Letter from Hattie to Mother, June 17, 1869
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Mother, June 17, 1869
Subject
Birthdays; Shipping; Gifts; Hats; Missionaries
Description
In this letter, Harriet writes to her mother. She thanks her family for their birthday wishes. She also talks about a box that she is expecting to receive from them. She asks for her family to send her materials to make hats with for summer, and she also complains about the state of her clothes. In this letter, Harriet also discusses some of the difficulties in being a missionary.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #1
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1869-06-17
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_029
Coverage
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton China
June 17th /69-
My [u]own dear Mother[/u]
I thank you all so
much for remembering me on my
birth-day and it does'nt make any
difference that the letters were written
on the 6th as long as you thought
about me at the right time. When I
first opened the package and found
so many of them dated March 6th,
I was afraid you had some of you
forgotten which day my birthday was
but as soon as I commenced
reading I found it was "only
those ministers", I shall have a
larger party of ministers to entertain
next month as it will be our turn
to have the Conference. I am so
glad we have got into this house first
it is so much nicer. And the
Samuel Russel is in Hongkong &
Dr Kerr is down there and is coming
up on the steamer to-day and
we are hoping that he will bring
our box and [u]wont it be nice
if he does[/u]. I hope it will come tonight
so that we can open it before we
send off our letters as we must
tomorrow morning.
And now I must lay down my pen
& get ready to go up to my school
but shall hope to have a few more
words with you when I come back.
Five o clock and dinner over I
come back to my writing Dr Kerr
has come home and [u]not brought[/u]
the [u]box[/u] so we have to wait
a little longer. It takes some time
to get a ship unloaded. I have
thought of asking you if you send
another box to put in some hats.
Many of the ladies get them from
home and I imagine it is the best
way. We can get them in Hongkong,
but they are very expensive A plain
white straw with little more than a
band of velvet around it costs
$ 5.00. I have not got any since
I came made one last winter of the
bonnet I brought making a frame
of bonnet wire & perhaps this summer
I will make a paper one using an
old straw for a frame. If it so
convenient for you sometime to
send me one or two white straw and
I should very much like one of those
speckled straws & perhaps a paper
one made on a frame but if it is
not convenient or you hav'nt time
you know I would'nt want you
to do it. It dont make any difference
whatever whether they are in the
"latest style" any shapes that you
have had that are pretty. I would not
care for any large sun hats as they
would at best be but little protection
but such hats as you (or the girls)
would use to wear to meeting. We do
not go out much during the hot days
until evening after the sun is down.
Just as you please about trimming
I presume we can get that about as
well here as at home. I am afraid
Father will think it rather funny
for a missionary to be writing about
styles &c and I am sure I wish
most [u]heartily[/u] & [u]sincerely[/u] that I
never was obliged to give a
single thought to such things.
I grudge every minute that I
spend over my clothing a person
has to have so many changes
here and the washerman wears them
out so quick that it takes a great
deal of work to keep one's clothing
in order. That is one reason I
would like to go away off in the
country somewhere where I would
never have to think about dressing
up And it does seem as though
a person would do more good in a
lifetime but our Board seems to
think it best for the missionaries
to live in Canton and put their
assistants out in the villages, and
I know there is a wide enough field
for labor anywhere. The piece that
you quote from about the dreadful
monotony of life in China is to some
extent true. I think we all feel it
sometimes. I used to suppose that when
missionaries got together of course they did not
care to talk about anything but their work.
But of course our work is all the same &
nothing of interest is happening all the time.
It is so different from home There there is
something new every little while a concert or
lecture or [u]something to talk about[/u] but here we
can inquire for each others health & talk about
the last mail and the next one that is
expected and the weather & then it seems
as if there is nothing else. When we do get
hold of a bit of news you may be sure
it goes as far as possible. I often stop to
ask myself whether I have told this or that
to this one or to some of the others & I dare
say I often say the same thing over &
over again to the same individual but
if I do I am no worse than some
of the rest. This is why we resort to
playing games for a [u]change[/u]. Croquet
has been a great boon to us all. We
do not suffer here for what we shall eat
or what we shall drink or wherewithal
be clothed, it is a hungering & thirsting
of the mind & heart the intellect & affections.
