Letter from Hattie to Mother, January 10, 1870

noyes_c_cor_939.pdf

Dublin Core

Title

Letter from Hattie to Mother, January 10, 1870

Subject

Missionaries' spouses; Missionaries; Gifts; Parties; Homesickness

Description

In this letter to her mother, Harriet writes about the new crop of missionaries and their families. She describes some of the gifts they brought, as well as a little party they had. Hattie expresses feelings of homesickness, pointing out how happy she is to have friends in China that she can talk to like her sisters back home.

Creator

Noyes, Harriet Newell

Source

Loose, The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection

Publisher

Unpublished

Date

1870-01-10

Contributor

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

Format

PDF

Language

eng (English)

Type

Text

Identifier

noyes_c_cor_939

Text Item Type Metadata

Text

[Note: Additional note sideways on page one]
I will not
sit up
any
longer to
read my
journal
ever + if
you notice
any places
when it
needs
correction
perhaps
you will
make it
right.

Canton China
January 10th /70

My dear Mother
I do not know who I wrote to last at [u]Home[/u] +
I have been so careless about noting down the letters I have written
lately that my note-book does not help me any about recollecting.
But I will write to you this time and the rest must think
that I am thinking of all while writing and that want of time is
the only reason that I do not write more. You must thank Matt
+ Sarah for their letters they deserve a reply + I would like nothing
better than writing them but [u]alas[/u]. I never can feel like
beginning to write letters until the mail comes in and this
month it was a week behind time so that we have only to-day
for writing as the mail must go down in the morning to-morrow.
We commenced looking last week Monday for [u]our new + old[/u]
missionaries and they did not come until Saturday aft.
I dont think I could begin to tell you how glad I felt
when we caught sight of the steamer and all of them on
deck waving their handkerchiefs to us. Dr + Mrs Osgood on
their way to the Foochow mission were with them so that there
were fourteen in all. It seemed to me for a minute or two as
though I never felt quite so glad in my life before. I thought
that perhaps it gave me some idea of how it would seem to
come in sight of [u]Home[/u] once more. It was nearly an hour
after the steamer passed before they got all their things off but
when they did at last get here you may be sure we had a
joyful meeting. Of course it seemed like meeting an old
friends to see Dr Happer, but the children had grown so I should

never have known them. Mrs Happer is just such a person as it
seems as if Mrs Happer a nice lady about 50 tall + dignified
Lucy + Lillie are young ladies. Lillie as every one says + I can
Easily believe by far the most agreeable Lucy the prettiest looking.
Mrs Shaw as a member of their family comes next [--I was--] Mrs Preston
+ I both called her Mrs Happer at first. She is I should think
between 30 + 40 and just [u]real good[/u]. I feel sure that she + I
will [u]just exactly [/u] sent Each other. Of course we have compared
our Christian Commission experiences or have made a [u]beginning[/u]
of talking about them + I find that she came just about
as near coming to Point of Rocks once where I was as I did to
going to Nashville where she was. We missed Each other then
to meet after so many years have passed in China where I
hope we may labor long together. She is just one of the real
good "old maids" that it is my ambition to be like. I expect
I shall have more to say about her in future letters as we shall
doubtless be associated in our work but I will let this do for first
impressions. Tell Matt she looks a little bit like Belle Rose.
Then Mr McChesney is a great tall man the largest in
our mission a good honest soul I am sure Every one is
favorably impressed with him. Mrs McChesney is a little
lady with such black eyes + hair that curls nearly to her
waist. They will probably live with us as soon as the Happers
leave. I am sure we shall like them both [u]ever so much[/u]. If it
will help you any to think how he looks. I will tell you that he
made me think a little at first of D Slemmons brother + Mr
Marcellus of Austin Elliott. They look just the merest trifle
like them are both very good looking. Mr Marcellus is more
quiet + probably not so much force + energy as Mrs McChesney

