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Erica (Thorp) de Berry to Thorp family, 5 September 1918
Manuscript letter
Lacaune
Sept. 5th 1918.
Dearest People,
Just a year ago, I was sailing, stealing out of New York harbor in the dark, scarcely able even, to see the Statue of Liberty.
And now I’m spending my first evening entirely chez [?] in the Doctor’s chalet which I’ve moved into since his departure. It’s such a sweet one, at one end of the playground under the pines, looking across our biggest meadow to other pines and hillsides. A fine old [p. 2] thunderstorm is raging, and it’s funny to see how much like the bombs it sounds except for the longer drawn-out reverberation.
Do you remember the series of weird long thunderstorms we had last summer just before I left. It seemed so anticipatory then of “guns at the front,” but in reality the guns are much, much less rolling and reverberating, sharp but very short.
We’ve had a fine week of accomplishment — 38 tonsils operations in one day and a half, many teeth extracted [p. 3 marked 2] by a military dentist a “propanne[?] Time” ^and two wagon freight car^ loads of furniture sent to the new colony at Bédarieux.
After much soliciting, we finally got the Red Cross to send down Dr. Hunt, throat & nose specialist, to do the operations. In spite of telegrams and letters, there was a slip-up about the ether, she arriving empty-handed, expecting to find it here — so we had to do more wild telegraphing to Castres ^& Montpellier^ to get military permission to borrow some chloroform from the hospital [p. 4] and at last twenty four hours later got under way. The little office was transformed into an operating room and with Dr. Hunt officiating, and Dr. Morehouse (a visiting Dr. friend) and the two nurses to assist. You never saw anything run off more beautifully.
Dr. H is a wonder, so quick and neat in her operating, and a most adorable person besides — And the kids were perfect bricks! You can imagine how long drawn-out [p. 5 marked 3] the strain necessarily was with so many, watching the before and after ^of comrades,^ on empty stomachs. But they were as stoical as they always are, big and little. Oh, how it all took me back to adenoid days — every shade of that agonizing after sore-throat and the coming-out of ether. Also to that heartbreaking morning which I never shall forget as long as I live, of one of [S?] gland operations at N.E. when we kept her playing croquet and ^foolish^ playing to keep her away from breakfast [p. 6] [?] in memory of all that and all that you went through for us, knowing how you would have sympathized with them and my feelings for them, they all had operation presents of knives, crayons & mechanical toys from you.
Now they are all up again, with practically no after effects. It’s such a relief to have it done! Of course we had to write and telegraph all over France for parents’ consent. One father in the Italian front couldn’t be reached, [p. 7 marked 4] also a mother in Alsace, but otherwise we had enthusiastic consent from all.
No sooner was the last operation over on Sunday at 2, then the time started, a long-planned-for event given for the benefit of Lacaune poor [a circle was drawn around the words “given for the benefit of Lacaune poor”] Which couldn’t very well be put off. Our boys’ piece had to be, however, as two of the principals had been operés. (We’d hoped to get it all over long before) but the programme was quite full enough of plays and recitations, [p. 8] Choruses and Dict[?] selections. ^as it was^ All Lacaune came and it was a succis’fou.
I have fine fun doing the “Hausement” now, scrubbing heads and dressing sores of all sorts & descriptions. You have no idea how long it takes to get these children into really good physical condition.
[M?] lovely silk scarf arrived a few days ago, and the films from Papa. I’m so grateful for both. Soon I shall begin sending back pictures.
Dearest love to farmerettes and farmers. Think of it soon being time to leave the island again.
[p. 8 margin:] Your lovingest, Bun
[Note: This letter was written on 4 sheets of official stationery, front and back. The header of the paper [pages 1, 3, and 5] says: COMITÉ FRANCO-AMÉRICAIN POR LA PROTECTION DES ENFANTS DE LA FRONTIÈRE 77, RUE D’AMSTERDAM, PARIS Below that, on the left, is printed: “COLONIE FRANCO-AMÉRICAINE DE LACAUNE” LACAUNE-LES-BAINS (TARN)]
Sept. 5th 1918.
Dearest People,
Just a year ago, I was sailing, stealing out of New York harbor in the dark, scarcely able even, to see the Statue of Liberty.
And now I’m spending my first evening entirely chez [?] in the Doctor’s chalet which I’ve moved into since his departure. It’s such a sweet one, at one end of the playground under the pines, looking across our biggest meadow to other pines and hillsides. A fine old [p. 2] thunderstorm is raging, and it’s funny to see how much like the bombs it sounds except for the longer drawn-out reverberation.