Still we have enough to make us very
happy here, and [u]very dear friends[/u].
Would I not like "a ramble in the woods or
a ride on horseback" have I not often
[u]longed[/u] for the pleasure? [u]perhaps sometime[/u]
Now we go to prayer meeting so good-bye Your daugh
Hattie.
中国广州
1869 年 6 月 17 日——
我亲爱的母亲
非常感谢你们在我生日那天记得我，
只要你们在右边想起我，
这些信是在 6 号写的并没有什么区别时间。
当我第一次打开包裹，
发现很多都是 3 月 6 日的时候，
我怕你们中的一些人忘记了我的生日是哪一天，
但当我开始阅读时，
我发现它是“只有那些部长”，
我会下个月将轮到我们举行会议，
届时将有更多的部长聚会。
我很高兴我们首先进入了这所房子，
它好多了。
Samuel Russel 在香港，
Kerr 医生在下面，
今天要乘轮船上来，
我们希望他能带上我们的盒子，
如果他这样做了，
那就太好了。
我希望它今晚会来，
这样我们就可以在明天早上寄出信件之前打开它。
现在我必须放下笔，
准备去我的学校，
但希望我回来时能和你多说几句。
五点钟，
晚饭结束，
我回到我的写作中，
克尔医生回家了，
没有带盒子，
所以我们不得不再等一会儿。
卸下船需要一些时间。
我想问你是否再寄一个盒子来装一些帽子。
许多女士从家里得到它们，
我想这是最好的方式。
我们可以在香港买到它们，
但它们非常昂贵 一根普通的白色稻草，
周围只有一条天鹅绒，
售价 5.00 美元。
自从我去年冬天来制作我带来的发动机罩铁丝框架以来，
我没有得到任何东西，
也许今年夏天我会用一根旧稻草做一个纸框架。
如果你有时间给我寄一两根白色吸管很方便的话，
我会非常喜欢其中一根有斑点的吸管，
也许是用相框做的纸，
但如果不方便或者你没有时间你知道我不希望你这样做。
无论它们是否采用“最新风格”，
任何你拥有的漂亮形状都没有任何区别。
我不会喜欢任何大太阳帽，
因为它们充其量只是一点保护作用，
但是你（或女孩）会用来开会的帽子。
我们在炎热的日子里很少出去，
直到太阳下山后的傍晚。
就像你喜欢修剪一样，
我想我们可以在这里和在家里一样做到这一点。
恐怕父亲会认为传教士写关于风格等的文章很有趣，
我相信我最衷心和真诚地希望我从来没有义务对这些事情多加考虑。
我讨厌我花在衣服上的每一分钟，
一个人必须在这里有这么多的变化，
而洗衣工很快就把它们穿坏了，
以至于要保持一个人的衣服井井有条需要大量的工作。
这就是我想去乡下的原因之一，
在那里我永远不必考虑打扮而且似乎一个人一生会做得更好，
但我们的董事会似乎认为这对传教士住在广州，
把他们的助手派到乡村，
我知道任何地方都有足够广阔的工作场所。
你引用的关于中国可怕的单调生活的那篇文章在某种程度上是真实的。
我想我们有时都会感觉到。
我曾经认为，
当传教士聚在一起时，
他们当然只关心他们的工作。
但是当然，
我们的工作都是一样的，
没有什么有趣的事情一直在发生。
和家很不一样 每隔一段时间就会有一些新的东西
音乐会或讲座或可以谈论的东西
但在这里我们可以询问彼此的健康状况并谈论上一封邮件和下一封预计的邮件以及天气然后好像没有别的了。
当我们确实掌握了一些新闻时，
您可能会确信它会尽可能地传播。
我经常停下来问自己，
我是否对这个人或其他一些人说过这个或那个，
我敢说我经常一遍又一遍地对同一个人说同样的话，
但如果我这样做了，
我并不比某些人差其余的。
这就是为什么我们求助于玩游戏来改变。
槌球对我们所有人来说都是一大福音。
我们在这里不为吃什么、喝什么、穿什么而受苦，
这是一种对思想和心灵、智力和感情的饥渴。
我们仍然有足够的东西让我们在这里很开心，
还有非常亲爱的朋友。
难道我不喜欢“在树林里漫步或骑马”吗？
我不是经常渴望这种乐趣吗？也许某个时候现在我们去祈祷会再见。
你的女儿，
海蒂。
June 17th /69-
My [u]own dear Mother[/u]
I thank you all so
much for remembering me on my
birth-day and it does'nt make any
difference that the letters were written
on the 6th as long as you thought
about me at the right time. When I
first opened the package and found
so many of them dated March 6th,
I was afraid you had some of you
forgotten which day my birthday was
but as soon as I commenced
reading I found it was "only
those ministers", I shall have a
larger party of ministers to entertain
next month as it will be our turn
to have the Conference. I am so
glad we have got into this house first
it is so much nicer. And the
Samuel Russel is in Hongkong &
Dr Kerr is down there and is coming
up on the steamer to-day and
we are hoping that he will bring
our box and [u]wont it be nice
if he does[/u]. I hope it will come tonight
so that we can open it before we
send off our letters as we must
tomorrow morning.
