Letter from Harriet to Mother, November 7, 1882
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Harriet to Mother, November 7, 1882
Subject
Missionaries; Schools; Fire; Health; Sickness; Fever; Children of missionaries--Care
Description
Hattie tells her mother that on Saturday all 22 Presbyterian missionaries came over and that yesterday evening the monthly concert was held. The school is re-opening today and Harriet hopes that the students are more eager to start than they usually are. Harriet informs her mother that there is a huge fire burning in the city but it is not dangerous for them because they are far away. Mrs. Kerr's is not very healthy. In addition, after they returned from the country, several of them had a fever. Dr. Kerr was worried that Dr. Thomson might have brain fever but he is getting better. Harriet confesses that she and the rest all feel disappointed in them. For instance, she says that Mrs. Thomson spends all of her time plus Dr. Thomson's and their servants' attending the Thomson's baby.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1882-11-07
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_298
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton China
Nov 7th 1882.
My dear Mother -
The mail has
been delayed for a day
but I have not had time
to write any more. Saturday
evening we had all the
Presbyterians here twenty-two.
and last evening was
the Monthly Concert. To-day
the school is opening a
number of the scholars
have come back. I hope
they will be more prompt
this year than they are
sometimes in getting back.
This morning we sent off
the Siam missionaries who
have been here. They
all seem very nice
people I hope they will
keep well. Miss niles
is at home with us now
Tell Mattie after a great
deal of thought Miss Butler
concluded to take her
room so Miss Niles has
the one we used to have
for a guest room. I suppose
Miss Niles is only with
us temporarily and
Miss Butler expects when
M-- comes back that
she will have her own
room. There is a
large fire burning in the
city to-day but it is so far
away that there is no
danger of its reaching
here. it is so very dry
this year rain is very
much needed. Mr
Faber who had been boarding
at Dr Kerr's is going to move
over Mr Nye's to-day.
I presume Mrs Kerr does
not feel strong enough to
have a boarder. She
is not very well. We are
hoping for our mail
at the end of this week.
Since our return from
the country several of our
party have had fever
Mrs Graves Mrs Happer and
Dr Thomson. Dr Kerr was
afraid Dr Thomson would
have brain fever but he
is getting better now. I
should not be surprised
if they would not stay
here long. he does not
seem at all strong.
We all feel rather disappointed
in them. I think we overestimated
them at first. We thought nothing
in the world could ever come
before mission work in Mrs Thomsons
mind but her George Dornin
eclipses everything. I never
heard of any mother acting
so silly about a child as she
does. It takes [u]all[/u] of her time
and that of a chinese woman
a good share of Dr Thomsons
and their other two servants
to take care of that one
little baby. Mr White is
hoping to go to Lin Chau
but will have to wait now
until Dr Thomson is
better. I have not written
much but it will have
to do for this time.
With much love for
all from Your aff daughter
Harriet
中国广州
1882 年 11 月 7 日。
我亲爱的母亲——邮件延迟了一天，
但我没有时间再写信了。
星期六晚上，
我们所有的长老会二十二人都在这里。
昨晚是每月音乐会。
今天学校开学了，
一些学者已经回来了。
我希望他们今年会比他们有时回来更迅速。
今天早上我们送走了来过这里的暹罗传教士。
他们看起来都是非常好的人，
我希望他们能保持良好状态。
奈尔斯小姐现在在家和我们在一起，
在经过深思熟虑之后告诉玛蒂，
巴特勒小姐决定收留她的房间，
所以奈尔斯小姐有我们以前用来做客房的那个。
我想奈尔斯小姐只是暂时和我们在一起，
而巴特勒小姐希望当 M-- 回来时，
她会有自己的房间。
今天城里有大火在燃烧，
但距离太远，
没有危险。
今年非常干燥，
非常需要下雨。
曾经在克尔医生家寄宿的费伯先生今天要搬过奈先生家。
我想克尔夫人感觉不够强壮，
不能有寄宿生。
她不是很好。
我们希望在本周末收到我们的邮件。
自从我们从乡下回来后，
我们党的几个人都发烧了 Graves 夫人 Happer 夫人和 Thomson 医生。
克尔医生担心汤姆森医生会出现脑热，
但他现在正在好转。
如果他们不会在这里待太久，
我不会感到惊讶。
他似乎一点也不强壮。
我们都对他们感到相当失望。
我认为我们一开始高估了他们。
在汤姆森夫人的心目中，
我们认为在宣教工作之前世界上什么都不会发生，
但她的乔治·多宁使一切都黯然失色。
我从来没有听说过有哪个母亲像她那样对孩子表现得如此愚蠢。
照顾那个小婴儿需要她和一个中国女人的所有时间，
以及汤姆森医生和他们另外两个仆人的大部分时间。
怀特先生希望去莲洲，
但现在必须等到汤姆森医生好转。
我写的不多，
但这次必须要做。
怀着对所有人的爱。
你的女儿，
哈丽特
Nov 7th 1882.
