Deer Godchild

About this book

A young New-Yorker of twelve heard an appeal for the Fatherless Children of France and his heart was touched. He had no money, but he resolved to give his spare time and his utmost energy to support a "kid in France." The French child needed ten cents worth of extra food each day, in order to grow up with strength and courage. The little American godfather earned those ten cents; he sold newspapers at the subway entrance, after school hours, and undertook an amazing variety of more or less lucrative odd jobs. Sometimes business was slow, and it was hard to keep up the game; but he did. While the men around him were enlisting, this young New-Yorker did his part for the war effort by "making good" for his deer godchild with a broad and brotherly grin. He was James P. Jackson Jr. and these are his letters to and from Andrée Leblanc. At the time these letters were written in 1917, Andrée lived with her mother in Paris. Her brother was a soldier for France and her father had been killed earlier in the war. (Introduction from the book, by Edith Serrell, edited by MaryAnn)