Letter from Hattie to Mattie, October 10, 1871

Letter from Hattie to Mattie, October 10, 1871

Steamship passengers; Kerr, J. G. (John Glasgow), 1824-1901; Disease

Harriet writes to Martha from aboard a steamship. She is with Henry, the Kerr family, and Dr. Happer, on a ship by themselves. They meant to travel on a larger one, but it was late. She is excited to meet with the other missionaries in Ningpo. Harriet expresses concern for her father's declining health.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

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

Unpublished

1871-10-10

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_065

Steamship,
Eastern Isles.
Oct 10th, 1871.
My dear Mattie,
Your good long
letter came a few days since
and you will see that I
have put off answering it
until after starting for Ningpo.
We left Canton this morning
a little after Eight o clock and
expect to reach Hong kong
before dark spend tomorrow
there leaving there "northward
bound" sometime tomorrow
afternoon. I wonder if you
cab appreciate how much
pleasure I anticipate from
the trip. Somehow I doubt if
[u]any one[/u] in America can
fully realize all that it seems
to promise to one who has spent
nearly four years in a Chinese
city studying chines and
trying to do missionary work.
There is quite a party of us

Dr Happer, Dr + Mrs Kerr and
two children Henry + I and
as yet we have the ship all to
ourselves and I presume shall
have as I imagine if any one
from Hong kong were wishing
to go up the coast they would
wait for the next steamer rather
than join such an [u]intensely[/u]
missionary company.
The Eastern Isles is a little
steamer with only berths for 8
passengers but very nicely fitted
up the cabin being finished
off with satin wood. We had
expected to go up in the
[?Suwonada?] a [u]very nice[/u] steamer
one of the best on the coast and
one that sails under the
[u]American flag[/u] But she was
so late arriving in that we
could not have got to Ningpo
in time. I expect to have such
a nice time seeing so many
friends and they all seem so
glad to think that we are coming

for which we are very thankful. Just think I shall
see Lyon + [?Mandana?] + Leyenberger + his wife Mr Butler
and Ever so many friends that I have learned
to know and love since I came to China. I have
been so busy lately that it seems as though I have
hardly had time to think of it. We expected to
have been obliged to leave Canton yesterday
morning but the steamer was detained so we
had a day longer to get ready, Sabbath Day I
went to my school for the last time before coming away
+ after that there was a feeling that work was over
for a little while and it seemed [u]soo good[/u] to think
of having a [u]rest[/u], I felt such a sense of [u]freedom[/u]
and laughed + talked with Henry a little as
we used to at home as it seems to me I have
not for years. He said he didnt know what he
should do with me by the time we got back. Do
not think that we are unhappy here for we are not,
but life here is [u]so different[/u] from the [u]home[/u] life.

We were so sorry to hear of Father's
illness. I know there is no need
to charge you all to be careful
of him for I know you will.
but do tell Father + Mother that
their children in China [u]implore[/u]
them to be just as [u]careful[/u]
as possible of their health +
strength for the sake of us all.
Did our letters to the Elders surprise
you because were so [u]strong[/u]
they did not express a [u]truth[/u] of
what we felt. I expect when we
all get home to heaven together
+ the roughness + peculiarities get
rubbed of we shall [u]enjoy[/u] the
society of all God's people. but. as long
as I stay in this world I case [u]nothing[/u]
for the friendship or society of [u]any
one[/u] who could think or speak
unkindly of Father our dear
good Father than whom I do not
believe there is a better man
in the whole world. You did
not tell us whether you heard any
remarks made about what "Henry +
Hattie wrote" Do not fear hurting
our feelings there is [u]no one[u] in the
Guilford church who could do that [u]now[/u]
Ever you loving sister
Hattie.

Eastern Isles 汽船上
1871年10月10日
亲爱的Mattie，
你那封很长很友好的信
前几天到了，
我直到到了宁波才回复它。
/
/
今天早上，
我们八点多一点离开广州，
并且计划天黑之前到香港，
明天在那里待一天，
然后下午往北边去看看。
/
你知道我这次旅行有多兴奋吗？
/
/
我觉得，
是否有人会意识到
所有都看起来是一份承诺，
一份对一个在中国待了四年，
期间努力学习中文，
并未传教组织工作的人
的一份承诺。
我们有许多人在船上，

Happer医生、Kerr医生和两个孩子，
就是我和Henry，
我们在船上，
我认为如果有香港来的人要去海岸，
/
/
/
他们需要等下一趟船，
而不是加入我们的传教组织。
/
Eastern Isles 是一艘小船
只能容纳8个人，
但是隔间很舒适。
/
/
我们想进Suwonada，
那是海滨最好的汽船之一，
/
并且挂着美国国旗。
但是那艘船来得太晚了
/
以至于我们没办法及时到达宁波。
我希望我有足够的时间去见朋友，
/
而且他们看起来都很高兴我们很感激第来。
/

/
只要一想到我会见到Lyon、「Mandana」和Levenberger还有他的妻子Buler先生，
以及我们在中国期间遇到的许多朋友。
/
我非常忙，以至于我没有时间思考。
/
我们昨天早上应该离开广州的，
但是我们的船被扣押了，
所以我们又待了一天，
安息日的时候是我最后一次回学校了，
在那之后休息了一下，
感觉好多了，
我感觉到了自由，
还笑着对Henry说了点我们以前在家时的样子，
因为我已经很多年没回家了。
他说他不知道回家以后该做什么。
/
不要认为我们现在在这里不开心，
只是生活和在家的时候大不相同。

我们很抱歉听说父亲的病痛。
我知道这不需要我来告诉你
好好照顾父亲什么的，
因为我知道你会这么做的。
但是记得告诉父母，
他们在中国的孩子恳求他们注意身体
/
/
就算是为了我们。
我们的信有没有让你感到惊喜呢？
因为很这表达了我们强烈的感受。
/
我期望，
当我们都回到家，
就没有什么粗鲁和不寻常的事了，
而是享受那个氛围，
但是，只要我生活在这个世界上
/
/
任何对我们的父亲不友好的人
/
我都不会和这样的人打交道，
因为我认为他是世界上最好的人。
你没有告诉我们
你是否听说什么对于Henry和Hattie的评论。
/
不要觉得伤害了我们，
在Guilford教堂，
没有人伤害我们。
爱你的姐姐
Hattie.

Letter