ncakes I was tellin you about was made with that. Mother
sez the sugar situashun is going to be rele bad. I hope their is some
left fer my birthday which is near Thanksgiving day. Say, you and I
come near bein twins do you no that? Just too weaks more and we wood
have been born together, only I wood have been your twin over here and
you wood have been my twin over there. Say woodnt that have been funny
though! Stranger things have happined though. It does seem sort of
strange to think those too weaks have made me your godfather and you
my godchild insted of us bein twins. I tole mother about it and she
sed she thot it was better the way it is. I have saved up 47 cents fer
your Christmas present I am not going to tell you what I wish you wood
do fer mine. I am going to see if you can guess it.

Your ever affeckshunate godfather,
James P. Jackson Jr.

18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris.
September 24, 1917.

My dear godfather:

I am afraid this letter can't be in my own style and handwriting this
time, for Mr. Teddy is here and I have asked him to help me with my
English, in exchange of my helping him with his French. My mind is
troubled and I think he can express my thought, so he has taken the
pen in hand, and I, sitting on a little stool at his feet, and gazing
up at him, try to make him understand what is in my mind.

But first of all Mr. Teddy wants to ask you to forgive him, if he
seems to be "butting in" and spoiling the game between you and your
godchild. Honor bright, he didn't mean to do it. It was fate. Just
blind, mysterious, and merciless fate that decreed that things should
happen as they did. Mr. Teddy may be a blessing in disguise, anyway
he couldn't be helped, and he has no excuse to offer, except, perhaps,
that he is alone in the world and homesick in a foreign land. He is
sorry you and he can't fight a duel over the situation, but I am very
glad. And Mr. Teddy wants to tell you, very seriously that he takes
off his hat to any little fellow of your size who can do the plucky
thing you have done, and keep it up so well. If grown up men all had
more of your spirit, he says, the war would be over long ago.

The object of this letter is as follows: I (your godchild) wish to
make amends. I wrote you yesterday, and didn't answer your letter.
Not a word did I say about it, except that I had received it, then
I prattled away all about another would-be godfather for whom you,
naturally, have no earthly use.