Letter from Hattie to Mother, August 6, 1868
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Mother, August 6, 1868
Subject
Missionaries; Letter writing; Missions--Study and teaching
Description
This letter is from Harriet to her Mother. She updates her family on the missionaries with which she works, including those who are ill and those who are going home. She also talks about her work with the students at her school, and how she wishes she could help more of the Chinese people around her.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #1
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1868-08-06
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English); chi (b) (Chinese)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_012
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton China
Aug 6th 1868
My [u]own dear Mother[/u]
I have been
waiting for Aug 6th to come
to commence a letter to you. It
seems as though it had been a
long time since I have written
to you but you must all
remember that if we cannot
write to many ^[at one time] we can [u]think[/u] of
all We have been looking for the
American mail for a day or two
but it does not yet make its appearance
Although it is now August we have
as yet had very little [u]very[/u] warm
weather. I imagine that the hot
season is going to agree with me very
well although to be sure "they say"
that people usually feel it less the
first year than afterwards but with
some it is just the reverse. We have
been expecting for several days that
"the Cardens" from Siam who
are on their way home now would
come up from Hong kong to spend a
week or two here but they have not
yet arrived. Perhaps you will
remember the name they came
out with Mr Leyenberger, about
two years ago, I believe they go
home on account of her health
but Mrs Folsom said that when
they were here on their way out
Mrs Carden said they should
not stay more than three years,
I did not realize before I came
out how many changes are
continually place especially
in as large a circle of missionaries
as we have here.
Yesterday we had the pleasure
of entertaining the "Missionary
Conference of Canton." It was
a very rainy day and there
were only 15 present which made
our extension table a little
more than full. It seats twelve
very nicely. Just here Henry
came in and asked me what
I wanted [u]most[/u] of [u]anything[/u]
Of course I said "[u]Letters from
home[/u]" and sure enough
they were forthcoming. We enjoyed
them ever so much, it seems so
good to hear that you "are all well"
Surely we have a great deal to be
thankful for. I am glad
you had such a pleasant
time at Northfield & Ashland.
How I would like to see dear
Mr Hughes again. We received
a letter this mail from Dr Happer
he said that he was glad to
hear from you all by way of
Canton as he had heard
nothing directly since January.
Is'nt it strange that I hav'nt
received a single line from
Maggie since I have been
in China. I have thought that
every mail would surely
bring a letter from Maggie
& Mrs Allen but thus far have
been disappointed. I am
glad to know that Mrs Allen
has written to me but so sorry
that I failed of getting it. I
have wanted to write to them
every mail since I have been
here but have not yet done it.
I am afraid you are working
too hard this summer. Em speaks
of sewing can she sew without
tiring herself too much I know
before I came away it seemed
very bad for her to sew. You did
not say anything about that
place on your neck that was
troubling you so I hope it is well
long ere this. I would have
liked to have looked in upon
you on your birthday and seen
just how you all looked you will
easily believe that I often do so in
imagination. I spent the day
as usual only that at four o clock
I had the scholars come in &
take tea. It was the first time they
had ever sat at a table "conducted
in American style" and of course
it seemed very funny. I wish
you could have seen them.
I long for the day to come when
I can talk to them as I would
like to, but it will always
be with a stammering tongue
I trust that you do not forget
to pray often for us that we may
be [u]faithful[/u] and that God
will bless the seed which is
sown in weakness. My heart
often aches as I pass along the
crowded streets of this vast city
and think how few of the
multitudes around will ever
hear of the way life. It is
a sad sad thought that they
should never know of the Savior's love -
[Note: Written vertically]
who died for them as much as for us
[Note: Letter concludes vertically over writing on the first page]
Dear Mother I intended to write you more of a letter than this but the
mail goes
tomorrow
and I fear
I cannot
add much.
We enclose
a little
piece of carved
pearl. It is
intended to
have a pin
put on &
used as a
breast pin.
