden gun and he sez it is a pretty good
+bunch of felers, but he cood do more with them if he was captin insted
+of mister Larkin, who is a good feler but a bum eaptin. I aint sayin
+much but I got a few idees and I woodnt let it sprize you if I was
+to invent something one of these days, but I cant tell you what it is
+becaus the censer wood cut it out. I got your egg and I thank you fer
+it, but say it got me in dutch al-right, it was this way, the postman
+brot the packidge just as I was going to school and I didn't have time
+to open it so I took it along and we was havin some speshul exercises
+fer a kernel Dudley who was to talk on, Do your bit to help win the
+war, and Bug Hadley was recitin the getysberg adress and I opened the
+packidge and their was your egg all smasht up. I guess them cardboard
+eggs aint very strong, or mebbe the censer didn't handel it gently,
+ennyhow it was smasht and the curl inside it was there alrite only it
+was kind of mixt up with the cream candy and I was unmixin them when
+Lily Graham who set beehind me whisperd to Erny Dinkelheim, who is Max
+Dinkelheims youngist son, Jimmy Jacksons girl in France has sent him
+a curl! and Erny started to laff and say, O you Curly--Curly Jackson!
+and I sed, You shut up! and he sed, O pooh-pooh--pooh-pooh--and I sed,
+Dont you pooh-pooh me! and he sed, Who will I pooh-pooh then? and
+I sed, Pooh-pooh the Kaiser, and he sed, The Kaiser wont let me
+pooh-pooh him and you leave him alone! And I sed, The Kaiser is
+bughouse, and Erny he made a grab at me and landed me one on the chin,
+and I paisted him one on the eye and Bug Hadley he stopt sayin the
+getysberg adress, and miss Davis she was jumpin up and down hollerin O
+boys, O boys, stop them, stop them! and kernel Dudley he hopt off
+the stand and pulld us apart, and miss Davis was fer puttin us on the
+platferm with our arms on each others shoulders, but the kernel sed,
+No, it is that other boys falt, send him home. So they sent Erny home
+and he was mad as time. Then the kernel give his talk and sed how the
+girls cood help by making the bandiges and how the boys cood find out
+who was fer the guvernment and who wasnt. I bet Erny and his father
+isnt, and I am going to keep my eye on them. Then we sang the french
+nashunal anthem and it is a fine him, and it goes this way in English:
+Ye sons of France awake to glory, the day of victory has come, your
+childrens wives, and sires horny, behold there tears--and thats as far
+as Ive lernt, we have got to lern all of it, and their is a buly part
+that goes, March on. Yesterday the fife and drum corpse plaid it and
+the Star Spangled Banner and some of the boys lafft becaus the fifes
+sort of sqweekt. I dont see how ennybody can laff when they play the
+Star Spangled Banner. Did you get my pig? I suported you this weak
+by polishin 10 door handels at 7 cents each, some of them was already
+polisht but the folks was real nice about it and let me give them an
+extry polish. Say why dont you tell me who that Mr. le Cure is? I have
+askt you too times now, and say if I was you I woodnt say, come like
+the dickens or skin them alive or enny of that kind of talk. It is
+al-rite fer boys who are used to ruffin it, but it is not nice fer
+girls so if I was you I wood go easy on it, and hot dogs aint machine
+guns, they are sausidges that are made from those low-down german dogs
+that heve short legs, but say they test buly in a roll. The vilets and
+pollywogs have come and I wood send you some but I guess they wood dry
+up before you got them. Ennyway you neednt worry much about the
+war now that Uncle Sam is in it we will lick the stuffin out of him
+together, I mean out of Kaiser Bill.
+
+Your affeckshunate godfather,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+P.S. Bug Hadley sez it is lucky fer him Erny and I had that
+fite, because he had fergot what come after, and dedicatid to the
+proposishun.
+
+
+
+
+June 3, 1917.
+18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris.
+
+Dear Godfather:
+
+It is great damage that the pretty egg of Easter I sent you be smasht
+up! But I regret yet more that to receive my paquet make you dispute
+yourself in dutch, like you say, with the little villain in school.
+All the same I am content you landed him one in the eye (I comprehend
+not what you want say by that, but I am sure the little boche
+comprehend) and you are one valiant patriot.
+
+Dear godfather, why say you the girls must go easy to learn the
+American? I effort myself to be instructed with the words in your
+letters the dictionary contains not but if they are nothing but for
+little boys I pray you to tell me the pretty words for the little
+girls. I am sure my dear godfather serves himself not of villain talk.
+Jean was put in penitence yesterday because he say one word that is
+for Poilus only, and Maman turn him against the wall in the corner
+with the hands behind; and do you know what he do when we regard him
+not? He lick the paper on the wall and make it to come off. So Maman
+give him the spank. Dear godfather, I am happy to make you a little
+pleasure in sending you my portrait. I think it is well succeeded and
+very resembling, and will you have the obligeance to envoy to me the
+one of you?
+
+Dear godfather, I make to you a list of words American I comprehend
+not, and I hope you will have the obligeance to explicate them to me.
