Letter from Hattie to Edward, April 21, 1880
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Edward, April 21, 1880
Subject
Prayer; Musical instruments; Organ (musical instrument)
Description
Harriet thanks Edward for the letter she received in the last mail wishing her a happy birthday. The neighbors will come soon for the evening prayer. Mattie and Harriet bought some German instruments. She thinks that they were quite expensive; $25.50 and $20.50. Harriet bought Mr. and Mrs. Gibson's Mason & Hamlin organ and music stool for $31. She enclosed a stamp.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #2
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1880-04-21
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_212
Coverage
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton China
April 21st 1880.
My dear Edward,
I appreciated
the birthday letter that the
last mail brought to me
from you all the more
that I know that you
are not particularly fond
of letter writing. It is very
pleasant indeed to be sure
of being remembered in
one's [u]home[/u] as we are I wish
all missionaries were as fortunate.
This is the evening for our
prayer meeting and I
suppose our neighbours will
soon be in as we expect it
to be here this evening. M
is down in the parlor playing
on the organ. I must
tell you what a dealer
in musical instruments I
have become. Mattie wrote
to you about the nice little
German instrument we
bought a while ago. By a
mistake the order was sent by
two of the German missionaries
and the one to where they wrote
supposed two lots were wanted
and so purchased another
set of four, there were three
of the first lot. The first
ones are on a stand and
arranged to blow with one
foot. The next lot were for
blowing with the hand like
the dear little one we had that
was burned in the school-house.
As one of the second lot had
been sent for for us, we were
very glad to take it is such
a nice little thing made
of such beautiful wood nearly
2 feet long a foot wide and
10 inches high just like a
pretty little box that can
be set on a table anywhere.
The handle for blowing comes
out in the middle on one side
and pumps up & down like
a pump handle I was going to
say but that is not exactly it,
as it moves straight up and
down. It is such a pretty
little thing I am sure you
would fall in love with it at
sight. The first one cost
$25.50 the second $20.50.
So much for little instruments.
By the way Henry bought one
of the little ones too which will
be very nice for him he can
take it to the country. I take
mine to the dayschools.
Well two weeks since Mr &
Mrs Gibson left to go home
to England and among
the things they wanted to
sell was their Mason & Hamlin
Organ, which was put on
the list at [u]thirty dollars[/u].
The instrument was one that
Mrs Collins formerly of our Mission
brought out and I knew it was
a very good one when it was
new several years ago. So I
went up one day to help Mrs Gibson
and I told [u]Martha[/u] that if it
was not very much spoiled I
meant to buy it, and so I did
and the music stool for
one dollar more. Then Dr
Kerr came over and helped
me to take it apart and put
it in order and it really is
just about as good as a new
one and is a very pleasant
toned instrument. M is playing
on it now, and it sounds very
well indeed. I am so glad
we bought it only I feel as though
we did not pay nearly as much
as it is worth but they offered
it at that price and preferred
to take it rather than take
the instrument home.
[Note: Written vertically on the first page]
And now I must
say good night How
I wish I could
see you. 2 1/2 years
since we
parted have
already
passed.
Ever yr loving
[u]Hattie[/u].
I enclose a
stamp which
came in a letter
by the last mail
please return
it to me at
your convenience
中国广州，
1880 年 4 月 21 日。
亲爱的爱德华，
我很感激上一封信给我的生日信，
我更知道你不是特别喜欢写信。
确实很高兴能像我们一样在自己的家中被铭记，
我希望所有的传教士都像我们一样幸运。
这是我们祷告会的晚上，
我想我们的邻居很快就会参加，
正如我们今晚所期望的那样。
M在客厅里弹奏风琴。
我必须告诉你我已经成为了一个乐器经销商。
玛蒂给你写了一封关于我们不久前买的漂亮的德国小乐器的信。
订单是由两个德国传教士错误地发出的，
而他们写信的那个人认为需要两批，
因此又购买了四批，
第一批中有三批。
第一个放在架子上，
用一只脚吹。
下一批是用手吹，
就像我们在校舍里被烧毁的可爱的小孩一样。
由于第二批中的一个已为我们寄出，
我们很高兴看到它是由如此漂亮的木头制成的如此漂亮的小东西，
长约 2 英尺，
宽约 10 英寸，
高 10 英寸，
就像一个漂亮的小盒子，
可以可以放在任何地方的桌子上。
吹气的手柄在一侧的中间伸出，
就像我要说的泵手柄一样上下泵送，
但事实并非如此，
因为它直接上下移动。
这是一个非常漂亮的小东西，
我相信你会爱上它。
第一个花费 25.50 美元，
第二个花费 20.50 美元。
小乐器就这么多。
顺便说一句，
亨利也买了一个小家伙，
这对他来说非常好，
他可以把它带到乡下。
我带我去走读学校。
自从吉布森夫妇离开回英国已经两周了，
他们想卖的东西之一是他们的梅森和哈姆林管风琴，
它以 30 美元的价格列在了清单上。
这件乐器是柯林斯夫人以前在我们的使命中带来的，
我知道这是一件非常好的乐器，
几年前它还是新的。
所以有一天我上去帮助吉布森夫人，
我告诉玛莎，
如果它不是被宠坏了，
我就打算买它，
所以我买了，
而且音乐凳要多花 1 美元。
然后 Kerr 博士过来帮我把它拆开并整理好，
它真的和新的一样好，
是一种非常悦耳的乐器。
M现在正在播放它，
听起来确实很好。
我很高兴我们买了它，
只是我觉得我们支付的价格几乎没有它的价值，
但他们以这个价格提供了它，
并且更愿意把它带回家而不是把乐器带回家。
[注：垂直写在第一页] 现在我必须说晚安，
我多么希望能见到你。
我们分手后的 2 1/2 年已经过去了。
永远爱你的海蒂。
我随信附上一封最后一封信寄来的邮票，
请在方便时将其退还给我。
April 21st 1880.
