Children -- France -- Correspondence; Children -- United States -- Correspondence
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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