+What is, for example, gee whiz, felers, boy scouts, bum, home defence,
+kernel, getysberg adress, mebbe, pooh-pooh, bug-house, the dickens,
+pollywogs, and lick the stuffin out? I effort myself very strong to
+find them, but it is not worth the pain to search any longer in the
+dictionary.
+
+Your affeckshunate godchild,
+Andrée Leblanc.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls, N.Y.
+July 5, 1917.
+
+Deer godchild,
+
+How are you? I dont see that their is enny fun in life enny more. I
+erned $1.56 pickin cheries off the Burtons black chery tree and I thot
+that wood make 70 cents fer you and I would spend the rest on fire
+crakers, well Toby that is the Burtons mastif that is always chened
+up, broke loose and I guess he remembered when Johnny Smith and me had
+swiped some cheries last yere when he was chened up, becaus he give
+one yip and come and set rite under that tree, and he set their and
+grinnd at me all afternoon, and bimeby their was a thunder shower and
+I had on my blew pants that was made from dads that had got too tite
+fer him, and I thot when it begin to rain Toby wood beat it, but he
+just set their and didnt move till bimeby mister Burton come along and
+yankt him away by the color. Well I had pickt the cheries al-rite but
+I was soked clear through and the color had come off my pants and on
+my legs. It is feerce to have blew legs. Well I thot I wood stop and
+boy a canon craker and a pistol and I wasnt going to fire them off
+before the 4th. but ole Max Dinkelheim was walking kind of slow in
+front of me and I thot I wood try the pistol just once to see if it
+workt, so I walkt a little faster and shot it off bingo and you shood
+have seen ole Max jump! He give one flop in the air and hollered, A
+bom! A bom! I guess he thot I was a submareen, and when he saw it was
+me beat it after me and we run all the way home, and Max he run rite
+into dad and sed, Where is that boy I will teech him to molest a
+peaceful citizen. And dad sed, What has he done? And he told him and
+sed, I am going to give him the best lickin of his life, and dad rolld
+up his sleeves and sed, Not till you lick me first! And Max kind of
+lookd at dad just like in the dream and I guess he was scart, so he
+sed, If you will promise to see he is punisht I will leve it to you,
+and dad sed, I promise, and Max left and dad he come up and was mad as
+ole get out, and he took my pistol and canon away and I had ruther he
+had give me a lickin because after too days you can set down and are
+al-rite again. We have just herd the Yanks have landid somewhere in
+France. Say, if you want to see a bunch of rele fiters you just go
+take a look at them, and you mite tell your brother Jules to take a
+look at them two as he might get some idees from them. I cant tell you
+what all those words mean, gee whiz is just gee whiz and a feler is a
+guy who is about 12 or 18, and a bum is a feler or something that is
+no good, and a pollywog is a animal that is going to be a frog, and
+pooh-pooh is pooh-pooh, and bughouse means you have rats in the upper
+story, and you had better find out about the getysberg adress and the
+boy scouts and mebbe and the dickens yourself but I wood go easy on
+them if I was you. What you want to go askin me all those things fer
+ennyway? I aint askin you what the vacancies, or all of a hit, or
+pending, of enny of those things are, am I? I got your photo and I
+like the way your hare curls and your eyes two and everythin, and I am
+glad you are not laffin. Girls that giggle are the limit. I have only
+one photo of myself and I look as if I wood dye grinning becaus the
+man that took it was jumpin up and down and sayin, Look hear! Look
+hear! Say wood you relly like to have it? I dont think you wood, I
+dont see what good I am ennyway. I am two young to inlist and I dont
+think you relly like me. I guess mebbe I had better go to sea or
+something.
+
+Your affeckshunate godfather,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+P.S. I went butterflying to-day and had good luck.
+
+
+
+
+18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris.
+August 2, 1917.
+
+Dear godfather:
+
+You know what it is the "cafard?" In the dictionary it say it is a
+"roach" and that is the little beast black like your pollywogs, I
+think. But in the Poilu talk it means not that. When there is no more
+fun in life, and I am not good for anything anyhow, like you say,
+that is what they call to have the "cafard." And it is very bad in the
+army. It is to have a bad morale and we must wind ourselves up.
