DIY History | Transcribe | World War I Diaries and Letters | Conger Reynolds correspondence, August 1918 | 1918-08-03 Conger Reynolds to John & Emily Reynolds Page 2

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Conger Reynolds correspondence, August 1918

1918-08-03 Conger Reynolds to John & Emily Reynolds Page 2

2
floor and use the upstairs portions as their home.  So in the lawyer's house the two front rooms on the ground floor are his office and the rear rooms and upper two floors are his home.  My room is one of the rear rooms on the ground floor.  It opens on the court, which is altogether walled in.  So I feel pretty well hidden when I retire to my boudoir.  My new situation impresses upon me the striking difference between home life in France and home life in America.  In America we have front yards where we hang our hammocks in summer and where the children play.  We have verandas where we sit and watch the world go by and where our family gatherings are open to the public gaze.  We rarely wall in our residences.  From all sides they are visible and much of what goes on inside them is unconcealed.  In France the home is quite different. It usually fronts directly on the street.  There is no front yard.  The windows more than half the time are shuttered and the doors are almost always locked. The children play in the garden or the courtyard behind the house, and it is almost always shut in by a high wall which prevents any view from the outside of what is going on there.  The world outside never knows what the members of a family are doing from the moment they leave the street and lock the front door behind them.  Inside the house and in that garden their family life is not far different from ours. The whole distinguishing difference lies in that secrecy of home life in France.  One can't know anything about French home life unless he is admitted to the sacred inner circle.  Many thousands of Americans are being admitted to sacred inner circles nowadays, and they are finding that the life of the French family, contrary to much that has been said and written, is very charming and agreeable.  It is not so comfortable and wholesome and pleasant, perhaps, as our own family life, but it has its advantages. 
My room is nothing to brag about. Certainly it is not as luxurious as the last two I have occupied.  But it is thoroughly comfortable.  The people in what little contact I have had with them seemed very nice, and their servant has so far seen that my few wants were not neglected.  I think I shall get on very well, even if I don't have the gentleman's splendor that was in sight if we had gone into the mansion at L------. Ligny? 
The mail has been good to me this week.  I received five letters from Daphne, one from "Goody," and miscellaneous others from my friends in France.  One of the latter was from Oliver, who is now in a good job at G.H.Q., largely as the result, I think, of a letter I wrote tipping my chief off to the fact that Oliver was in France and telling him his history.  He is probably down for staff work for a long time.  I'm glad to see it because he is particularly well qualified. I have heard from Lieut. Iverson, who was one of my intimates at headquarters at Fort Snelling.  He has recently arrived in France.  I also had a nice long letter from Ray Lyon.  He was finishing his work for a degree in law.  You know, he tried every way to get into some kind of war organization but his pathological record barred him.  
Lieutenant Mangan declares luncheon is served.  So au revoir.
Wish bushels of love,
Conger

Conger Reynolds
2nd Lt..A.G.D.

Saving...

2 floor and use the upstairs portions as their home. So in the lawyer's house the two front rooms on the ground floor are his office and the rear rooms and upper two floors are his home. My room is one of the rear rooms on the ground floor. It opens on the court, which is altogether walled in. So I feel pretty well hidden when I retire to my boudoir. My new situation impresses upon me the striking difference between home life in France and home life in America. In America we have front yards where we hang our hammocks in summer and where the children play. We have verandas where we sit and watch the world go by and where our family gatherings are open to the public gaze. We rarely wall in our residences. From all sides they are visible and much of what goes on inside them is unconcealed. In France the home is quite different. It usually fronts directly on the street. There is no front yard. The windows more than half the time are shuttered and the doors are almost always locked. The children play in the garden or the courtyard behind the house, and it is almost always shut in by a high wall which prevents any view from the outside of what is going on there. The world outside never knows what the members of a family are doing from the moment they leave the street and lock the front door behind them. Inside the house and in that garden their family life is not far different from ours. The whole distinguishing difference lies in that secrecy of home life in France. One can't know anything about French home life unless he is admitted to the sacred inner circle. Many thousands of Americans are being admitted to sacred inner circles nowadays, and they are finding that the life of the French family, contrary to much that has been said and written, is very charming and agreeable. It is not so comfortable and wholesome and pleasant, perhaps, as our own family life, but it has its advantages. My room is nothing to brag about. Certainly it is not as luxurious as the last two I have occupied. But it is thoroughly comfortable. The people in what little contact I have had with them seemed very nice, and their servant has so far seen that my few wants were not neglected. I think I shall get on very well, even if I don't have the gentleman's splendor that was in sight if we had gone into the mansion at L------. Ligny? The mail has been good to me this week. I received five letters from Daphne, one from "Goody," and miscellaneous others from my friends in France. One of the latter was from Oliver, who is now in a good job at G.H.Q., largely as the result, I think, of a letter I wrote tipping my chief off to the fact that Oliver was in France and telling him his history. He is probably down for staff work for a long time. I'm glad to see it because he is particularly well qualified. I have heard from Lieut. Iverson, who was one of my intimates at headquarters at Fort Snelling. He has recently arrived in France. I also had a nice long letter from Ray Lyon. He was finishing his work for a degree in law. You know, he tried every way to get into some kind of war organization but his pathological record barred him. Lieutenant Mangan declares luncheon is served. So au revoir. Wish bushels of love, Conger Conger Reynolds 2nd Lt..A.G.D.