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Conger Reynolds correspondence, November 1918
1918-11-25 Conger Reynolds to Daphne Reynolds Page 2
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crease back to October 8 I'll have to buy my wife a coca cola or a new hat or a limousine or suthin. My adventures in the operatic circles of Luxembourg continue to be most diverting. Last night young Monsieur (or Herr) Muller took me to a specially reserved seat in his café, where every other seat was taken. He had previously seated at the table a masculine friend of about his own age and two nice young ladies who. it appeared, were more or less attached to the young men. We spent the evening talking and listening to the music from a rather good orchestra. The musical programme was divided between light opera and American ragtime. The ragtime in vogue here is of the period of "Everybody's Doing It" and "Alexander's Ragtime Band." Most of the talking was done by my male friends. Both speak English fairly well, and both were eager to practice. The result was that I often was hearing a discussion of one subject with one ear and another subject with the other ear. One of the girls knew a little English and put in a word now and then. Out of deference to the other girl I managed to divert the conversation into French for several brief periods. The natives here speak both French and German perfectly, having learned both from the beginning of their school life. But for conversation among themselves they speak the patois of Luxembourg which neither knowledge of German or knowledge of French enables one to understand to any extent. One of the chief topics of conversation was the extreme cost of everything in Luxembourg. The things they told me are indeed astounding. They have been paying fifty dollars for a ham, three dollars a pound for butter, a hundred and fifty dollars for an ordinary suit of clothes, sixty dollars for a pair of shoes, thirty dollars for a hat, and everything else has cost in proportion. They certainly welcome the readjustment that is now about to take place that will bring prices down to a level upon which they can exist. Learning how costly everything is, one wonders more and more at the wonderful generosity these people are showing toward us. We are having invitations to luncheons and parties pressed upon us. This noon I had to go -- just had to go; to lunch at the Mullers'. They set me down at a round table laid with beautiful linen, china, crystal, and silverware. There were the father, two sons, and daughter, the mother being ill. In came a maid with successive courses which were: first, a delicious beef broth soup; second, wild rabbit, maccaroni, and potatoes; third, roast veal with a delicious sauce, and some sort of green vegetable that I didn't know; fourth, a dessert of jellied apples with a custard and meringue on them; and fifth, coffee and pastry. The only feature that betrayed the slightest lack of food in the country was the black bread. No doubt they were doing themselves proud in my honor, and I certainly enjoyed it. The old boy was having the delight of his life in celebrating the triumph of the allied cause. It must have cost him not less than twenty-five dollars, at prevailing rates, but he didn't care. He fortunately has a private fortune in addition to a good salary as salaries go in the duchy. He's a state official. And this evening after getting a haircut I was able to get a shampoo done just as it would have been done in the barber shop at home. Compared to the cold water sprinklings in France it was a luxury enough. If anyone should ask me, my answer is that I'm for having the press section remain in Luxembourg until we can go home. Tonight I am off to bed early. In honor of the day and everything I weel first give you zee kees. I love you, honey! Conger
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crease back to October 8 I'll have to buy my wife a coca cola or a new hat or a limousine or suthin. My adventures in the operatic circles of Luxembourg continue to be most diverting. Last night young Monsieur (or Herr) Muller took me to a specially reserved seat in his café, where every other seat was taken. He had previously seated at the table a masculine friend of about his own age and two nice young ladies who. it appeared, were more or less attached to the young men. We spent the evening talking and listening to the music from a rather good orchestra. The musical programme was divided between light opera and American ragtime. The ragtime in vogue here is of the period of "Everybody's Doing It" and "Alexander's Ragtime Band." Most of the talking was done by my male friends. Both speak English fairly well, and both were eager to practice. The result was that I often was hearing a discussion of one subject with one ear and another subject with the other ear. One of the girls knew a little English and put in a word now and then. Out of deference to the other girl I managed to divert the conversation into French for several brief periods. The natives here speak both French and German perfectly, having learned both from the beginning of their school life. But for conversation among themselves they speak the patois of Luxembourg which neither knowledge of German or knowledge of French enables one to understand to any extent. One of the chief topics of conversation was the extreme cost of everything in Luxembourg. The things they told me are indeed astounding. They have been paying fifty dollars for a ham, three dollars a pound for butter, a hundred and fifty dollars for an ordinary suit of clothes, sixty dollars for a pair of shoes, thirty dollars for a hat, and everything else has cost in proportion. They certainly welcome the readjustment that is now about to take place that will bring prices down to a level upon which they can exist. Learning how costly everything is, one wonders more and more at the wonderful generosity these people are showing toward us. We are having invitations to luncheons and parties pressed upon us. This noon I had to go -- just had to go; to lunch at the Mullers'. They set me down at a round table laid with beautiful linen, china, crystal, and silverware. There were the father, two sons, and daughter, the mother being ill. In came a maid with successive courses which were: first, a delicious beef broth soup; second, wild rabbit, maccaroni, and potatoes; third, roast veal with a delicious sauce, and some sort of green vegetable that I didn't know; fourth, a dessert of jellied apples with a custard and meringue on them; and fifth, coffee and pastry. The only feature that betrayed the slightest lack of food in the country was the black bread. No doubt they were doing themselves proud in my honor, and I certainly enjoyed it. The old boy was having the delight of his life in celebrating the triumph of the allied cause. It must have cost him not less than twenty-five dollars, at prevailing rates, but he didn't care. He fortunately has a private fortune in addition to a good salary as salaries go in the duchy. He's a state official. And this evening after getting a haircut I was able to get a shampoo done just as it would have been done in the barber shop at home. Compared to the cold water sprinklings in France it was a luxury enough. If anyone should ask me, my answer is that I'm for having the press section remain in Luxembourg until we can go home. Tonight I am off to bed early. In honor of the day and everything I weel first give you zee kees. I love you, honey! Conger
World War I Diaries and Letters
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