Letter from Hattie to Father, February 15, 1872

Letter from Hattie to Father, February 15, 1872

Voyages and travels; School buildings; Beauty, Personal

Harriet writes to her Father about how much she and Henry enjoyed their trip north, remarking that she was told she looked ten years younger upon returning. She clarifies that she does not look young, noting how her forehead has gotten wrinkled. She also includes the fact that she would updated photographs of her father and mother. She finishes with updates about being happy with her new house, that she is two months from finishing the new schoolhouse, and by asking her father to pray for her and the school because she feels underqualified.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

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

Unpublished

1872-2-15

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_074

Canton China
Feby 15th 1872
My dear Father,
You will not complain
I know if I use up some of the
waste pieces of paper that have
been accumulating in writing home.
Our mail from America this month
was very small only one letter besides
the Envelope from home. I suppose
we are getting our reward for not
writing any letters while we were
away at the North. I wonder if I
wrote enough by last mail to make
you fully appreciate how much we
Enjoyed our trip. I dont believe any one
anywhere anytime will enjoy [u]any[/u] trip
[u]any[/u] better than we did ours and the
memory of it will be a "joy forever". I find
it has done me a great deal of good for
although I thought I was well before I
started I know that I am a great deal
better now and I have felt so
perfectly well since I came to China
as I do now. My friends here say
that I do not behave like the same
person that I did when I went
away, and a lady in Hongkong
said that I looked ten years

younger than when I started
when she saw me on my return.
and that is'nt saying that I look [u]young[/u]
now by any means. My forehead is
getting quite wrinkled although I dont
think is is as bad yet as the old maid's
out West that they used for a nutmeg
grater. I will Enclose a photo for you
and Mother a little better than the one
we sent last mail and that one you
can give to the "highest bidder". I am
delighted at the prospect of having
some photos of you and Mother for
I take it for granted that if you get some
you will not forget your "China" children
and that some specimens will find
their way to Canton. I often wish
that you all could see our nice new
house we like it [u]so much[/u] and Every one
thinks it very nice and wisely planned.
I am very [u]very[/u] thankful that we are
so comfortably and pleasantly situated.
The schoolhouse is going up rapidly we hope
it will be finished in about two months.
Then if we can get scholars for both
schools and carry it on well I shall
be so happy, I hope you will [u]often[/u]
remember these schools in your prayers.
and dear Father do pray for me for I
am afraid that I am not very well
qualified to undertake such a work.
With much love for you all from
Your loving daughter
Hattie.



广州中国
1872 年 2 月 15 日
我亲爱的父亲，
您不会抱怨的 我知道如果我用完一些在家里积累的写作废纸。
这个月我们从美国寄来的邮件很小，
除了家里的信封外只有一封信。
我想我们在北方时没有写任何信，
我们得到了回报。
我想知道我在上一封邮件中是否写了足够多的内容，
让您充分了解我们是多么享受我们的旅行。
我不相信任何人无论何时何地都会比我们的旅行更享受任何旅行，
并且对它的记忆将是“永远的快乐”。
我发现它给了我很多好处，
虽然我在开始之前以为我很好，
但我知道我现在好多了，
自从我来到中国后，
我感觉非常好，
就像现在一样。
我这里的朋友说我不像我离开时那样做人，
香港一位女士说我看起来比我回来时看到我开始时年轻十岁。
这并不是说我现在看起来很年轻。
我的前额开始起皱了，
虽然我认为这还没有老女佣在西部用来磨碎肉豆蔻的情况那么糟糕。
我会为你和妈妈附上一张比我们上一封邮件更好的照片，
你可以给“出价最高的人”。
我很高兴能有一些你和母亲的照片，
因为我想当然地认为，
如果你有一些照片，
你就不会忘记你的“中国”孩子，
而且一些标本会运到广州。
我经常希望你们都可以看到我们非常喜欢它的漂亮新房子，
每个人都认为它非常好，
并且计划得当。
我非常感谢我们住得如此舒适宜人。
校舍正在迅速建造，
我们希望它会在大约两个月内完成。
那么如果我们能够为这两所学校都找到学者并继续下去，
我会很高兴，
我希望你在祈祷中经常记住这些学校。
亲爱的父亲，
请为我祈祷，
因为我担心我没有足够的资格承担这样的工作。
非常爱你们。
你们的女儿，
海蒂。

Letter