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 pate like we eat on days of fete 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!