+
+Dear godfather, you must be content because I love you much. And you
+take so much pain and you labor so hard to entertain[17] me, I want
+make you happy in your heart so you have no more the "cafard." Dear
+godfather, I will tell you the American Poilus have come. On Monday
+last we hear the music on the road and the mistress tell us this
+afternoon all the children must put on aprons clean, and we go to see
+pass the Americans. And Maman give me five sous for purchase a bouquet
+for give them in souvenir of my dear godfather, and the fleuriste
+give me two roses red and I envelope them in a paper wet for hold them
+fresh. And all the little girls march in rank like soldiers, two by
+two, on to the road where the Americans come. And the gendarmes march
+before us to make spread open the crowd so we come. And we stand in
+rank and it make a very long line and shake the flag American and
+wait. The sun was brilliant and very hot and after a very long moment,
+we hear the big music come around the corner, and all bodies were
+screaming: "Vive l'Amerique! Vive les Etats Unis! Hurrah Sammies!" and
+the gentlemen throw up their hats in air. And all of a hit we see the
+banner of stars coming down the street, and I look and all the little
+girls at a time kneel themselves on the sidewalk. And I make the sign
+of the cross, and the little girls at back of me laugh and mock at me,
+but the mistress say it is right; the sign of the cross is good for
+the flag too. And when the flag is pass we arise and say hurrah
+also, and one soldier American regard me with a smile. Then I take my
+courage with two hands and cast away the roses on him, and he catch
+and kiss me with his hand, and put the roses in his coat. His name is
+Teddy and I love him much. I know because he come see me, because I
+write my name (with two es) and adresse tied to the roses. My Maman
+was very much surprise when she see Monsieur Teddy come and ring to
+the door. He is very well elevated and very beautiful. He has buckled
+hairs[18] and a line on one side and his figure is razed.[19] His
+uniform is the color of the ground; it is not so much pretty as the
+French Poilus who are the color of the sky. And his hat is tied, like
+a bonnet of old woman, with a shoe-lace in the back. But I love him
+all of same. He take me on his knees and say: "Parlez vous français"
+and he begin to recite the verb "avoir," because he know nothing more
+of French. And so I say I know very well the American and I talk at
+him and he laugh very strong. And he give me a piece of bonbon very
+droll. It is mint but it is like elastic; I eat a great number of
+pieces because I want not to offence him, and Teddy all of a hit
+become very much frightened: "What," he say, "You did swallow the
+chewing gum!" And I say: "Naturally I swallow the bonbon!" And Teddy
+say a bad English word and run away without his hat and he come back
+with a bottle of ipecac and I will not take because I know what it
+make do. And poor Teddy was very much desolated; he come every day
+to get of my news, and to-day he bring the bonbons French that we
+swallow. To-day he ask me will I be his little adopted girl the year
+next when you have finish with me and I say, "Mebbe I will." And he
+say, "Bully for you, you're a peach!" I make him write because it is
+the American and not in the dictionary.
+
+Goodbye, dear godfather,
+Your affeckshunate godchild,
+Andree Leblanc.
+
+P.S. I am surprise you ask who is M. le Curé. Only the pagans have
+not knowledge of him. Are you one pagan? I think you say that to make
+laugh. It is very bad to mock yourself of M. le Curé.
+
+[17] entertain (_entretenir_) to support.
+[18] Buckled hairs (_cheveux bouclés_) curly hair.
+[19] His figure is razed (_sa figure est rasée_) his face is shaved.
+
+
+
+
+To Mr. James P. Jackson Jr.
+Dear Sir:
+
+Due to the great confusion and delay existing in the mails at the
+present time, we have not until now been able to repair our error
+concerning your godchild. We take pleasure in announcing that we are
+now in a position to supply you with a boy as formerly requested.
+
+As to the little girl, we can no doubt provide for her until other
+arrangements can be made. Elderly gentlemen, we find, are particularly
+fond of adopting little girls.
+
+Hoping you will pardon our delay, and inform us as soon as possible
+concerning your wishes in this matter, we beg to remain,
+
+Sincerely yours,
+The Junior Committee for The
+Fatherless Children of France.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls, N.Y.
+Deer Miss Secretary,
+
+It is more than kind of you to bother about changing my girl into a
+boy, but it cant be done because I have changed my mind about it, but
+I thank you all the same. You see it is this way, at fust I wanted a
+boy and I was kinder sore after setting my heart on one to get a girl,
+but the girl you give me is diferent from most girls, she seams to
+have a lot of rele sense, and I have got kinder used to her, and, well
+I woodnt like to have her unprovided and waitin fer a old gentleman to
+adop her. Some old gentlemen are auful cranks. Old Sam Burton who is
+our naybor is the limit. He has had 5 wives and Mother sez Lord only
+nos what he has done with them, enneway we dont. And she has sort of
+been takin it ezy while I was suportin her and the change wood come
+hard to her, I mene my godchild not Sam Burton's wife. Ennyway the
+yere is most over and you no how folks talk. Fust thing I new they
+wood say, young Jackson's a fikle feller. Thot he'd adop a orfan and
+now hes swaped his girl fer a boy. You no how people will talk, so I
+guess I can stand my godchild fer this yere ennyway, and after that
+we shall see. Of corse I was simply sterilized when I lernt she was a
+girl, but even a girl is preferable to a boy that wore shawls and sed
+everything was prety and kist you with the botom of his heart. She has
+cut that out now, and I am gettin her in prety good shape. Explaning
+whats what to her and every thing. So I guess we can manige but I am
+obliged to you fer the asking.
+
+Yours truly,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls, N.Y.
+Sept. 5, 1917.
+
+Deer godchild,
+
+Your letter reeched me safely, and I was releeved to here the boys
+had got safely "over there." Of corse we have had some few notes,
+pertikerly from Hanky Jones you no the feller that drove the hearse
+I tole you about. Well he is drivin somewhere over the top in France,
+not a hearse but a truck, and oh boy, he sez the swellest funeral he
+ever drove fer cant hold a candel to drivin a truck with Fritz bulets
+bingin all round you and he sez, I received the kit you sent me and
+It is a great comfort (the kit is not a cat but a assortment of
+handkerchiefs and tooth brushes and everything a soldier gets and
+Mother sent him his and so he rote to thank her) an he sez if I go
+over the top with the best of luck and get enuf leave to come home I
+will give Myself the pleasure of calling on you, and showin you what a
+Greenville soldier looks like. My reciprocity shall never end. And he
+goes on tellin how french cookin agrees with him and the censer didnt
+cut that out, but he cut out the best part I guess. Ennyway the censer
+must have a soft spot fer you because he never cuts enny part of yours
+out. I guess ennyway you must be a pretty poplar girl you have so many
+frens, that think a lot of you, theres your brother Jules and that Mr.
