File:Erica (Thorp) de Berry to Thorp family, 29 September 1918 (7902ffa0-8e5e-433c-b7d5-9269576d5703).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1006/004.006.002-006#037

Lacaune
Sept 29, 1918
Dearest family,
Wonderful, golden Indian Summer days after a winter scare when we thought bad weather had come to stay! I wish you could see our pile of logs mounting, or rather spreading day by day, (for they unload them all along the road ready to be sawed), and the steaming oxen lunging up after their long pull. It has to be hauled from a long distance as the cutting forests are all far from us, but [p. 2] those great beast[s] are equal to anything. We have three teams on the job regularly now, as it takes an enormous amount for this big place, with very little coal to rely on. 1000 kilos ^of wood^ a day is what we calculate for 20 stoves and the kitchen. Here they either shake their heads and tell us we’ll freeze entirely and that there’s no way out of it, or else they say that we ought to do with as little heating as possible so that the contrasts shouldn’t be too great! However, we go our own sweet [p. 3 marked 2] way in spite of all the “bavardage,” and will have a warm, dry house for the children if we die for it.
Lacaune is probably the most gossipy place going. New England isn’t in it. And as we are the chief excitement of life for them, you can imagine the tales that go the rounds of afternoon chats at goûter3 hour. They know (three times exaggerated) the price of everything we buy, and even had it that I had been converted to Catholicism & was to be baptized on a certain date! My little Protestant Belgian friend believed it and got very much excited; Oh, it is all so funny!
[p. 4] Our little ones are due to part the 12th and we’re working out the new personnel slowly but surely. There’s to be a main teacher head person whom Mr. Jaccaci is sending from Paris, possibly another man teacher, and a large lay force for the housework and supervision in play hours, etc. Then we’ll have our shoemaker and carpenter for the apprentices, and another man-of-all work who will take groups in about-the-house jobs. I can’t wait to get it started, and the whole thing on a war régime with as much military [p. 5 marked 3] discipline as possible. The boys haven’t yet the feeling of doing things together, and team play. I’ve never seen such independent children anywhere. If you watch them on the playground they’re always in small groups or alone, scarcely even in masses doing the same thing. And on walks they explore for themselves. It is wonderful that independence of spirit which can’t be institutionalized, but they need, to supplement it, joy in doing things together.
I’ve never told you about our one girl, the sister of two of the boys from Dunkerque. A bomb fell on their house while they were [p. 6] all at a meal, killing father, mother, and one brother, injuring a sister badly and causing minor injuries to these children. The Mayor of D. signaled the case to M Jaccaci, begging that the children be kept together if possible, because of the sister’s utter devotion to her little brothers. So we have them all three here, at first thinking that we would place her with Sisters in the village, but deciding to keep her because she is so sweet and devoted. She works in the kitchen and fits in perfectly to the household, tho’ you might never think it in a family of 145 boys! And to see her mother [p. 7 marked 4] her little brothers is the loveliest thing—giving up everything for them and so concerned about their health. She’s only thirteen.
One of the boys who’s from Rheims told me today that he lived right behind the cathedral, had had a cellar existence of two years’ bombardment, and before on on finally on leaving, had gone with his family to put flowers on the statue of Jeanne d’Arc in gratitude for her protection. Wasn’t that sweet?
Our Abbé is translating kindergarten stories for the teachers. It’s so lovely to see him puckering[?] his hours over “The little Field Mouse” [p. 8] and such, but he loves it especially when we tell hi that we’ll get the Red Cross to print them!
The k-g-ters[kindergartners] are so nice. Jean Hall, the youngest a few years older than I, is a perfect delight, saying such funny thigs every moment and taking life so jovially. It is a joy to have kindred spirits to enjoy the humors of life here, for they are many — when the cows tramp up one’s front lawn & eat a chemise off the line or the Marquise arrives in the middle of outdoor [???] washing (of objects I mean) not to mention the remarks which the Abbé gets off unblushingly on anatomical subjects! [p. 9 marked 5] He’s such a character!
By the way, if it’s not too late, I’d like to add to the list of things to be sent over by Katrine if she comes, two flannel nightgowns, long and thick. They really fill the bill more appropriately than the sleeping-suit for most winter nights.
My hot water is getting colder & colder, so goodnight, dearest People. It seems ages since any letters had come.
Best love to everyone and thing
From Your Bun
(over) [p. 10] I enclose “Par La[le] Bas,” [?] which we’ve taught to the boys. Not our translation.
We have a piano and typewriter! And I’m going to learn to run the Ford.

• Keywords: long archives; henry w. longfellow family papers (long 27930); erica (thorp) de berry; document; correspondence; war; world war i; health and illness; lacaune; france; europe; education; school; anne allegra (longfellow) thorp; joseph gilbert thorp jr.; summer; social life; family life; Erica Thorp deBerry Papers (1006/004.006); (LONG-SeriesName); Outgoing (1006/004.006.002); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1918 (1006/004.006.002-006); (LONG-FileUnitName)