Letter from Hattie to Sarah, May 7, 1875
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Sarah, May 7, 1875
Subject
Language and languages--Translating; Books; Buildings; Sabbath schools; Concordances; Bible
Description
Harriet describes "the home for the single". Lately, Henry has been spending a lot of time together with two Chinese teachers trying to translate the concordance that his parents gave to him. Harriet has also been working with a Chinese teacher on translating a book they want to publish. She tells Em that they need school books so she hopes to make some when she comes back from United States. Harriet is happy that Sarah is healthy and thanks her for being sympathetic about the loss of the school house. She thinks that the new building will be actually nicer than the old one, but it could never win over the place that the old building has in Harriet's heart.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #2
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1875-05-07
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_143
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton China
May 7th 1875.
My own dear Sarah
There are only a few
minutes till dinner time not
Enough to write a letter to any
body else but perhaps time
Enough to concoct one for you
who I know will receive any
thing I may write with all
necessary allowances. I have
just been answering a letter
Mr Atkinson wrote me last August
Am I not a prompt correspondent?
I did not care very much for
him however because Lucy sends
by Every mail such lengthy
letters that I am sure they
must receive all necessary information
from this quarter of the globe
It is a lovely day to-day neither
too hot nor too cold. unusual
weather for so late in the
season. WE have had a
very once cool spring not a day
of [u]hot[/u] weather yet. Now as I write
shall I tell you the location
of the different members of
"The Home for the Single". And
first I myself am seated
at the table in our bedroom
conversing silently with my
beloved sister Sarah. The
next room which Henry now
uses as his study is nearly
half filled with a large study
table where he spends most
of his time in the company of
two Chinese teachers all three
Employing their combined
Energies in translating the
Concordance which Father
and Mother gave to Henry
when he came from home.
He hopes to get the New
Testament finished this year
will not commence the
Old Test. until our return
from U S A.- - Out in
the verandah Mattie is
seated holding a conversation
with another Chinese teacher
and down-stairs Lucy is
[?closeted?] with still a fourth.
Dont you think we are
pretty well supplied with
teachers. I am spending two
hours a day now with one of
the teachers in looking over the
translation of a [?question?] book
we want to have published.
I finished the New Testament
on Em's birth-day and am
now going over the Old Testament.
I think we shall find it
very useful Especially in our
Sabbath School. WE do need
some nice school-books so much.
I hope when I come back
from American to have time
for making some. I am
so glad you are going to
get us another of the [?Mottoe's?]
God Bless our Home. WE miss
it so [u]much[/u] and I would
not like to think of having
another that would not be
your gift. If you secure
one for us do not trouble
about sending it until you
have a convenient opportunity .
WE have hung other pictures in its
vacant place but they do not seem
nearly so nice . That always seemed
like a constant prayer, perhaps
felt a little as the Japanese does
with his praying machine.
No not that but it seemed as
though Every time we went into
the parlor it gave us pleasant
thoughts. We are all so
rejoiced to known that you
are [u]really[/u] and positively
feeling very well . I do hope
you will keep so health is
a blessing that I have learned
to be very [u]very[/u] thankful for
and surely no one could
have more reason for gratitude
in this respect than I .
I thank you and all the
rest for your sympathy with
us in the loss of our school-house
When we write again perhaps
the new one will be finished
It will be very nice in
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on the first page]
many respects much nicer than the former but it can never
be dearer to me than my "first love". I am so glad
that the ladies
do not feel at
all discouraged
but ready cheerfully
to make up the
loss. There I
have filled
this sheet
in just half
an hour so
I shall have
time to
commence
another before
the dinner bell
rings -
Ever your loving
[u]Hattie[/u]
May 7th 1875.
My own dear Sarah
There are only a few
minutes till dinner time not
Enough to write a letter to any
body else but perhaps time
Enough to concoct one for you
who I know will receive any
thing I may write with all
necessary allowances. I have
just been answering a letter
Mr Atkinson wrote me last August
Am I not a prompt correspondent?
I did not care very much for
him however because Lucy sends
by Every mail such lengthy
letters that I am sure they
must receive all necessary information
from this quarter of the globe
It is a lovely day to-day neither
too hot nor too cold. unusual
weather for so late in the
season. WE have had a
very once cool spring not a day
of [u]hot[/u] weather yet. Now as I write
shall I tell you the location
of the different members of
"The Home for the Single". And
first I myself am seated
at the table in our bedroom
conversing silently with my
beloved sister Sarah. The
next room which Henry now
uses as his study is nearly
half filled with a large study
table where he spends most
of his time in the company of
two Chinese teachers all three
Employing their combined
Energies in translating the
Concordance which Father
and Mother gave to Henry
when he came from home.