+le Cure and that guy Teddy and me. I was sort of thinkin about you and
+me the other day and I rote a verse of poitry about us and here it is,
+
+
+  REALIZATION
+  By James Prendergast Jackson, Jr.
+
+  _Im over here, and your "over there"
+  And I no not the shade of your eyes or your hare.
+  But this much I relize, from the land of the Free!
+  You are imbibed with mystery_!
+
+
+I think that sums up the situation. I have supported you one yere and
+you dont no me, and I dont no you, and mebbe you will never mete me
+and mebbe I will never mete you, and while I am tryin to think how I
+can get over there along comes that feler Teddy and gets his eye on
+you and sez, Guess Ill have her for my godchild, and Bully fer you
+your a peach! and you fall fer it of corse, and I have to take a back
+seat. I guess that is life, but I tell you it is pretty tuf sometimes
+and a feler who is twelve yeres old has more trubbles than you think.
+But I guess if you want to be his godchild I wont stand between you.
+Mebbe you wood like a list of how I have suported you? Here is some of
+it, mindin chickins, selling Mirrors, choppin wood, frezin ice-cream
+fer Crankit & sons, pickin cheries, money from Carl Odell fer keepin
+quiet, polishin door handels, a mud turtle to Sid Perkins, a jar of
+pollywogs to Sid Perkins, he wants to build an aquarium, and I washt
+the winders of missis Perkins big, white house one weak when I was
+hard up, but I dont think I shall ever be hard up again as mister
+Parker has ofered to take me on the Mirror staff whenever I like, as
+he sez I talk like a book agent. I wish I cood leve school and go into
+bizness or to war or something. I dont seem to get much out of school
+somehow. Miss Davis sez to mother, Mebbe your son has deefective eyes
+but she sez to me, You are a blockhed. I guess miss Davis is off
+the trolly or something, Dad sez she has Fritz blood because she
+is distently related to the Dinkelheims. I was sory to hear you had
+swallerd all that gum, but was glad to see you got away with it, that
+feler was the limit to give it to you, it is not a thing to give to a
+godchild. Fust thing you no when he is your godfather he will feed you
+a shoestring or something, and you will be two polite to say no and
+you will dye. I hate to think of you ending that way it dont seem rite
+somehow. Say what does he want to buckle his hare and line it up one
+side fer? He must think his hed is a race track. Gee whiz I hate to
+think of the Yanks comin runnin over there with felers like that among
+them. I have been in swimmin with Dinky Odell in old Frost Lake to-day
+and he stumpt me to swaller a skipper and sed I bet a quarter you will
+not, so I swallerd one and it didn't test ennything at all, only it
+kind of crawled up and down my throte fer awhile and o Boy! didnt
+he tickel though! The next time I swaller a skipper I shall chew him
+fust, if you dont they walk inside of you as if they was saying "where
+do we go from hear?" Say you were pretty smart about catching on about
+my jokin about Mr. le Cure. Corse I dont no him as well as you do,
+caus you no and I no he has lived on the other side more than hear,
+but I guess if we was to pass on the street, we wood no each other
+well enuf to say, Hello, old top, how are you to-day? Say, I have got
+your Christmas present all pickt out, do you no what I wish you wood
+give me fer mine? See if you can guess.
+
+Your affeckshunate godfather as ever,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+
+
+
+18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris.
+September 21, 1917.
+
+My dear godfather:
+
+I thank you for your long letter, and I give it to Monsieur Teddy so
+he read and see how much you are genteel. He regard the letter and
+regard me and his figure become very droll, like he want laugh or cry
+very much and he dare not and must retain himself, and he demand if he
+can keep the letter in his pocket for tomorrow, because he desire to
+envoy you a response with mine. He is very amiable and charming, think
+you not? He come to my house all the days now and always he bring
+something. Sunday he bring a paté like we eat on days of féte before
+the war; and he remain for aid us eat it. And yesterday he bring a
+great ribbon all white for tie on my hairs. He say in Amerique all the
+little girls carry on the summit of the head a ribbon big like a hat.
+He want not I keep for the Sundays but he tie me up and then he say I
+am pretty--jolly he say, and he demand I show him to speak the French.
+So he commence to read my book of when I was little, the "Lectures
+Enfantines" and I make him say the little poetry that is on the page 3
+and it say: "Cher petit oreiller," and then my great sister enter and
+she have on her bodice of Sundays and very much the powder of rice on
+the nose. And she say: "Go in the bed-chamber and amuse yourself, and
+I talk with this Monsieur Americain." And I want not to go, and I cry,
+but she say if I obey not she will tell Monsieur Teddy come back never
+again. She is a villain, my great sister. I will defend that she aid
+me to write my letters to you; I have not business of her. I have
+as much as her knowledge of the English, and the American also. And
+Monsieur Teddy love me, nothing but me. When he get up to go away he
+call: "Where is that child of the gods?" (He make that game of words
+because I have perhaps two godfathers) And I come, and he console me.