Do you remember the series of weird long thunderstorms we had last summer just before I left. It seemed so anticipatory then of “guns at the front,” but in reality the guns are much, much less rolling and reverberating, sharp but very short.
We’ve had a fine week of accomplishment — 38 tonsils operations in one day and a half, many teeth extracted [p. 3 marked 2] by a military dentist a “propanne[?] Time” ^and two wagon freight car^ loads of furniture sent to the new colony at Bédarieux.
After much soliciting, we finally got the Red Cross to send down Dr. Hunt, throat & nose specialist, to do the operations. In spite of telegrams and letters, there was a slip-up about the ether, she arriving empty-handed, expecting to find it here — so we had to do more wild telegraphing to Castres ^& Montpellier^ to get military permission to borrow some chloroform from the hospital [p. 4] and at last twenty four hours later got under way. The little office was transformed into an operating room and with Dr. Hunt officiating, and Dr. Morehouse (a visiting Dr. friend) and the two nurses to assist. You never saw anything run off more beautifully.
Dr. H is a wonder, so quick and neat in her operating, and a most adorable person besides — And the kids were perfect bricks! You can imagine how long drawn-out [p. 5 marked 3] the strain necessarily was with so many, watching the before and after ^of comrades,^ on empty stomachs. But they were as stoical as they always are, big and little. Oh, how it all took me back to adenoid days — every shade of that agonizing after sore-throat and the coming-out of ether. Also to that heartbreaking morning which I never shall forget as long as I live, of one of [S?] gland operations at N.E. when we kept her playing croquet and ^foolish^ playing to keep her away from breakfast [p. 6] [?] in memory of all that and all that you went through for us, knowing how you would have sympathized with them and my feelings for them, they all had operation presents of knives, crayons & mechanical toys from you.
Now they are all up again, with practically no after effects. It’s such a relief to have it done! Of course we had to write and telegraph all over France for parents’ consent. One father in the Italian front couldn’t be reached, [p. 7 marked 4] also a mother in Alsace, but otherwise we had enthusiastic consent from all.
No sooner was the last operation over on Sunday at 2, then the time started, a long-planned-for event given for the benefit of Lacaune poor [a circle was drawn around the words “given for the benefit of Lacaune poor”] Which couldn’t very well be put off. Our boys’ piece had to be, however, as two of the principals had been operés. (We’d hoped to get it all over long before) but the programme was quite full enough of plays and recitations, [p. 8] Choruses and Dict[?] selections. ^as it was^ All Lacaune came and it was a succis’fou.
I have fine fun doing the “Hausement” now, scrubbing heads and dressing sores of all sorts & descriptions. You have no idea how long it takes to get these children into really good physical condition.
[M?] lovely silk scarf arrived a few days ago, and the films from Papa. I’m so grateful for both. Soon I shall begin sending back pictures.
Dearest love to farmerettes and farmers. Think of it soon being time to leave the island again.
[p. 8 margin:] Your lovingest, Bun
[Note: This letter was written on 4 sheets of official stationery, front and back. The header of the paper [pages 1, 3, and 5] says: COMITÉ FRANCO-AMÉRICAIN POR LA PROTECTION DES ENFANTS DE LA FRONTIÈRE 77, RUE D’AMSTERDAM, PARIS Below that, on the left, is printed: “COLONIE FRANCO-AMÉRICAINE DE LACAUNE” LACAUNE-LES-BAINS (TARN)]
Archives Number: 1006/004.006.002-006#034
U. S. National Park Service
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Courtesy of National Park Service, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site; Archives Number 1006/004.006.002-006#034
Public domain
Erica Thorp deBerry Papers (1006/004.006), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Correspondence, Outgoing (1006/004.006.002), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1918 (1006/004.006.002-006), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Correspondence, Outgoing (1006/004.006.002), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1918 (1006/004.006.002-006), (LONG-FileUnitName)
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Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Code: LONG
Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
NPS Museum Number Catalog : LONG 27930
Title: Finding Aid to the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) Family Papers, 1768-1972 (Bulk dates 1825-1950)
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#HWLFP
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#HWLFP
2018-11-29
09/05/1918
Manuscript letter in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Family Papers, Erica Thorp deBerry Papers, Correspondence, Outgoing. (1006/004.006.002)
Public Can View
Organization: Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
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