Any jeweler
can do it
I do not know
as you would
care to wear a
white pin but
perhaps some of
the girls would &
we could not find
anything else that we
could send in a letter.
With ever so much love from
Your aff daughter Hattie.
[Note: Separate note written vertically on the first page]
The man in just front of the horse in the pin is
"koong ha" ing their form of salutations The scholars
all do it to me every morning.
中国广州
1868 年 8 月 6 日
我亲爱的母亲
我一直在等待 8 月 6 日的到来，
开始给您写信。
好像很久没有给你们写信了，
但你们都必须记住，
如果我们不能一次给很多人写信，
我们可以想到所有我们一直在寻找美国邮件一两天，
但是它还没有出现虽然现在是八月，
但我们还没有非常温暖的天气。
我想炎热的季节会很好地同意我的看法，
尽管“他们说”人们通常在第一年感觉不到它，
但有些人却恰恰相反。
几天来，
我们一直在期待现在正在回家的暹罗“卡登”们会从香港来这里住一两个星期，
但他们还没有到。
也许你会记得他们和 Leyenberger 先生一起出现的名字，
大约两年前，
我相信他们是因为她的健康才回家的，
但 Folsom 夫人说，
当他们在这里的路上，
卡登夫人说他们不应该停留超过三年来，
在我出来之前，
我并没有意识到有多少变化在不断发生，
尤其是在我们这里这么大的传教士圈子里。
昨天我们有幸招待了“广州传教士大会”。
那是一个非常下雨的日子，
只有 15 人在场，
这让我们的扩展桌有点满了。
它可以很好地容纳十二人。
就在这里，
亨利进来问我最想要什么。
当然，
我说的是“家里来的信”，
果然他们很快就来了。
我们非常喜欢他们，
很高兴听到你“一切都好”当然我们有很多值得感谢的事情。
我很高兴您在 Northfield & Ashland 度过了愉快的时光。
我多么希望再次见到亲爱的休斯先生。
我们收到了 Happer 医生的来信，
他说他很高兴收到你们通过广州的消息，
因为自一月份以来他没有直接收到任何消息。
自从我在中国以来，
我没有收到 Maggie 的一条电话，
这不是很奇怪吗？我原以为每封邮件都一定会带来 Maggie & Mrs Allen 的来信，
但到目前为止我很失望。
我很高兴知道艾伦太太给我写了信，
但很抱歉我没能收到。
自从我来到这里以来，
我一直想给他们写每封邮件，
但还没有写完。
恐怕这个夏天你工作太辛苦了。
埃姆谈到缝纫，
她能在不让自己太累的情况下缝纫吗？我知道在我离开之前，
她缝纫似乎很糟糕。
你没有说你脖子上那个困扰你的地方，
所以我希望在这之前很久。
我很想在你生日那天看着你，
看看你们的样子，
你会很容易相信我经常在想象中这样做。
我像往常一样度过了这一天，
只是在四点钟我让学者们进来喝茶。
这是他们第一次坐在“以美式风格进行”的桌子旁，
当然这看起来很有趣。
我希望你能看到他们。
我渴望有一天我可以随心所欲地与他们交谈，
但总是结结巴巴我相信你不会忘记经常为我们祈祷，
以便我们可以忠诚，
上帝会保佑在软弱中播下的种子。
当我穿过这座大城市拥挤的街道时，
我的心常常会痛，
想想周围的人群中很少有人会听到生活的方式。
他们永远不应该知道救主的爱，
这是一个可悲可悲的想法-
[注：垂直书写]
谁为他们和我们一样死去
[注：信在第一页的书写上垂直结束]
亲爱的母亲我打算写你比这封信更多，
但邮件明天去，
我担心我不能补充太多。
我们附上一小块雕刻的珍珠。
它旨在戴上别针并用作胸针。
我不知道任何珠宝商都可以做到，
因为您会喜欢戴白色别针，
但也许有些女孩会，
我们找不到其他可以寄信的东西。
我爱你，
你的女儿，
海蒂。
[注：在第一页竖着写的单独注释]
正好在马前的那个人是“koong ha”他们的问候形式 学者们每天早上都对我这样做。
Aug 6th 1868
My [u]own dear Mother[/u]
I have been
waiting for Aug 6th to come
to commence a letter to you. It
seems as though it had been a
long time since I have written
to you but you must all
remember that if we cannot
write to many ^[at one time] we can [u]think[/u] of
all We have been looking for the
American mail for a day or two
but it does not yet make its appearance
Although it is now August we have
as yet had very little [u]very[/u] warm
weather. I imagine that the hot
season is going to agree with me very
well although to be sure "they say"
that people usually feel it less the
first year than afterwards but with
some it is just the reverse. We have
been expecting for several days that
"the Cardens" from Siam who
are on their way home now would
come up from Hong kong to spend a
week or two here but they have not
yet arrived. Perhaps you will
remember the name they came
out with Mr Leyenberger, about
two years ago, I believe they go
home on account of her health
but Mrs Folsom said that when
they were here on their way out
Mrs Carden said they should
not stay more than three years,
I did not realize before I came
out how many changes are