He hopes to get the New
Testament finished this year
will not commence the
Old Test. until our return
from U S A.- - Out in
the verandah Mattie is
seated holding a conversation
with another Chinese teacher
and down-stairs Lucy is
[?closeted?] with still a fourth.
Dont you think we are
pretty well supplied with
teachers. I am spending two
hours a day now with one of
the teachers in looking over the
translation of a [?question?] book
we want to have published.
I finished the New Testament
on Em's birth-day and am
now going over the Old Testament.
I think we shall find it
very useful Especially in our
Sabbath School. WE do need
some nice school-books so much.
I hope when I come back
from American to have time
for making some. I am
so glad you are going to
get us another of the [?Mottoe's?]
God Bless our Home. WE miss
it so [u]much[/u] and I would
not like to think of having
another that would not be
your gift. If you secure
one for us do not trouble
about sending it until you
have a convenient opportunity .
WE have hung other pictures in its
vacant place but they do not seem
nearly so nice . That always seemed
like a constant prayer, perhaps
felt a little as the Japanese does
with his praying machine.
No not that but it seemed as
though Every time we went into
the parlor it gave us pleasant
thoughts. We are all so
rejoiced to known that you
are [u]really[/u] and positively
feeling very well . I do hope
you will keep so health is
a blessing that I have learned
to be very [u]very[/u] thankful for
and surely no one could
have more reason for gratitude
in this respect than I .
I thank you and all the
rest for your sympathy with
us in the loss of our school-house
When we write again perhaps
the new one will be finished
It will be very nice in
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on the first page]
many respects much nicer than the former but it can never
be dearer to me than my "first love". I am so glad
that the ladies
do not feel at
all discouraged
but ready cheerfully
to make up the
loss. There I
have filled
this sheet
in just half
an hour so
I shall have
time to
commence
another before
the dinner bell
rings -
Ever your loving
[u]Hattie[/u]
中国广东
1875年5月7日
我亲爱的 Sarah，
正在晚饭前几分钟，
我没有足够的时间写好一封好信，
但我知道你会原谅我。
/
/
/
我刚回复了
Anderson 先生
八月份寄给我的一封信，
我真的不是很准时。
我认为没有必要早点给他寄信
因为 Lucy 从这里给他寄了这么长的信，
他已经得到了他需要的所有消息。
/
/
/
今天天气不错，
不太热也不太冷，
在这个季节的后期有这么好的天气是不寻常的。
今年春天很凉爽，
我们还没有炎热的天气。
今天我要告诉你，
我们家的每个成员都在这所房子里自己做自己的事情。
/
/
我在卧室安静地坐在桌子旁边给你写信。
/
/
Henry和两位中国老师
坐在他书房的一张大桌子旁，
桌子几乎和房间一样大，
他们三个一起把圣经索引翻译成中文，
他们正在翻译的索引
是 Henry 回美国的时候我们父母给他的。
/
/
/
/
/
/
Henry 先翻译新约，
他打算在我们访问美国返回后开始翻译旧约。
/
/
Mattie 正在阳台上
跟她的老师学习中文。
/
/
Lucy 正坐在楼下和另一位老师学习。
/
你一定认为我们有很多老师。
/
我每天花两个小时和
老师一起编辑我们要出版的翻译书。
/
/
/
我在 Emily 生日那天读完了新约的翻译，
现在我正在阅读旧约的翻译。
/
我认为学习圣经的翻译很有用，
特别是因为我们会在学校教它。
/
我们需要学校的教科书，
我从美国回来后有时间做一些。
我很高兴你的门上的标语写着
“上帝保佑我们的家”。
我们非常想念我们的家，
麻烦你给我们再买一个
“上帝保佑我们的家”
发给我们吗？
如果你获得另一个，
方便的时候再发。
/
/
/
/
我们把照片挂在墙上的空位，
但是如果有一个写着
“上帝保佑我们的家”
的标语就好了，
这句话感觉就像一个不断的祈祷。
/
我们会很高兴看到标语并想到家。
/
/
我们很高兴你感觉良好，
健康是一种福气，
我现在深刻理解，
我非常感谢你的健康。
/
/
/
/
/
/
我希望下次我给你写信的时候，
新校舍会建好。
/
/
/
【纵向书写】
虽然我不会像第一所学校那么爱它，
但它会在很多方面更好，
很高兴
学生们
没有气馁，
热情地
准备补课。
我刚才给你写一半，
所以
吃饭前
我还有时间
再给你
写另一半。
/
/
/
/
/
你亲爱的，
Hattie
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Sarah, May 7, 1875,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed May 4, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/199.