+Thursday last it was my birthday. Monsieur Teddy devined it because he
+ask me how much age I have and I say I will have twelve years the 18,
+and he say in Amerique it is always a great feast and I must to eat a
+cake very big with snow and ice on it and candles, and so he bring
+it. I was washing the vessels,[20] and he come in the kitchen and
+make many foolishness. He whip me (to make laugh) twelve times with a
+little stick so I grow very big all the year. And then he make me hide
+my eyes in my apron, and when I open them, I see the cake, big and
+white like--oh like I know not what--and the twelve candles pink were
+illuminated and there was my name with the two es writ in chocolate
+on the snow. And Monsieur Teddy bring also the cold cream; it is rose
+like the candles and perfumed with vanilla and strawberries. Oh dear
+godfather, I wanted you be here and have some! Only one time before
+when I was little I did eat the cold cream and never when it is the
+war did we eat cake. And it is good like to be in Paradise!
+
+But alas! Monsieur Teddy soon will go beat himself[21] with the
+boches! It is terrible to think because he is so good and beautiful!
+I told you he have little wings white on him, because he go up in the
+air?
+
+Goodbye, dear godfather,
+Your affeckshunate godchild,
+Andrée Leblanc.
+
+[20] Washing the vessels (_laver la vaisselle_) washing the dishes.
+[21] Beat himself (_se battre_) to fight.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls, N.Y.
+October 6, 1917.
+
+Deer godchild,
+
+I am sending you this letter in anser to yours quick, becaus I think
+if you are not careful that Teddy will poison you with his eats.
+The gum was bad enuf and I was jokin when I sed what I did about the
+shoestring, but cross my heart and hope to dye, that feedin you cold
+cream is the wust I ever herd, and what makes me feel so bad is there
+is no one to warn you and he is stringin you on. Gee whiz, it makes
+me sick to think of it! I have not been able to eat fer two days,
+yesterday we had pancakes fer brekfast and I cood not eat enny and
+mother sed, I wonder what ales James? And dad sed, In the spring a
+yung mans fancy, and mother sed quick, It is not spring, Prendy, it is
+fall, and I think it is his stummick that is turned and dad sed, No it
+is his heart I have found his poitry, and mother sed, Well you may be
+rite but I shall give him a dose of caster oil, You no the oil of the
+caster, just like you had the oil of the codfish only this tests like
+sam scratch see? Well I had to swaller some and it was feerce and fer
+too cents I wood twist that teller Teddy's nose and stick my finger in
+his eye. Gee whiz, and he wares white wings dose he, and jumps up
+in the air. Some angel beleeve me, say mebbe he is a angel that has
+fallen from the sky? or a acrobat from Barnums? only I guess if he
+comes from Barnums he must be a freak al-rite. Ennyway until this yere
+ends you are my godchild and I am your godfather, and I forbid you to
+tuch enny more of that Teddys eats, understand? If you are hungry you
+just tell me, and I will send you the proper food; and it will not be
+gum, or cold-cream or candels ether, I can tell you. Why even Mr. le
+Cure wood no enuf not to give you enny of those things. That Teddy is
+not fit to have a godchild, and that is the hole story in a nutshell.
+I dunno just what I shall do if he rites to me. Mebbe I will anser and
+mebbe I wont. I guess I shall tell miss Betty about it. Have I ever
+tole you about her? She lives in the big house on the hill next to Sid
+Perkins and she has hare like, well like what you sed about Jean's,
+like gold and sunshine, and big blue eyes and the cutest little chin
+with a dimple rite in the middle, and when she smiles she makes me
+think of the ferry queens you read about in books. I guess miss Betty
+is the prettiest girl on earth al-rite. She was one of the folks what
+let me give there dorenobs a extra polish, and she nos all about you
+and now I have tole her about that Teddy, and she sez, I no just
+how you feel about him Jimmy. It is a grate comfort to have someone
+understand you if your family do not. And I askt her if she new enny
+poitry in french I cood send you by way of conversashun, and she sez,
+I remember just one, and here it is,
+
+
+  _"Je vous aime, je vous adore,
+  Que voulez vous done encore?"_
+
+
+I thot that was kind of short but she sed if I sent this to you you
+mite send that feler Teddy packin, but I guess you wont. I dont no
+when I have had so much bad luck as I have had lately. Fust their was
+the hoopincoff, then my blew legs, then I lost my firecrakers, and now
+I guess I am going to lose you al-rite. I fergot to tell you their is
+a new preecher hear called Herbit Hoover and he is a minister of
+the gospel of the Clean Plate, and all us school boys have been
+distributin little papers about it, the idee is, if you do not beleeve
+in it you eat meat and wheat and everythin, and if you beleeve a
+little you have meatless days and eat rye and no wheat, and if you get
+the religion rele hard you lick your plate clean and eat pretty near
+nothing at all. Ennyway nobody must eat sugar. Dad sez it is becaus
+sugar has turned to dimonds, so we have sirup insted and it is pretty
+good, the pancakes I was tellin you about was made with that. Mother
+sez the sugar situashun is going to be rele bad. I hope their is some
+left fer my birthday which is near Thanksgiving day. Say, you and I
+come near bein twins do you no that? Just too weaks more and we wood
+have been born together, only I wood have been your twin over here and
+you wood have been my twin over there. Say woodnt that have been funny
+though! Stranger things have happined though. It does seem sort of
+strange to think those too weaks have made me your godfather and you
+my godchild insted of us bein twins. I tole mother about it and she
+sed she thot it was better the way it is. I have saved up 47 cents fer
+your Christmas present I am not going to tell you what I wish you wood
+do fer mine. I am going to see if you can guess it.