continually place especially
in as large a circle of missionaries
as we have here.
Yesterday we had the pleasure
of entertaining the "Missionary
Conference of Canton." It was
a very rainy day and there
were only 15 present which made
our extension table a little
more than full. It seats twelve
very nicely. Just here Henry
came in and asked me what
I wanted [u]most[/u] of [u]anything[/u]
Of course I said "[u]Letters from
home[/u]" and sure enough
they were forthcoming. We enjoyed
them ever so much, it seems so
good to hear that you "are all well"
Surely we have a great deal to be
thankful for. I am glad
you had such a pleasant
time at Northfield & Ashland.
How I would like to see dear
Mr Hughes again. We received
a letter this mail from Dr Happer
he said that he was glad to
hear from you all by way of
Canton as he had heard
nothing directly since January.
Is'nt it strange that I hav'nt
received a single line from
Maggie since I have been
in China. I have thought that
every mail would surely
bring a letter from Maggie
& Mrs Allen but thus far have
been disappointed. I am
glad to know that Mrs Allen
has written to me but so sorry
that I failed of getting it. I
have wanted to write to them
every mail since I have been
here but have not yet done it.
I am afraid you are working
too hard this summer. Em speaks
of sewing can she sew without
tiring herself too much I know
before I came away it seemed
very bad for her to sew. You did
not say anything about that
place on your neck that was
troubling you so I hope it is well
long ere this. I would have
liked to have looked in upon
you on your birthday and seen
just how you all looked you will
easily believe that I often do so in
imagination. I spent the day
as usual only that at four o clock
I had the scholars come in &
take tea. It was the first time they
had ever sat at a table "conducted
in American style" and of course
it seemed very funny. I wish
you could have seen them.
I long for the day to come when
I can talk to them as I would
like to, but it will always
be with a stammering tongue
I trust that you do not forget
to pray often for us that we may
be [u]faithful[/u] and that God
will bless the seed which is
sown in weakness. My heart
often aches as I pass along the
crowded streets of this vast city
and think how few of the
multitudes around will ever
hear of the way life. It is
a sad sad thought that they
should never know of the Savior's love -
[Note: Written vertically]
who died for them as much as for us
[Note: Letter concludes vertically over writing on the first page]
Dear Mother I intended to write you more of a letter than this but the
mail goes
tomorrow
and I fear
I cannot
add much.
We enclose
a little
piece of carved
pearl. It is
intended to
have a pin
put on &
used as a
breast pin.
Any jeweler
can do it
I do not know
as you would
care to wear a
white pin but
perhaps some of
the girls would &
we could not find
anything else that we
could send in a letter.
With ever so much love from
Your aff daughter Hattie.