My dear Mother -
The mail has
been delayed for a day
but I have not had time
to write any more. Saturday
evening we had all the
Presbyterians here twenty-two.
and last evening was
the Monthly Concert. To-day
the school is opening a
number of the scholars
have come back. I hope
they will be more prompt
this year than they are
sometimes in getting back.
This morning we sent off
the Siam missionaries who
have been here. They
all seem very nice
people I hope they will
keep well. Miss niles
is at home with us now
Tell Mattie after a great
deal of thought Miss Butler
concluded to take her
room so Miss Niles has
the one we used to have
for a guest room. I suppose
Miss Niles is only with
us temporarily and
Miss Butler expects when
M-- comes back that
she will have her own
room. There is a
large fire burning in the
city to-day but it is so far
away that there is no
danger of its reaching
here. it is so very dry
this year rain is very
much needed. Mr
Faber who had been boarding
at Dr Kerr's is going to move
over Mr Nye's to-day.
I presume Mrs Kerr does
not feel strong enough to
have a boarder. She
is not very well. We are
hoping for our mail
at the end of this week.
Since our return from
the country several of our
party have had fever
Mrs Graves Mrs Happer and
Dr Thomson. Dr Kerr was
afraid Dr Thomson would
have brain fever but he
is getting better now. I
should not be surprised
if they would not stay
here long. he does not
seem at all strong.
We all feel rather disappointed
in them. I think we overestimated
them at first. We thought nothing
in the world could ever come
before mission work in Mrs Thomsons
mind but her George Dornin
eclipses everything. I never
heard of any mother acting
so silly about a child as she
does. It takes [u]all[/u] of her time
and that of a chinese woman
a good share of Dr Thomsons
and their other two servants
to take care of that one
little baby. Mr White is
hoping to go to Lin Chau
but will have to wait now
until Dr Thomson is
better. I have not written
much but it will have
to do for this time.
With much love for
all from Your aff daughter
Harriet
中国广州
1882 年 11 月 7 日。
我亲爱的母亲——邮件延迟了一天，
但我没有时间再写信了。
星期六晚上，
我们所有的长老会二十二人都在这里。
昨晚是每月音乐会。
今天学校开学了，
一些学者已经回来了。
我希望他们今年会比他们有时回来更迅速。
今天早上我们送走了来过这里的暹罗传教士。
他们看起来都是非常好的人，
我希望他们能保持良好状态。
奈尔斯小姐现在在家和我们在一起，
在经过深思熟虑之后告诉玛蒂，
巴特勒小姐决定收留她的房间，
所以奈尔斯小姐有我们以前用来做客房的那个。
我想奈尔斯小姐只是暂时和我们在一起，
而巴特勒小姐希望当 M-- 回来时，
她会有自己的房间。
今天城里有大火在燃烧，
但距离太远，
没有危险。
今年非常干燥，
非常需要下雨。
曾经在克尔医生家寄宿的费伯先生今天要搬过奈先生家。
我想克尔夫人感觉不够强壮，
不能有寄宿生。
她不是很好。
我们希望在本周末收到我们的邮件。
自从我们从乡下回来后，
我们党的几个人都发烧了 Graves 夫人 Happer 夫人和 Thomson 医生。
克尔医生担心汤姆森医生会出现脑热，
但他现在正在好转。
如果他们不会在这里待太久，
我不会感到惊讶。
他似乎一点也不强壮。
我们都对他们感到相当失望。
我认为我们一开始高估了他们。
在汤姆森夫人的心目中，
我们认为在宣教工作之前世界上什么都不会发生，
但她的乔治·多宁使一切都黯然失色。
我从来没有听说过有哪个母亲像她那样对孩子表现得如此愚蠢。
照顾那个小婴儿需要她和一个中国女人的所有时间，
以及汤姆森医生和他们另外两个仆人的大部分时间。
怀特先生希望去莲洲，
但现在必须等到汤姆森医生好转。
我写的不多，
但这次必须要做。
怀着对所有人的爱。
你的女儿，
哈丽特
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Harriet to Mother, November 7, 1882,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 29, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/354.