+
+Your ever affeckshunate godfather,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+
+
+
+18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris.
+September 24, 1917.
+
+My dear godfather:
+
+I am afraid this letter can't be in my own style and handwriting this
+time, for Mr. Teddy is here and I have asked him to help me with my
+English, in exchange of my helping him with his French. My mind is
+troubled and I think he can express my thought, so he has taken the
+pen in hand, and I, sitting on a little stool at his feet, and gazing
+up at him, try to make him understand what is in my mind.
+
+But first of all Mr. Teddy wants to ask you to forgive him, if he
+seems to be "butting in" and spoiling the game between you and your
+godchild. Honor bright, he didn't mean to do it. It was fate. Just
+blind, mysterious, and merciless fate that decreed that things should
+happen as they did. Mr. Teddy may be a blessing in disguise, anyway
+he couldn't be helped, and he has no excuse to offer, except, perhaps,
+that he is alone in the world and homesick in a foreign land. He is
+sorry you and he can't fight a duel over the situation, but I am very
+glad. And Mr. Teddy wants to tell you, very seriously that he takes
+off his hat to any little fellow of your size who can do the plucky
+thing you have done, and keep it up so well. If grown up men all had
+more of your spirit, he says, the war would be over long ago.
+
+The object of this letter is as follows: I (your godchild) wish to
+make amends. I wrote you yesterday, and didn't answer your letter.
+Not a word did I say about it, except that I had received it, then
+I prattled away all about another would-be godfather for whom you,
+naturally, have no earthly use. And to-day my heart is filled with
+remorse and my head is filled with fears lest you should think your
+dear godchild is ungrateful, fickle, and flighty. I want to tell you
+how every detail of your life--from knob-polishing and bug-swallowing
+to poetry-writing is dear and precious to me. How I wish I could do
+the same! How I live in eager expectation of your letters; how I gloat
+and ponder over them when they come; and how deep is the gloom into
+which I am plunged when they do not come! Mr. Teddy knows all that,
+because I have somehow expressed it, and if I had striven to hide my
+thought he would have guessed it, for he knows full well what goes on
+in the hearts of little maids and gallant lads.
+
+Therefore have I asked him to voice my deepest feelings in a poem that
+will answer yours:
+
+
+  "IDEALIZATION"
+
+  By Andree Leblanc and
+  Yankee Teddy.
+
+  "_Though our eyes may never meet,
+  To me you're more than bread or meat,
+  You are the proud and noble knight
+  That I pray for every night.
+  You could stand up on burning decks,
+  While others ran to save their necks,
+  You would not fear the dreadful Hun,
+  In Freedom's cause you'd fire a gun.
+  A lad who never gets cold feet
+  Was not destined to know defeat,
+  But oh! thou child of many pray'rs
+  Beware of Jealousy's deep snares!"_
+
+
+From your affectionate godchild,
+Andrée Leblanc.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls
+Oct. 10, 1917.
+
+My dear Mr. Teddy,
+
+Jimmy has just brought me your letter, in great excitement, and I am
+taking the liberty of answering it myself, as I don't think he could
+do himself justice under the present circumstances. Mr. Teddy, did you
+ever have a soft spot for a little girl, when you were about eleven
+or twelve? I had one for a little boy; he was older than I, about
+fourteen; his name was Robert, and he had freckles; I think he
+squinted, too, and he teased all the girls a great deal. I am sure
+he was a very horrid little boy, as I look back, but at that time I
+thought he was wonderful, and it almost broke my heart when he said
+he had no use for little yellow-haired girls and took a girl with two
+brown pigtails to a big children's party, instead of me.