[Note: Separate note written vertically on the first page]
The man in just front of the horse in the pin is
"koong ha" ing their form of salutations The scholars
all do it to me every morning.
中国广州
1868 年 8 月 6 日
我亲爱的母亲
我一直在等待 8 月 6 日的到来，
开始给您写信。
好像很久没有给你们写信了，
但你们都必须记住，
如果我们不能一次给很多人写信，
我们可以想到所有我们一直在寻找美国邮件一两天，
但是它还没有出现虽然现在是八月，
但我们还没有非常温暖的天气。
我想炎热的季节会很好地同意我的看法，
尽管“他们说”人们通常在第一年感觉不到它，
但有些人却恰恰相反。
几天来，
我们一直在期待现在正在回家的暹罗“卡登”们会从香港来这里住一两个星期，
但他们还没有到。
也许你会记得他们和 Leyenberger 先生一起出现的名字，
大约两年前，
我相信他们是因为她的健康才回家的，
但 Folsom 夫人说，
当他们在这里的路上，
卡登夫人说他们不应该停留超过三年来，
在我出来之前，
我并没有意识到有多少变化在不断发生，
尤其是在我们这里这么大的传教士圈子里。
昨天我们有幸招待了“广州传教士大会”。
那是一个非常下雨的日子，
只有 15 人在场，
这让我们的扩展桌有点满了。
它可以很好地容纳十二人。
就在这里，
亨利进来问我最想要什么。
当然，
我说的是“家里来的信”，
果然他们很快就来了。
我们非常喜欢他们，
很高兴听到你“一切都好”当然我们有很多值得感谢的事情。
我很高兴您在 Northfield & Ashland 度过了愉快的时光。
我多么希望再次见到亲爱的休斯先生。
我们收到了 Happer 医生的来信，
他说他很高兴收到你们通过广州的消息，
因为自一月份以来他没有直接收到任何消息。
自从我在中国以来，
我没有收到 Maggie 的一条电话，
这不是很奇怪吗？我原以为每封邮件都一定会带来 Maggie & Mrs Allen 的来信，
但到目前为止我很失望。
我很高兴知道艾伦太太给我写了信，
但很抱歉我没能收到。
自从我来到这里以来，
我一直想给他们写每封邮件，
但还没有写完。
恐怕这个夏天你工作太辛苦了。
埃姆谈到缝纫，
她能在不让自己太累的情况下缝纫吗？我知道在我离开之前，
她缝纫似乎很糟糕。
你没有说你脖子上那个困扰你的地方，
所以我希望在这之前很久。
我很想在你生日那天看着你，
看看你们的样子，
你会很容易相信我经常在想象中这样做。
我像往常一样度过了这一天，
只是在四点钟我让学者们进来喝茶。
这是他们第一次坐在“以美式风格进行”的桌子旁，
当然这看起来很有趣。
我希望你能看到他们。
我渴望有一天我可以随心所欲地与他们交谈，
但总是结结巴巴我相信你不会忘记经常为我们祈祷，
以便我们可以忠诚，
上帝会保佑在软弱中播下的种子。
当我穿过这座大城市拥挤的街道时，
我的心常常会痛，
想想周围的人群中很少有人会听到生活的方式。
他们永远不应该知道救主的爱，
这是一个可悲可悲的想法-
[注：垂直书写]
谁为他们和我们一样死去
[注：信在第一页的书写上垂直结束]
亲爱的母亲我打算写你比这封信更多，
但邮件明天去，
我担心我不能补充太多。
我们附上一小块雕刻的珍珠。
它旨在戴上别针并用作胸针。
我不知道任何珠宝商都可以做到，
因为您会喜欢戴白色别针，
但也许有些女孩会，
我们找不到其他可以寄信的东西。
我爱你，
你的女儿，
海蒂。
[注：在第一页竖着写的单独注释]
正好在马前的那个人是“koong ha”他们的问候形式 学者们每天早上都对我这样做。
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Mother, August 6, 1868,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 20, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/13.