May 6, 1919 to Mabel.

“Last week we had a day off for the first of May. You probably saw in the papers that everybody stopped work that day. There were no subways, street cars or taxis. All restaurants were closed and most hotel labor quit. I was down town that morning to see Sam Nicholls[1] who was here with the Committee on Military Affairs and Paris looked like a city of the dead. I went down in an army car and ours, English and French army cars were about the only things stirring. ….

“We cut down our crowd in the apartment last week, now being five in one apartment instead of ten in two but are keeping the same good cook. You know on all French leases there is made up when you go in an “état des lieux” or detailed statement of the condition of the premises and furniture and when you leave this is checked up with the actual condition of the place and the lessee pays the difference.

“When we got out of this one apartment I had the job of checking over these damages with the “gerante,” as the manager of the apartment house is known, and the particularity with which she went into everything was interesting and amusing.

“What is the news about John’s trying to fly over here?  Have been interested in the news about our navy’s try at this especially as John thinks he might get over in the bunch. Surely hope he will be one of the crowd as believe they will succeed and would like very much to see him here.”

[1] South Carolina District 4 Congressman whom Monty knows from living and working in the District.