The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-06-18
Seen and Heard

was working her hardest to chill
the enthusiasm of the hardest
soul young. slender woman in a
short red-plaid Jacket often could
be seen moving briskly along High
Street pushing a baby carriage
filled with four red cheeks and
four bright eyes. A number of
people ste pped to wonder and to
ask who was this young mother
with madonna like face and
the upswept hair.
With the turn Of winter into
sunny spring. the young woman
was suddenly missing on the
route between her home and the
downtown shopping area 1t was
MT too long. however, before a
new trademark. in lieu Of the red
plaid Jacket and the brimful baby
carriage. made residents aware
Of her continued presence, Now
days, the mother. and often her
children too. may be seen bounc-
ing over the streets in Farmville
in a small grey car known as a
German Chevrolet.
The young woman with her dis
tinguishing features is Mrs. Sid
ney Rothe, or Nicole to those who
can pronounce it and Nicky to
those who cannot Her full maid
en- name Nicole Marguerite Le-
compte. perhaps gives some indi-
cation Of her origins, but in case
one is in doubt. her soft accent
clearly indicates that she is
French.
Native of France
Mrs ROtne, a native Of Lyons.
France, has been in the United
States since June. l947. She came
here then, fancy-free, eager to
see the world. fresh from the
lycee comparable to high school
and in seven short years wondrous
changes have been wrought that
she. least Of all. ever suspected
Now she is married. has three
children, five. three. and twenty
two months old She has lived
twice in Farmville. She has en-
tered college twice. She has been
back to visit her people overseas
for several months. Her mother
and father. a banker. have vaca
toned, here. And she is learning
rapidly about the American way
of life. and speaks the language
with an astonishing degree OF
fluency
On July 4, l947. Mrs, Rothe
landed in New York, a complete
stranger She had come to spend
year with a family in Char
lottesville with duties to take care
of the three children. to teach
them French. and to learn. fol
her own part English and all the
American customs she wished tC
during her stay. She had come
under an informal plan. common
between English and French fam
lies. where daughters would bt
exchanged for one year. Given the
choice between England and the
I United States. she chose the lat
I ter, feeling that the American Of
I fer would be an opportunity never
to repeat itself.
Marriage
During her stay IN CharlotteS-
vile where she was 'au pere.' sh,
/ decided to take some courses a
the University. She also had date,
with some friends of a friend o
hers. and in due course Of events
She met Sid. He, once a student a.
the University of Missouri. hat
entered the Air Force during TIL
var, rose to be a first lieutenan
during his hve-year hitch. ant
hen entered Virginia under tn
CT Bill of Rights. That was il
They met And they were married
Il didn't come to get married
at all, says Mrs. Rothe. Mos
people think I am a war bride
but I am not"
But let's return to that German
Chevrolet. 1t examples quite we,
the present state of Mrs. Rothe
being She is still foreign. sh
saaie - councilman h,,, ,.,.l 49,