The 'Correspondence' Affair #3 - June 15, 1912 (Millicent to Alexander)

[avirra.livejournal.com]

From : Thun, Switzerland

June 15, 1912

Dearest Alexander,

I shall begin by saying that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the way you write a letter. I won't guarantee that I shall be interested in every subject that you cover, but I am interested in what interests you. Reading back over that last sentence, let me assure you that it made a great deal more sense in my head than it seems to make on paper.

It has been quite the busy time here as yesterday morning was graduation day for the eldest students among us. Seventeen in all. Those of us in the lower classes rather filled in spots in the ceremonies – ushering guests to their seats, giving directions to the hopelessly lost, passing out programs and other things of that nature. There are no formal studies during graduation week, but it was tiring. It seems we helped scrub and decorate everything from cellar to ceiling. I am grateful today is Saturday. After I finish posting my letter to you, I plan to take a book that one of my instructors recommended – Le Fantome de l'Opera – and finding a nice tree to sit in the shade of while reading it.

Do let me know anything you happen upon while reading. Or even better, tell me about anything you see at the theatre. I suppose that it one thing that I am discovering I miss. I used to go to the theatre once a week, whether to listen to music or see plays. We put on plays here, but it is hardly the same thing. Especially if you can wrap your mind around someone of my size playing the role of Romeo in a Shakespeare production. I am trying not to feel ridiculous, but my Juliet is a good three inches taller than I am and I would be willing to wager that she outweighs me by at least two stone. Thank heavens the script doesn't call for me carrying her about or my death scene would come far earlier than scheduled in the play.

I am beginning to feel like I am making some advances in my language studies, though I find I have problems with each of them. With German, the words are coming along well enough, but my accent is atrocious. And while I can get the rhythm of the Italian language well enough, getting the actual words right is a stumbling block. Perhaps it would be easier if I were tackling them one at a time, but that is not how things are done here and I shall simply have to trudge on. My instructors seem highly amused by my impatience. Well, perhaps they do have a point. It isn't as if I have been studying the languages for years, after all, and six weeks really isn't a great deal of time. I suppose the problem is that I really cannot recall formally learning any other language. I've had English, French and Russian all spoken to me for as long as I can remember.

So the military now has a force in the air as well. Imagine that. The school is still all abuzz about the young American woman that flew across the English Channel back while you and I were hiding in France. A Miss Harriet Quimby, aged twenty-four. It seems a touch peculiar that the first man across was French and the first woman across was American. Perhaps that is a sign that our own air presence was overdue.

I suppose Uncle William is correct that things are changing. I only hope that not all progress goes the way of the poor RMS Titanic. Bigger does not always equate to better.

Speaking of which, you would not believe the amount of interest my mentioning being briefly on the Titanic generated. I was even asked to speak about it in front of an assembly. My History instructor refers to the incident as a romantic tragedy, much like a bride that perishes on her wedding night. That strikes me as a touch sad. Surely the tragedy of the number of those lost would be just as devastating had it been the Titanic's fifteenth voyage instead of her first.

The sight of the sunshine through the window beckons me, so I will conclude this letter for now. If nothing else could be said for this location, the scent and feel of the air here is absolutely amazing.

Yours with fond regards,

Millicent

#1 - #2

Comments

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Such innocence coming through in her letter; unaware of what is to come. You paint a simple picture of life at school and well done it is all done with a language that seems so appropriate for the charachter. (given her age and background)

[jkkitty.livejournal.com]

Love comes through in the most innocence way