And now I must lay down my pen
& get ready to go up to my school
but shall hope to have a few more
words with you when I come back.
Five o clock and dinner over I
come back to my writing Dr Kerr
has come home and [u]not brought[/u]
the [u]box[/u] so we have to wait
a little longer. It takes some time
to get a ship unloaded. I have
thought of asking you if you send
another box to put in some hats.
Many of the ladies get them from
home and I imagine it is the best
way. We can get them in Hongkong,
but they are very expensive A plain
white straw with little more than a
band of velvet around it costs
$ 5.00. I have not got any since
I came made one last winter of the
bonnet I brought making a frame
of bonnet wire & perhaps this summer
I will make a paper one using an
old straw for a frame. If it so
convenient for you sometime to
send me one or two white straw and
I should very much like one of those
speckled straws & perhaps a paper
one made on a frame but if it is
not convenient or you hav'nt time
you know I would'nt want you
to do it. It dont make any difference
whatever whether they are in the
"latest style" any shapes that you
have had that are pretty. I would not
care for any large sun hats as they
would at best be but little protection
but such hats as you (or the girls)
would use to wear to meeting. We do
not go out much during the hot days
until evening after the sun is down.
Just as you please about trimming
I presume we can get that about as
well here as at home. I am afraid
Father will think it rather funny
for a missionary to be writing about
styles &c and I am sure I wish
most [u]heartily[/u] & [u]sincerely[/u] that I
never was obliged to give a
single thought to such things.
I grudge every minute that I
spend over my clothing a person
has to have so many changes
here and the washerman wears them
out so quick that it takes a great
deal of work to keep one's clothing
in order. That is one reason I
would like to go away off in the
country somewhere where I would
never have to think about dressing
up And it does seem as though
a person would do more good in a
lifetime but our Board seems to
think it best for the missionaries
to live in Canton and put their
assistants out in the villages, and
I know there is a wide enough field
for labor anywhere. The piece that
you quote from about the dreadful
monotony of life in China is to some
extent true. I think we all feel it
sometimes. I used to suppose that when
missionaries got together of course they did not
care to talk about anything but their work.
But of course our work is all the same &
nothing of interest is happening all the time.
It is so different from home There there is
something new every little while a concert or
lecture or [u]something to talk about[/u] but here we
can inquire for each others health & talk about
the last mail and the next one that is
expected and the weather & then it seems
as if there is nothing else. When we do get
hold of a bit of news you may be sure
it goes as far as possible. I often stop to
ask myself whether I have told this or that
to this one or to some of the others & I dare
say I often say the same thing over &
over again to the same individual but
if I do I am no worse than some
of the rest. This is why we resort to
playing games for a [u]change[/u]. Croquet
has been a great boon to us all. We
do not suffer here for what we shall eat
or what we shall drink or wherewithal
be clothed, it is a hungering & thirsting
of the mind & heart the intellect & affections.
Still we have enough to make us very
happy here, and [u]very dear friends[/u].
Would I not like "a ramble in the woods or
a ride on horseback" have I not often
[u]longed[/u] for the pleasure? [u]perhaps sometime[/u]
Now we go to prayer meeting so good-bye Your daugh
Hattie.
