Then one day Uncle Sam had a letter from home in which there was wonderful news.  It said that the city of Rheims had been “adopted” by the great, rich city of Chicago far away across the seas, and that some happy day when the war should be over and peace come again to the distracted world, Rheims should rise again from its ashes, rebuilt by its American friends.

In this hope the Twins still live and work, performing their duties faithfully each day, like good soldiers, and praying constantly to the Bon Dieu and their adored Saint Jeanne that the blessings which have come to them may yet come also to all their beloved France.

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY

KEY

ale, care, am, arm, ask; eve, end; menu, ice, ill; old, obey, orb, odd; food; zh = z in azure; N = the French nasal. ’ An apostrophe indicates a short sounding of the preceding consonant.

Proper Names

Aisne
Amerique
Boche
Charly
Corbeille
Coudert
Fifine
Jacqueline
Jacques
Jeanne d’Arc
Marseillaise
Meraut
Pierre
Rheims
Varennes
Vesle

French Words and Phrases

Abbe

Bon Dieu (Heavenly Father)

Bonjour (Good-day; hello; how do you do?)

chateau (castle)

combattre le Boche (fight the Boche)

grand’mere (grandmother)

grandpere (grandfather)

“Les Americains des Etats-Unis, duns l’uniforme de la France.  Mais maintenant nous exterminons le Boche.” ("Americans from the United States, in the uniform of France.  Surely now we shall crush out the Boche.”)

Mille tonneurs! (Great heavens!)

Que voulez-vous? (What do you wish?)

Verger

Vive (Long live)

Vive la France (Long life to France!)

Vive tous les Meraut (Long life to all the Meraut family.)

“Auf Wiedersehen” (German:  “Till we meet again,” or “Good-bye.”)

“Lieb’ Vaterland, macht ruhig sein” (German national anthem:  “Dear Fatherland, be tranquil.”)

SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS

The French Twins offers a valuable supplement to the study of current events.  In the first place, there is no problem of arousing interest in the nation which this book represents.  France and the French people have from the outbreak of the Great War compelled new and intense interest and sympathy from all Americans; and each fresh insight into the character, life, and ideals of the country is eagerly welcomed.  Moreover, in any class there will be few children who cannot claim either a relative or a friend who has served in the War; and many, like Pierre and Pierrette Meraut, will have had soldier fathers, thereby creating a bond between themselves and the Merauts strong enough to guarantee the pupils’ interest throughout the reading of the book.  Like the other books of the “Twins Series,” The French Twins adapts itself readily to dramatization.