Mrs Marcellus is rather lively we heard some time since that
she was a very nice person + I've no doubt it is true. They will
live for a time at Dr Kerr's/ On the whole we think we are very
very fortunate in getting an addition of so many nice people
and we are very happy. Dr Osgood + his wife are from
the east New Hampshire not far from Keene. They look +
seem like capital people. I mean the adjective in the superlative
degree. I dont often meet people that I like better at first
sight, "real yankees," the rest of the party call them but you
know we inherit a good deal of genuine yankeeism.
They will not stop long here, she looks like Mary Matteson
Mr Lyon + Mandana came out in the same steamer
they all liked them very much. I do [u]so wish[/u] we could
have seen them. They sent Henry + I some books a
New Years gift. Maggie + Mr Beacom sent us some
very pretty silver fruit knives. When they all came we
had quite a gathering in our parlor. When old Amah
came in who took care of Mrs Happer so long the girls all
kissed her + cried over her. Indeed there were not many
of us that did not shed tears, and all day to-day it
is as much as I can do to keep them back. I have
often longed for [--a--] some one that I could talk with as the
girls at home, but although I have Ever so many good friends
here none of them have seemed as I feel sure Mrs Shaw will.
She looks back upon her connection with U S C C just as
I do. I have always felt that if I could have been in that
work from the first moment of the war until the last I
would have been willing to have given up the rest of my
life for the privilege. Last week was the week of prayer

we had meetings Every day but I did not Enjoy them as
fully as last year. I think it was because we were Expecting
the new arrivals Every day + it "confused our hearts" as
the Chinese would Express it. Henry has an account
of his trip up the North River to send with this. He is
writing a shorter one for the Foreign Missionary. I am
afraid that I cannot send mine this month + I shall
be quite ashamed to send it any later. I have only a
little more than a sheet written out yet. There are
so many things I want to write so much I would
like to talk about. We expect a visit in a week or two
from Mr Baldwin Editor of the Recorder who goes
home for his wife's health in the February steamer.
You must thank Edward for the tunes he sent me. I was
delighted to find proof in the name of one of them that he
thought of me while visiting it. I must pronounce them
good in advance for I have not had a chance to try them
yet. Dr Kerr laughs at my large family and calls me the
grand-mother of the mission. I expect to lose some of them
today as Lucy + Lillie are going to Mrs Sampson's to stay
until their house is ready. ------- It is a little after
one + I have finished my notes of our North River trip I have
written the last part so hastily. I wish I could have done it
better. After you have read it if you think it worth it I would
like you to send it to the Mansfield SS I have never written
them only one little short note. Perhaps the Ashland SS would
like to see it. Henry sat up till nearly 12 + Dr Happer till
nearly 1 to write + now I suppose it is nearly 2. I have
always meant to write some letters to my little SS class I
suppose it is so changed it would hardly seem like
mine now Tell Sarah to tell them that I have forgotten
them + hope that they will grow up to be useful Christian men.
[u]Ever so much love to all[/u] It seems an age since I have
written to the girls Your own loving Hattie --



[注:第一页的附加说明]
我不会
坐起来
任何
更长到
读我的
杂志
曾经 + 如果
你发现
任何地方
当它
需要
更正
也许
你会
做了
正确的。

中国广东
1月10日/70

我亲爱的妈妈
我不知道我在家里最后写给谁
我一直很不小心记下我写的信
最近,我的笔记本对我的回忆没有任何帮助。
但这次我会写信给你,其余的人必须考虑
我在写作时一直在想,而时间的匮乏是
我不写更多的唯一原因。你必须感谢马特
和莎拉的来信,他们应该得到回复,我什么都不想要
比写它们要好,但唉。我永远感觉不到
开始写信,直到邮件进来,这
比时间晚了一周,所以我们只有今天
因为明天早上邮件必须下来。
我们从上周星期一开始寻找我们的新旧
传教士,他们直到星期六船尾才来。
我想我不能开始告诉你我有多高兴
当我们看到轮船和他们所有人时
甲板向我们挥舞着手帕。医生和奥斯古德夫人
他们去福州传道的路是和他们在一起的,所以那里
一共十四岁。在我看来有一两分钟
尽管我以前从未感到如此高兴过。我想
也许它让我对它看起来如何
再次看到家。将近一个小时
轮船经过之后,他们还没有把所有的东西都拿下来,但是
当他们终于到达这里时,您可能会确定我们有一个
快乐的会议。当然,这就像遇到一个老人
朋友去看 Happer Physician,但孩子已经长大了,所以我应该

