DIY History | Transcribe | World War I Diaries and Letters | Conger Reynolds correspondence, April-December 1919 | 1919-05-01 Conger Reynolds to John and Emily Reynolds Page 1

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Conger Reynolds correspondence, April-December 1919

1919-05-01 Conger Reynolds to John and Emily Reynolds Page 1

The Chicago Tribune
PARIS EDITION
420 Rue Saint-Honoré
Tél. Louvre 04-26
May 1, 1919.
Dearest Father and Mother,--
Since I last wrote to you I have received your letters of February 3 and March 31.  I cannot begin to tell you what a feast they were.  I spent the better part of two hours going through them as I ate a good dinner down at the American University Union one evening. Tonight while I'm having my night off I'll try to repay you in kind, though I'm afraid I can't write so much at length or so interestingly.  I seem to owe everybody letters, and I'm trying this evening to repay some of my debts. 
From the description you gave me of the pin the soldier had, Mother, I think it must have been a franc piece with the coloring added.  I'll keep on the lookout for such a thing, but I'm afraid I'll not find one.  As for your inquiry about Martine-- I hear she is still up at the Visitors Chateau.  She went back to see her home after the Germans were driven away.  It consisted of four crumbling walls.  She could not even recognize in the wreckage which room was which.  I have been debating in my mind whether I could not figure out some way by which Daphne and I could have her come and keep house for us when we have an apartment, but I'm afraid that so long as the cost of food and other things stays as high as it is our income will not stand the cost of services as good as Martine's. 
I felt relieved to find that both of you were taking philosophically the idea of my staying over here for the time being.  I know that behind the approval that you give to my course there is some heartache just as there is with me in the fact that I shall not get to see you again for awhile.  But that is the penalty you have to pay and I have to pay for my being grown up and having responsibilities.  I have to forego doing what i should so much like to do--go whistling up our cinder path, as Dad puts it.  Growth and bigger opportunities mean their sacrifices.  In many ways I should like to go back to the University, but I can't lightly turn away from such a reward as I have here and such a future to go back to what I had there, though at the time I had it that job didn't seem to me half bad.  Before I make up my mind definitely, however, that I'm not going back to the University I have written to President Jessup about my situation here and sounding him out as to what extent the University might want to compete with the Tribune for my services.  There's some other offer--something about the managing editorship of The Register that I've heard about indirectly.  In some ways that too would

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The Chicago Tribune PARIS EDITION 420 Rue Saint-Honoré Tél. Louvre 04-26 May 1, 1919. Dearest Father and Mother,-- Since I last wrote to you I have received your letters of February 3 and March 31. I cannot begin to tell you what a feast they were. I spent the better part of two hours going through them as I ate a good dinner down at the American University Union one evening. Tonight while I'm having my night off I'll try to repay you in kind, though I'm afraid I can't write so much at length or so interestingly. I seem to owe everybody letters, and I'm trying this evening to repay some of my debts. From the description you gave me of the pin the soldier had, Mother, I think it must have been a franc piece with the coloring added. I'll keep on the lookout for such a thing, but I'm afraid I'll not find one. As for your inquiry about Martine-- I hear she is still up at the Visitors Chateau. She went back to see her home after the Germans were driven away. It consisted of four crumbling walls. She could not even recognize in the wreckage which room was which. I have been debating in my mind whether I could not figure out some way by which Daphne and I could have her come and keep house for us when we have an apartment, but I'm afraid that so long as the cost of food and other things stays as high as it is our income will not stand the cost of services as good as Martine's. I felt relieved to find that both of you were taking philosophically the idea of my staying over here for the time being. I know that behind the approval that you give to my course there is some heartache just as there is with me in the fact that I shall not get to see you again for awhile. But that is the penalty you have to pay and I have to pay for my being grown up and having responsibilities. I have to forego doing what i should so much like to do--go whistling up our cinder path, as Dad puts it. Growth and bigger opportunities mean their sacrifices. In many ways I should like to go back to the University, but I can't lightly turn away from such a reward as I have here and such a future to go back to what I had there, though at the time I had it that job didn't seem to me half bad. Before I make up my mind definitely, however, that I'm not going back to the University I have written to President Jessup about my situation here and sounding him out as to what extent the University might want to compete with the Tribune for my services. There's some other offer--something about the managing editorship of The Register that I've heard about indirectly. In some ways that too would