Letter from Henry to Dear Ones at Home, May 9, 1873
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Henry to Dear Ones at Home, May 9, 1873
Subject
Missionaries; Travel; Family
Description
Henry writes to his family about how Martha is planning on coming to China and submitted her application to the board. Henry feels sorry for taking her from them but is excited to see her. He discusses other missionaries who are planning on coming to China. Henry recently shaved off his beard and people keep commenting on how different he looks.
Creator
Noyes, Henry Varnum
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1873-05-09
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_752
Coverage
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton May 9th 1873
To the dear ones at Home
I don't how it happens
that it most always comes
so that I am starting away
into the country just about
mail time. As I can only write
a few lines I think I will
write to you all especially as
I wish to say what concerns
all. The mail yesterday brought
us the news and quite un-
expectedly too that our good
sister Matt has decided to
come to China and has made
her application to the Board.
This news awakens two very
distinct kinds of emotion in
our hearts. The bright side of
her not coming was that it would
be [u] so nice [/u] for [u] you at home to have [/u] her stay
The dark side of her coming
is that it will take her from
[u] you [/u] and this we can't help
feeling [u] very [/u] [u] sorry [/u] for. But I
trust you will all find, (as
have you not before!), that such
darkness has also a silver-
lining. May God support and
strengthen you all for the great
trial that it will be to part
with her.
The bright side of her
coming is of course that it brings
her us. We shall count the
days till she gets here. She
must give us due notice
so that I can meet her in
Hong Kong. The last mission
letter which came yesterday
says that a Mr Hall and
his wife will be coming out
to us in the fall. It also
speaks of Miss Crouch having
made application to come
here also so that I presume
[--you--] they will all four come together
and if so, it will be a very
pleasant company. From
what you write in regard
to Miss Crouch I have no
doubt we shall like her.
Tell Em I have
shaved off my whiskers. I
did it yesterday. I don't
believe you would know me.
I am sure I should'nt have
known myself. It was "social
evening" last night and I
went early and was introduced
as Mr Varnum to people. There
were not more than three I believe
that recognized me. I had my
mustache on nothing more. They
claimed that I looked like a
Frenchman
Mr Chalmers was the
best. I sat down and talked with
him. I could'nt make him believe
that he had ever seen me. I told
him I had seen him often
during the past year, had
called at his house &c &c. He
thought it was very strange. And
how the people did laugh when
he found out who it was.
Well I must stop. I
am afraid I forgot to reply
to things that you write about.
Good bye and much love
[--all t--] to all.
And to Matt we shall
give the warmest kind of a
welcome when she comes. I am
sure she will be happy here.
Very affectionately
Your own Son & brother
Henry.
To the dear ones at Home
I don't how it happens
that it most always comes
so that I am starting away
into the country just about
mail time. As I can only write
a few lines I think I will
write to you all especially as
I wish to say what concerns
all. The mail yesterday brought
us the news and quite un-
expectedly too that our good
sister Matt has decided to
come to China and has made
her application to the Board.
This news awakens two very
distinct kinds of emotion in
our hearts. The bright side of
her not coming was that it would
be [u] so nice [/u] for [u] you at home to have [/u] her stay
The dark side of her coming
is that it will take her from
[u] you [/u] and this we can't help
feeling [u] very [/u] [u] sorry [/u] for. But I
trust you will all find, (as
have you not before!), that such
darkness has also a silver-
lining. May God support and
strengthen you all for the great
trial that it will be to part
with her.
The bright side of her
coming is of course that it brings
her us. We shall count the
days till she gets here. She
must give us due notice
so that I can meet her in
Hong Kong. The last mission
letter which came yesterday
says that a Mr Hall and
his wife will be coming out
to us in the fall. It also
speaks of Miss Crouch having
made application to come
here also so that I presume
[--you--] they will all four come together
and if so, it will be a very
pleasant company. From
what you write in regard
to Miss Crouch I have no
doubt we shall like her.
Tell Em I have
shaved off my whiskers. I
did it yesterday. I don't
believe you would know me.
I am sure I should'nt have
known myself. It was "social
evening" last night and I
went early and was introduced
as Mr Varnum to people. There
were not more than three I believe
that recognized me. I had my
mustache on nothing more. They
claimed that I looked like a
Frenchman
Mr Chalmers was the
best. I sat down and talked with
him. I could'nt make him believe
that he had ever seen me. I told
him I had seen him often
during the past year, had
called at his house &c &c. He
thought it was very strange. And
how the people did laugh when
he found out who it was.
Well I must stop. I
am afraid I forgot to reply
to things that you write about.
Good bye and much love
[--all t--] to all.
And to Matt we shall
give the warmest kind of a
welcome when she comes. I am
sure she will be happy here.
Very affectionately
Your own Son & brother
Henry.
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Henry Varnum, “Letter from Henry to Dear Ones at Home, May 9, 1873,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed May 4, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/825.