+
+Jimmy has a very soft spot for his godchild, and it is more than
+a passing fancy with him. You see, his family, while not actually
+poverty-stricken, are not as well off as they used to be, and Jimmy
+has practically supported Andree himself all the year, through
+countless little odd jobs. I have seen him on the coldest winter days,
+chopping wood or going from door to door asking to shovel snow, and
+his fingers were so red and frozen he could scarcely hold the shovel;
+yet he was always ready, with a smile, to do more work for his "kid in
+France." Andree is his godchild, his sister, his whole family to him;
+and he shoulders the responsibility of looking after her with all
+the seriousness of a little old man. Now, right in the middle of this
+flourishing state of affairs you come, with your big American pockets
+filled with elastic candy and bon-bons, and at a moment's notice
+you produce cold-cream, perfumed with strawberry and vanilla, and
+snow-covered cakes such as Jimmy can never hope to equal. What little
+girl would not turn fickle to her first love in the presence of such
+a display? At first Jimmy was filled with natural jealousy at your
+intrusion. He was all for going over there and giving you a piece of
+his mind; but since receiving your letter he has, almost incredibly,
+come to feel sorry for you because, as he says, "it must be pretty
+tuf to be all alone over there, and I guess he thinks my godchild is
+a peach, all right." And Jimmy is right; you must be so very very
+lonesome! And yet couldn't we manage to cheer you up a little without
+taking Jimmy's godchild away from him? I don't know of any little
+godchild I could give you in exchange, but I do know of a girl who
+lives with an invalid mother in a big white house on a hill, and who
+would only be too glad to have a soldier for a godson and send him
+little packages of cigarettes, and pictures of movie stars (of which
+she has a great collection) and--oh tell him about home and friends
+and people and everything.
+
+I am sending you this letter care of Andrée Leblanc; if you would care
+for the arrangement I suggest, would you let me know?
+
+Sincerely yours,
+Elizabeth Winslow
+
+
+
+
+18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris.
+November 2, 1917.
+
+My dear godfather:
+
+Jules has received a wound, and he is very joyful because it make him
+not to die; on the contrary it make him cited at the order of the
+day and decorated with the Médaille Militaire. He make two boches
+prisoners and catch them with one hand because the other had the very
+bad hurt. And then he fainted himself on the ground and the Cross Red
+pick him and conduct him at a great hospital in Paris. And Tuesday
+Maman and Marie go to see him and take him the lemonade. And yesterday
+Monsieur Teddy ask Maman the permission to take me to see him also and
+she say yes and we go. We ride in the tramway pending a long time
+and I give Monsieur Teddy a lesson of French, and he say nothing
+but, _oui, oui_ and _chic alors--zut alors_! And all the
+travelers regard us and laugh and Monsieur Teddy laugh also. But when
+we arrive at the hospital he laugh not at all. He take my hand and I
+keep it very tight because I am frighten. It is very beautiful, the
+hospital. There is the great garden with trees and flat bands[22] and
+the soldier sentinel at the door. Inside it is all white and dark,
+a little like the church, and it smell of pharmacy and nobody make a
+noise. A lady white conduct us up the stairs and open a door, and I
+see a great number of beds in lines with Poilus in them. When they see
+the uniform American some make the salute military and I feel myself
+very proud. Jules was so content he say it make his hurt to go away
+immediately. And Teddy sit on a chair and give cigarettes and try to
+make conversation with his hands. And I sit on the bed and make talk
+with two tongues and ten fingers also. And Teddy say he will come
+again see brother Jules all the Sundays and Thursdays and console him
+until he go to fly away. Very sure he is one angel, Mr. Teddy! And
+he go up in the heavens with the wings! Oh little foolish godfather!
+Understand you not he is one aviator? And you must not be in anger
+when he give me the good things to eat. Perhaps in Amerique the cold
+cream is bad, but in Paris it make you not sick, on the contrary. I
+show not your letter to Mr. Teddy because you say for two cents
+you twist his nose and his eyes and it is not very genteel, dear
+godfather. When you think wickedness the bon Dieu punish you. It is
+because you think wickedness of Mr. Teddy that you become sick and
+cannot to eat the pancakes, and must drink the oil of the caster.
+
+I am content that the Miss Betty understand you and you tell her all
+things, and she is like the ferry with the twisted hairs. Hairs like
+gold is very pretty for little boys like Jean, but on ladies it look
+like the sun have fade the color. Thank you for the poetry she make.
+But my great sister see it and she say to Maman: "These infants write
+great foolishness all the time. If it continues we must give Andree
+no more stamps of five sous. We will make the economy and send only
+a card postal all the three months when the Comité Americain send the
+silver of the godfather."
+
+And I am very unhappy because Maman will not permit me to polish
+door-knobs like you and gain silver for the stamps of five sous. But
+little Jean come squeeze my neck and console me, and say he will work
+and become rich to purchase the stamps of five sous. Poor little! He
+know not what it is the life, but he is one brave little man, and I
+think he will resemble to you, dear godfather. Oh, I forget, in my
+other letter I write when Mr. Teddy come, to say I desire very much
+your portrait where you are grinning, like you say. I love much the
+grinning godfather. I will place you above my bed, under the branch of
+blessed box. My Papa is there also, and I embrace him all the nights,
+before I lie down.
+
+Dear little godfather, I am very recognizing[23] that you guard 47
+sous for my Christmas. Alas, I can never enough say thank you for all
+you do, and I can never render it to you! It make me full of sorry
+when I think that. With Maman I essay to guess what you want I do. I
+will make something with my proper hands, and Maman will aid. You will
+love a pair of slippers embroidered, or a shawl (I want say a scarf)
+or a bonnet of aviator? Tell me, I pray of you,
+
+I shake your hand affectuously.
+
+Your godchild,
+Andrée Leblanc.
