Letter from Hattie to Sarah, July 11, 1871

Letter from Hattie to Sarah, July 11, 1871

Letters; Missionaries; Weather

In this letter to her sister Sarah, Harriet Noyes congratulates her on being a teacher in Columbus. She wishes that the family could be together more, but has been feeling encouraged about the mission work. Harriet mentions associates Lillie and Dr. Happer's positions in China. She also says that her letters to Maggie have been lost in the mail. The weather has been cooling off.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #1

Unpublished

1871-07-11

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_057

Canton China
July 11th '71
My [u]dear Sarah[/u],
Your letters of May
10th came by this mail. I always
feel glad when I think that you
are so pleasantly situated there
in Columbus and I am not
surprised in the least to hear from
some of the home friends that you
are going to make one of the best
teachers. I saw a complimentary
note of you in one of the [illegible]
a while ago. I felt this mail as though
I hardly knew what to write home
about "church matters" and so I
said very little. How I [u]wish[/u] we
could [u]all[/u] get together and have one
long talk about it. It seems strange
that Father has had so many things
to try him when I dont believe a better
man ever lived. When I said so
to Henry he said: "Whom the Lord loveth
he chastenth."
"And in Heaven's great cathedral peradventure
There are crowns rich above the rest green
Places of joy peculiar where they enter,
whose fires and swords no eye hath ever seen.

They who have known the truth the truth have spoken
With few to understand + few to praise
Casting their bread on waters half heart broken
For men to find it after many days."
We are feeling a little encouraged in
our work here, it does seem as though
if we have any faith at all we must
believe that the seed which has been
laborers will spring up and yield
a harvest. The last mission letter
told us of the appointment of Lillie
Happer as a missionary. I am very
glad indeed but I dont expect we
shall keep her long. Lucy + Mrs
we hear are coming back soon. I have
heard that Dr Happer has written to
her so I imagine when they come
back it will be [u]made up[/u]. I most
sincerely hope so, that christianity
may no longer be disgraced as it has
been in the eyes of every one. during
the past year, and the past can
never be undone. I heard once
more from [u]Maggie[/u] by the last mail
It seems strange that three years
of silence have grown between us
through no fault of ours either.

I have written to her six times but as
they were all directed wrong it is
easy to see why she never received
them but she wrote to me several times
and I don't see why they didn't
come. Both Mr Beacom + Maggie wrote
after they were married + then they
sent Henry + I such pretty silver
fruit knives + as they never heard a
word in reply of course they did not
feel free to write. I suppose Mr
Beacom thought Henry laid it up
against him that he had "gone +
married" Maggie but he did'nt need
think so for a minute, still it was
funny was'nt it that Mr Beacom
was "the one" all the time When Dr
Happer told me in New York I
told him I would'nt have been my
more surprised I didn't think if
he had said he was going to marry
her himself. I first had to get up
and carry my chair off and put it
under the stairs + get another one.
I knew it was rather weakly + incautiously
leaned back at the end of the last
sentence and this is the consequence
Isnt it provoking to have a chair "go

all to pieces" while your are sitting
in it or did you never try it?
We have just bought a little melodeon
which I have in one of my schools
it is a great help. I have just
thought that when this reaches "[u]U S A[/u]"
you will be at home for vacation
so I may as well send it to
Guilford with the other letters.
Clara too will be out of school and
wont you all have a jubilee I
wish I could be with you a little
while to help you enjoy it.
It is delightfully cool this morning
for the 11th of July but will no
doubt be hot by the middle of the
day. The rains have continued on
so this summer that we have not felt
the heat very much. I think it rained
every day in June while last year
there was not a single cloudy day
in the whole month. I am
afraid you will not have seen
Mrs House even if she visited Guilford.
I wish you might have she is such
a nice lady. Now good-bye.
With warmest love Your aff sister
Hattie

中国广州
1871年7月11日
我亲爱的Sarah，
这一次，你的5月10日的信寄来了。
/
我总是感觉很高兴，
当我想到你在哥伦布很好的时候，
而且我也不惊讶，
最后一次从朋友那听说你要做最好的老师。
/
/
我看到一篇你的笔记
从【字迹模糊】几年前来的。
我感觉这个邮件就是这样，
我几乎不知道我该往家了写些什么关于教堂的事情，
因此我就写一点。
我多想和你们团聚，
然后说说这些。
看起来很奇怪，
当我不相信一个好一点的人活着，
父亲有太多事情要做。
当我对Henry说这事情的时候，
他说：”因为主所爱的他必管教，
又鞭打凡所收养的儿子
/
天堂或许是一个伟大的教堂。
在他们进去的绿色的地方
有王冠。
/

想要知道真相的他们说他们理解得很少，
赞美的也很少。
“当将你的粮食撒在水面，
因为日久必能得着”
我们觉得在这工作有一点受到鼓励，
看起来，
如果我们有信心，
我们必须相信我们辛勤耕作的种子会发芽，会丰收。
/
组织告诉我们关于和Lillie Happer做传教士的事情要开会。
/
/
我确实很高兴，但是我觉得我们不会让她待很久。
/
我们听说Lucy和太太很快就要回来了。
我听说Happer医生写给她信了，
因此我想，
她们回来的时候，就完美了。
我真心希望，
基督教不会在大众视野里名誉扫地。
/
去年和前年从来没有。
我再一次从Maggie上一封信听说，
看起来很奇怪，
三年了我们谁都没有错，
但是就是一直保持着沉默。

我给她写了六次信，
但是它们都被寄错了地方，
很明显，这就是为什么她从来没有收到信，
但是她给我写了好几次，
我不知道它们为什么不来。
Beacom先生和Maggie婚后写了信，
他们寄给了Henry和我
一些漂亮的银水果刀
因为他们从没有听说一个字
当然他们没有写。
/
我觉得Beacom先生认为Henry反对他，
他和Maggie结婚了
但是他不需要想一会儿，
他还是很有趣的是
/
Beacom先生一直是其中一个。
当Happer医生告诉我，
我在纽约的时候告诉他，
我不会惊讶，
我认为他不会说他是否会和她结婚的事情。
首先，我不得不起床
搬走我的椅子放在楼下，
然后买个新的。
我知道最后的结果不是很弱的。
/
/
当你坐下来的时候

椅子散落成碎片，你是否会很生气，
或者你从没有经历过？
我们刚买了一个学校那种的小手风琴，
/
真的帮了我大忙了。
我想到当它到美国以后，
你放假在家，
所以我可能吧这个包裹寄到Giolford
顺便放里面一些信。
Clara也不在学校，
你会有周年庆吗，
我希望我能回去和你过，
和你一些享受。
7月11日的早上很凉爽，
但是毫无疑问，
中午就会热起来。
雨接着下，
我们就不会觉得太热。
我认为六月每天都下雨，
去年的整个月没有一天是多云。
/
/
我恐怕你不会见到House太太
即使她去Guilford。
我希望你可以见到她这个很和蔼的女士。
再见了。
爱你的姐姐
Hattie

Letter