The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 54, July 1950 - April, 1951 Page: 358

                                
Southwestern Historical Quarterly

man named Laurent, with whom I was connected. The latter offered
to let me teach for him on the halves. He was getting two hundred
piastres per student; so I accepted this bargain immediately, and
soon I had five pupils. At the end of three months they could read,
write, and figure perfectly; I had five hundred piastres for my half;
so I paid my debts and found myself with some money ahead.
Laurent left for New Orleans and sold the patent for the province
of Missouri, and on his return on February 18, 1820o, he sold me that
for the Attahapas at 500 piastres. I now (April 3o, 182o) have four
students, which will bring me eight hundred piastres in three months.
And afterwards I will have others who have already reserved their
places. This sum will not seem very large to you when you consider
that the bare necessities are very high here: A suit costs 40 piastres,
a hat io, a shirt five, a pair of shoes four, and so on. Food itself is
cheap but wine is very high although they are beginning to grow
the vine successfully, and perhaps in ten or fifteen years from now
Louisiana and even the colonists on the banks of the Ohio will be
able to furnish America with good wines, to the prejudice of those
of France.
Such is my present position, and however happy it is in comparison
with that I was in, I nonetheless sigh for the moment when I will
be able to leave this land of exile and embark at New Orleans to
come throw myself in your arms, etc.

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