+
+[22] Flat bands (_plate-bandes_) flower beds.
+[23] Recognizing (_reconnaissante_) grateful.
+
+
+
+
+Greenville Falls
+Nov. 18, 1917.
+
+Deer godchild,
+
+How are you? I got that mister Teddy's letter, and I was goin to anser
+it but I dident no just what to say, so I gave it to miss Betty and
+she sed she wood anser it herself. And you needent worry about my
+twistin his nose and stikin my finger in his eye, because if you like
+him I will leave him alone fer your sake. I had quite a good birthday.
+Miss Betty found out when it was, and she gave me a bully party,
+but we had a feerce time gettin sugar. You no mister Hoover the new
+minister I was telling you about? Well he has got reel exited about
+sugar, and he has told the shopkeepers they must give only one pound
+to itch family, and miss Betty she wanted more than that to make my
+cake, because she sez it is hard enuf to cook with things but it is
+the limit to cook without them. And she dident no what to do until she
+had a brite idee. She sent Molly to Butler's store and she got some
+mapel seerop and mixt it all up with the sugar and a lot of other good
+stuff. And I had a bully cake. It was kinder soft to have candels
+on it, but miss Betty made it all herself and that is more than your
+Teddy did, and it was a bully cake just the same. And she let me ask
+Dinky Odell over to have some and we had hot chocolate and a fust rate
+time. I am sorry your sister dident like the poitry. Some peeple dont
+no a good thing when they see it. Carl Odell has writ to Amanda, and
+he sez, "I am writing this in the midst of falling shells and boms
+busting in air, but if ever I come out al-rite little girl I'll come
+back to you." Carl Odell must have been sent to the front pretty quick
+al-rite as he has only been gone too weaks, and he sez he has a lot of
+inside inflammation, but he is afraid the censer will cut it out.
+
+And now I come to the bizness part of this leter. Fer one yere now I
+have been your godfather and you have been my godchild, and we have
+hit it off pretty well I think, and now the yere is drawing to a
+close, and next month it may be all will be ended between us. Little
+girl, what I have been wishing you wood do fer Christmas is not a
+scarf, or slipper or ennything but this. Will you be my godchild fer
+a nuther yere? I guess mebbe you mite do better fer yourself and get a
+more classy godfather. I dont seem to be much good at school somehow,
+and I guess that missis Yanket was rite when she sed what she did
+about my spellin bein feerce. I guess mebbe you rite better than I do,
+and I no that mister Teddy dose becaus miss Betty saw his letter and
+she sed it was a fine letter. Somehow I guess Mr. le Cure and missis
+Yanket and all your frens rite and spell better than I do. But I bet
+I can polish dore handels and wash winders and sell Mirrors and suport
+you as well as enny Body. Mebbe I am cut out fer plane bizness. And
+so I say, if you think you like me, and wood like to keep on having
+me fer your godfather, say yes and I will be much obliged. But if you
+think you wood be hapier with Mr. Teddy, dear godchild why just say so
+and never mind about me. I guess I can live it down.
+
+Your affeckshunate godfather,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+
+
+
+Paris, Dec. 4, 1917.
+
+Dear godfather,
+
+I say thousand times yes, and the bon Dieu give you benediction.
+Oh dear godfather, you did make the foolish when you believe I want
+veritably monsieur Teddy to me adopt! He is full of gracious goodness,
+Monsieur Teddy, but he is not like unto you. He did not the work, and
+he beat himself not with Red-Skins, to succour me and give comfort in
+the modest interior. Mr. Teddy very sure will be one hero in the war,
+but you are already one hero with heart more big. And my dear Papa,
+that did die for the Patrie, is well content to behold that. We are
+loving all the Amerique; but Maman and me say yesterday there is not
+in the world entire a boy so much remplished of sentiments delicate
+like my grinning godfather. (I call you like that because your
+photography is come; you are more beautiful than Mr. Teddy and it
+rejoice the heart to look upon you.)
+
+Dear godfather I will tell you Mr. Teddy is departed to the front. He
+come one day, late, and he say not he go away the tomorrow; he only
+sit by the stove, and take Jean upon his knees and caress the hairs
+of gold; and he smile very nice but speak not much. And when he go, he
+tell me, very quiet, he have in his pocket one beautiful letter of
+the miss Betty. And she is his ferry godmother, and you are my ferry
+godfather and all things are al-rite, al-rite! You say all the time
+that word, you other Americans, al-rite, al-rite. Maman say it is
+because you have confidence in the bon Dieu, and you know that He will
+make the bad world all over like that: Al-rite, al-rite!
+
+Happy Year! dear little godfather. Permit, one time, that I embrace
+you very affectuously, and shake your hand.
+
+Your godchild for the life,
+Andrée Leblanc.
+
+
+
+
+Deer Miss Secretary:
+
+After some consideration I have decided to keep my orfan fer one more
+yere. Of course she is still a girl and I wanted a boy, but she is
+used to me and I am used to her, and it mite go hard with her if I
+left her fer some one else to adop, so if you will just put me down
+fer one more yere I will be much obliged to you.
+
+Yours truly,
+James P. Jackson Jr.
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DEER GODCHILD***
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