File

This file contains 14 letters documenting the epistolary relationship between Léontine Poutré and Hercule Martin, during the month of January 1925.

The letters between the two correspondents begin with New Year's greetings and quickly turn to planning their next visit together in Chambly on Three Kings Day (January 6—also known as Epiphany). In her January 2 letter, Léontine shows her excitement about seeing her good friend again. She reminds him of the schedule for trains leaving the McGill Street station and jokingly writes, "If it is all right with you, I will meet your train… to see if you recognize me…" After his visit, however, Hercule worries that he might have disappointed her and not measured up to her memories of him. To which Léontine replies that if she actually told him what she thought of him, he would get too conceited. She goes on to say, "When I first met you, although I am no physiognomist, I could clearly see what kind of person you are. What is the point of building illusions, when reality is right in front of you… Though I am not "old"[,] I am also no longer a girl—I have an ideal, who is not simply a Prince Charming, but a man, in every sense of the word." It is then her turn to be uneasy, and ask him what he thought of her during their encounter. Throughout the correspondence, she even appears a bit jealous and suspicious at times, such as when she notes that some women in her village might try to seduce Hercule: "I was not certain, I am still not really sure, whether there was not another little friend in some other part of town." Their growing feelings of love, without being explicitly named, are palpable in the letters sent by Hercule, who uses expressions like "my dear friend," emphasizing the possessive "my." As for Léontine, she expresses sadness at having to live so far away from him, saying, "Please remember that I take great pleasure in reading and rereading your letters."

The correspondence also chronicles the events of daily life—walks on Mount Royal, amateur photography (time permitting) and Canadiens games at the Forum, in Hercule's case, and housecleaning, handiwork and shovelling, for Léontine. In his January 12 letter, Hercule announces that he has received tickets to the car show. In her reply, Léontine hastens to tell him about her favorite type of car, which is "a nice, very comfortable two-seater Hudson or Packard coupe, with plenty of room for having fun and joking around." Literature seems to be another one of Hercule's passions, as he mentions he started reading The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Louis Veuillot, before putting it aside for Dante's The Divine Comedy, which has the virtue of being "shorter, more interesting and less demanding." He also recommends that his dear friend read Au cœur de l’histoire by Louis-Raoul de Lorimier, which she quickly does. For her part, Léontine shares her appreciation of the writings of certain theologians and expresses several opinions, notably about prostitution and marriage.

The file also contains envelopes and rough copies of Léontine's letters.