中国广州
1869 年 6 月 17 日——
我亲爱的母亲
非常感谢你们在我生日那天记得我，
只要你们在右边想起我，
这些信是在 6 号写的并没有什么区别时间。
当我第一次打开包裹，
发现很多都是 3 月 6 日的时候，
我怕你们中的一些人忘记了我的生日是哪一天，
但当我开始阅读时，
我发现它是“只有那些部长”，
我会下个月将轮到我们举行会议，
届时将有更多的部长聚会。
我很高兴我们首先进入了这所房子，
它好多了。
Samuel Russel 在香港，
Kerr 医生在下面，
今天要乘轮船上来，
我们希望他能带上我们的盒子，
如果他这样做了，
那就太好了。
我希望它今晚会来，
这样我们就可以在明天早上寄出信件之前打开它。
现在我必须放下笔，
准备去我的学校，
但希望我回来时能和你多说几句。
五点钟，
晚饭结束，
我回到我的写作中，
克尔医生回家了，
没有带盒子，
所以我们不得不再等一会儿。
卸下船需要一些时间。
我想问你是否再寄一个盒子来装一些帽子。
许多女士从家里得到它们，
我想这是最好的方式。
我们可以在香港买到它们，
但它们非常昂贵 一根普通的白色稻草，
周围只有一条天鹅绒，
售价 5.00 美元。
自从我去年冬天来制作我带来的发动机罩铁丝框架以来，
我没有得到任何东西，
也许今年夏天我会用一根旧稻草做一个纸框架。
如果你有时间给我寄一两根白色吸管很方便的话，
我会非常喜欢其中一根有斑点的吸管，
也许是用相框做的纸，
但如果不方便或者你没有时间你知道我不希望你这样做。
无论它们是否采用“最新风格”，
任何你拥有的漂亮形状都没有任何区别。
我不会喜欢任何大太阳帽，
因为它们充其量只是一点保护作用，
但是你（或女孩）会用来开会的帽子。
我们在炎热的日子里很少出去，
直到太阳下山后的傍晚。
就像你喜欢修剪一样，
我想我们可以在这里和在家里一样做到这一点。
恐怕父亲会认为传教士写关于风格等的文章很有趣，
我相信我最衷心和真诚地希望我从来没有义务对这些事情多加考虑。
我讨厌我花在衣服上的每一分钟，
一个人必须在这里有这么多的变化，
而洗衣工很快就把它们穿坏了，
以至于要保持一个人的衣服井井有条需要大量的工作。
这就是我想去乡下的原因之一，
在那里我永远不必考虑打扮而且似乎一个人一生会做得更好，
但我们的董事会似乎认为这对传教士住在广州，
把他们的助手派到乡村，
我知道任何地方都有足够广阔的工作场所。
你引用的关于中国可怕的单调生活的那篇文章在某种程度上是真实的。
我想我们有时都会感觉到。
我曾经认为，
当传教士聚在一起时，
他们当然只关心他们的工作。
但是当然，
我们的工作都是一样的，
没有什么有趣的事情一直在发生。
和家很不一样 每隔一段时间就会有一些新的东西
音乐会或讲座或可以谈论的东西
但在这里我们可以询问彼此的健康状况并谈论上一封邮件和下一封预计的邮件以及天气然后好像没有别的了。
当我们确实掌握了一些新闻时，
您可能会确信它会尽可能地传播。
我经常停下来问自己，
我是否对这个人或其他一些人说过这个或那个，
我敢说我经常一遍又一遍地对同一个人说同样的话，
但如果我这样做了，
我并不比某些人差其余的。
这就是为什么我们求助于玩游戏来改变。
槌球对我们所有人来说都是一大福音。
我们在这里不为吃什么、喝什么、穿什么而受苦，
这是一种对思想和心灵、智力和感情的饥渴。
我们仍然有足够的东西让我们在这里很开心，
还有非常亲爱的朋友。
难道我不喜欢“在树林里漫步或骑马”吗？
我不是经常渴望这种乐趣吗？也许某个时候现在我们去祈祷会再见。
你的女儿，
海蒂。
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Mother, June 17, 1869,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 24, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/31.