从来不认识他们。哈珀夫人就是这样的人
似乎哈珀夫人是一位高约 50 岁、端庄的好女士
露西和莉莉是年轻女士。莉莉,每个人都说我可以
很容易相信迄今为止最讨人喜欢的露西长得最漂亮。
接下来是作为他们家庭成员的肖夫人 [--我是--] 普雷斯顿夫人
+ 一开始我都叫她哈珀夫人。她是我应该想的
在 30 + 40 和 [u] 真正好的 [/u] 之间。我确信她+我
将 [u] 正好 [/u] 发送给对方。当然我们比较过
我们的基督教委员会经历或已经[u]开始[/u]
谈论他们+我发现她来了
就像我曾经到过的地方一样接近石点
去她所在的纳什维尔。那时我们错过了彼此
这么多年过去了,我在中国见面
希望我们可以长期一起工作。她只是现实中的一员
好“老处女”,这是我的志向。我预计
我将在以后的信中更多地谈论她,就像我们将要讨论的那样
毫无疑问会与我们的工作联系在一起,但我会先做这件事
印象。告诉马特,她看起来有点像 Belle Rose。
然后麦克切斯尼先生是个高个子
我们的使命 一个诚实的灵魂 我相信每个人都是
对他印象很好。麦克切斯尼夫人有点
拥有如此黑眼睛的女士+几乎卷曲的头发
腰部。他们可能会尽快与我们住在一起
离开。我相信我们会非常喜欢他们[u][/u]。如果它
将帮助您思考他的样子。我会告诉你他
一开始让我想到了 D Slemmons 兄弟 + Mr
奥斯汀艾略特的马塞勒斯。他们看起来只是最微不足道的小事
就像他们俩都很好看。马塞勒斯先生更多
安静 + 可能不像麦克切斯尼夫人那样强大 + 精力充沛

马塞勒斯夫人相当活泼,我们听说有一段时间了
她是一个非常好的人+我毫不怀疑这是真的。他们将
在 Dr Kerr's 住过一段时间/总的来说,我们认为我们非常
很幸运能增加这么多好人
我们很高兴。奥斯古德博士 + 他的妻子来自
新罕布什尔州东部离基恩不远。他们看起来和
看起来像资本家。我的意思是最高级中的形容词
程度。我不经常遇到一开始更喜欢的人
视线,“真正的洋基”,党内其他人称他们,但你
知道我们继承了很多真正的洋基主义。
他们不会在这里停留太久,她看起来像玛丽·马特森
里昂先生和曼达纳先生乘坐同一艘汽船出来
他们都非常喜欢他们。我这样做希望我们可以
见过他们。他们给亨利送了一些书
新年礼物。 Maggie 和 Beacom 先生给我们寄了一些
非常漂亮的银色水果刀。当他们都来了我们
在我们的客厅里举行了一场聚会。当老阿玛
进来照顾哈珀太太这么久的女孩们
吻她,为她哭泣。确实没有多少
我们那些不流泪的人,整天今天
尽我所能阻止他们。我有
经常渴望某个我可以与之交谈的人
女孩在家,但虽然我有这么多好朋友
在这里,他们似乎都没有,我相信肖夫人会的。
她回顾自己与 U S C C 的关系,就像
我愿意。我有我总觉得如果我能在那个
从战争的第一刻到最后一刻工作
本来愿意放弃我剩下的
为特权而生。上周是祷告周

我们每天都开会,但我不喜欢他们
完全和去年一样。我想这是因为我们期待
每天都有新来者,它“迷惑我们的心”
中国人会表达出来。亨利有一个帐户
他的北河之旅带着这个发送。他是
为外国传教士写一篇较短的文章。我是
怕这个月我不能寄我的,我会
以后再发就不好意思了。我只有一个
只不过是写出来的一张纸而已。有
很多东西我想写很多我会
喜欢谈论。我们预计会在一两周内访问
来自记录器的鲍德温先生
二月轮船回家为妻子的健康。
你必须感谢爱德华送给我的曲子。我曾是
很高兴以其中一人的名义找到证据证明他
参观的时候想到了我。我必须发音
提前好,因为我没有机会尝试它们
然而。克尔博士嘲笑我的大家庭,称我为
任务的祖母。我希望失去其中一些
今天露西和莉莉要去桑普森太太家住
直到他们的房子准备好。稍晚一点
一个 + 我已经完成了我的北河之旅的笔记 我有
就这么匆忙写了最后一部分。我希望我能做到
更好的。看完之后如果觉得值得我会
喜欢你把它寄给我从未写过的曼斯菲尔德党卫军
他们只有一个小小的简短说明。也许阿什兰党卫军会
喜欢看。亨利一直坐到将近 12 点,而哈珀博士一直坐到
将近 1 写,现在我想它接近 2。我有
一直想给我的小SS班写几封信
假设它发生了如此大的变化,看起来几乎不像
我的现在告诉莎拉告诉他们我已经忘记了
并希望他们长大后成为有用的基督徒。
曾经对所有人如此多的爱这似乎是一个年龄,因为我有
写给姑娘们 你自己爱的Hattie——

Original Format

Letter

Citation

Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Mother, January 10, 1870,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 19, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/1050.

Output Formats