My dear Edward,
I appreciated
the birthday letter that the
last mail brought to me
from you all the more
that I know that you
are not particularly fond
of letter writing. It is very
pleasant indeed to be sure
of being remembered in
one's [u]home[/u] as we are I wish
all missionaries were as fortunate.
This is the evening for our
prayer meeting and I
suppose our neighbours will
soon be in as we expect it
to be here this evening. M
is down in the parlor playing
on the organ. I must
tell you what a dealer
in musical instruments I
have become. Mattie wrote
to you about the nice little
German instrument we
bought a while ago. By a
mistake the order was sent by
two of the German missionaries
and the one to where they wrote
supposed two lots were wanted
and so purchased another
set of four, there were three
of the first lot. The first
ones are on a stand and
arranged to blow with one
foot. The next lot were for
blowing with the hand like
the dear little one we had that
was burned in the school-house.
As one of the second lot had
been sent for for us, we were
very glad to take it is such
a nice little thing made
of such beautiful wood nearly
2 feet long a foot wide and
10 inches high just like a
pretty little box that can
be set on a table anywhere.
The handle for blowing comes
out in the middle on one side
and pumps up & down like
a pump handle I was going to
say but that is not exactly it,
as it moves straight up and
down. It is such a pretty
little thing I am sure you
would fall in love with it at
sight. The first one cost
$25.50 the second $20.50.
So much for little instruments.
By the way Henry bought one
of the little ones too which will
be very nice for him he can
take it to the country. I take
mine to the dayschools.
Well two weeks since Mr &
Mrs Gibson left to go home
to England and among
the things they wanted to
sell was their Mason & Hamlin
Organ, which was put on
the list at [u]thirty dollars[/u].
The instrument was one that
Mrs Collins formerly of our Mission
brought out and I knew it was
a very good one when it was
new several years ago. So I
went up one day to help Mrs Gibson
and I told [u]Martha[/u] that if it
was not very much spoiled I
meant to buy it, and so I did
and the music stool for
one dollar more. Then Dr
Kerr came over and helped
me to take it apart and put
it in order and it really is
just about as good as a new
one and is a very pleasant
toned instrument. M is playing
on it now, and it sounds very
well indeed. I am so glad
we bought it only I feel as though
we did not pay nearly as much
as it is worth but they offered
it at that price and preferred
to take it rather than take
the instrument home.
[Note: Written vertically on the first page]
And now I must
say good night How
I wish I could
see you. 2 1/2 years
since we
parted have
already
passed.
Ever yr loving
[u]Hattie[/u].
I enclose a
stamp which
came in a letter
by the last mail
please return
it to me at
your convenience
中国广州，
1880 年 4 月 21 日。
亲爱的爱德华，
我很感激上一封信给我的生日信，
我更知道你不是特别喜欢写信。
确实很高兴能像我们一样在自己的家中被铭记，
我希望所有的传教士都像我们一样幸运。
这是我们祷告会的晚上，
我想我们的邻居很快就会参加，
正如我们今晚所期望的那样。
M在客厅里弹奏风琴。
我必须告诉你我已经成为了一个乐器经销商。
玛蒂给你写了一封关于我们不久前买的漂亮的德国小乐器的信。
订单是由两个德国传教士错误地发出的，
而他们写信的那个人认为需要两批，
因此又购买了四批，
第一批中有三批。
第一个放在架子上，
用一只脚吹。
下一批是用手吹，
就像我们在校舍里被烧毁的可爱的小孩一样。
由于第二批中的一个已为我们寄出，
我们很高兴看到它是由如此漂亮的木头制成的如此漂亮的小东西，
长约 2 英尺，
宽约 10 英寸，
高 10 英寸，
就像一个漂亮的小盒子，
可以可以放在任何地方的桌子上。
吹气的手柄在一侧的中间伸出，
就像我要说的泵手柄一样上下泵送，
但事实并非如此，
因为它直接上下移动。
这是一个非常漂亮的小东西，
我相信你会爱上它。
第一个花费 25.50 美元，
第二个花费 20.50 美元。
小乐器就这么多。
顺便说一句，
亨利也买了一个小家伙，
这对他来说非常好，
他可以把它带到乡下。
我带我去走读学校。
自从吉布森夫妇离开回英国已经两周了，
他们想卖的东西之一是他们的梅森和哈姆林管风琴，
它以 30 美元的价格列在了清单上。
这件乐器是柯林斯夫人以前在我们的使命中带来的，
我知道这是一件非常好的乐器，
几年前它还是新的。
所以有一天我上去帮助吉布森夫人，
我告诉玛莎，
如果它不是被宠坏了，
我就打算买它，
所以我买了，
而且音乐凳要多花 1 美元。
然后 Kerr 博士过来帮我把它拆开并整理好，
它真的和新的一样好，
是一种非常悦耳的乐器。
M现在正在播放它，
听起来确实很好。
我很高兴我们买了它，
只是我觉得我们支付的价格几乎没有它的价值，
但他们以这个价格提供了它，
并且更愿意把它带回家而不是把乐器带回家。
[注：垂直写在第一页] 现在我必须说晚安，
我多么希望能见到你。
我们分手后的 2 1/2 年已经过去了。
永远爱你的海蒂。
我随信附上一封最后一封信寄来的邮票，
请在方便时将其退还给我。
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Edward, April 21, 1880,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 29, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/267.