Letter from Hattie to Mother, August 6, 1872

Letter from Hattie to Mother, August 6, 1872

Presbyterian Church; Homemakers; Baking; Diseases; Women physicians; Equality

Harriet writes to her mother about the conference of missionaries that is held every two months. The August conference is going to be held at Henry and Harriet's home and she is working on establishing herself as a homemaker. Her and Akwai made cakes earlier but hers did not turn out. A girl in their boarding school has been ill with a sickness that they are not sure of yet. Canton missionaries are looking to receive a new woman doctor, and Harriet suspects Dr. Kerr will expect her to interfere with his work. Harriet is adamant that women and men are of equal intelligence and that there should be female physicians.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

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

Unpublished

1872-08-06

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_086

Canton China.
August 6th 72.
My dear Mother,
It is a little after
nine o clock in the Evening on this
side of the world so I am just in
time to wish you a good morning on
your birthday, I wonder how you
will spend the day. I have spent
it in the school and in getting
ready for Conference which is to
meet here to-morrow. We seem to
be fated to have the [u]August[/u] Conferences
I think this is the fourth time. It
only comes once in two months and
with the number of families now
here ought not to come around
oftener than once in two years.
However it is very pleasant to have
it and one does'nt mind the
trouble [u]after it is over[/u] .Henry always
remembers and laughs about the
[u]fuss[/u] I made over the first Conference
I had but I tell him that [u]then[/u] I
had my reputation as a housekeeper
to [u]Establish[/u]. I have been making

some cake to-night and [u]failed[/u] so
I am quite disappointed for I fully
expected when I saw them go into
the oven that they were going to be
nice. Akwai has made a fruitcake
which has turned out very well so
I will rejoice in his success instead
of mourning over my failure and in
the morning perhaps I will try again.
I have not made any cake since
I had the Conference last time a
little more than a year ago so
I suppose I am out of practice.
There will be I suppose about thirty
two here. now that the Conferences
are held in the Evening the
ladies attend so it makes about
twice as many as formerly. It is
very pleasant to have so many
and {begging pardon of the brethren}
the meetings do not seem nearly
as dry as formerly. A few minutes
ago, Akwai came [u]running[/u] up stairs
a very unusual performance for
a Chinaman and Especially so for
him to tell us that one of the school girls

was very sick. We went out and found her in a kind of
fit or something of the sort insensible and groaning as if
in distress. Of course I did not know what to do but I was
frightened and sent over post haste for Dr Happer but when
he got here she was seeming rather better. I dont know
but I shall begin to wish for some knowledge of medicine.
Dr Ellinwood writes by the last mail that a regular
allopathic physician a lady has applied to be sent out
to China ,but adds that they understand she is not
needed in [--Chin--] Canton. Dr Happer wrote some time
since [u]urging[/u] them to send a medical lady as soon
as possible so I hope they have received it before this
and that their understandings are enlightened. and
that they will forthwith appoint her to Canton. I am
afraid she would not receive a very warm welcome
from Dr Kerr unless we can get him talked into a better
frame of mind. she would not interfere with his work in
any way. I expect our English friends with their queer ideas
about women and their [u]spheres[/u] would look upon her as

a sort of monstrosity. If she should
come and not be nicely received just
because she had had the presumption
to study medicine [u]like a man[/u].
I am afraid my indignation
would boil over. I am getting
[u]old Enough[/u] now to take up the
cudgels in defence of old maids.
as the question of mental Equality between
the sexes does'nt seem any nearer a
satisfactory conclusion than it did
long ago, I have just been
out again to see the sick girl and
found her all right I'm sure
I cannot imagine what was
the matter with her. A boarding
school is quite a different matter
from day schools but I am
not surprised to find it is so.
Now I will say good night for it
is after ten and I want to get
up Early enough to have a long
day tomorrow. Four years from
to-day I expect we shall be
with you. may we all be kept
in health and safety. I believe we
shall be permitted to see Each other
[Note: Written sideways across margin of page four]
again in this world.
Goodnight may God bless & keep you
in the prayers of Your loving daughter
Hattie.

中国广东
1872年8月6日
亲爱的母亲，
世界的另一边（美国）已经九点多了
/
所以我还是很及时的希望您在生日的清晨过得开心，
/
我想知道您要怎么样度过这一天。
我一天都待在学校
准备明天会议的事情。
/
/
我们看起来八月注定要开会
我认为已经是第四次了。
它每两个月有一次
但是现在学生很多，
我希望他们两年来开一次会。
/
但是，也很高兴能开会
it and one does'nt mind the
而且大家不怕麻烦。
/
Henry一直记得还因为我第一次会议造的麻烦而大笑
/
我想树立我作为一名优秀经理的声誉
/
我今晚做了些蛋糕

做坏了，
所以我很失望
因为我把它们送进烤箱时，
看着挺好的，我期望值就很高。
Akwai做的水果蛋糕非常好
/
所以我为他的成功感到欣喜，
而不是因为我的失败而哀悼，
更何况是早上，我会再做一个。
我自从上次会议之后，
一年多没有做过蛋糕，
/
所以我认为我不太熟练。
我认为已经有32个人到场了吧。
/
现在的会议到在晚上进行，
女人们到的时候，
看起来比以前正式两倍。
非常高兴能有这么多
而且「祈求同道人们的原谅」
会议不像之前那么无聊。
几分钟前，
Akwai上来了
对于一个中国人来说他的表现不太正常，
所以他可以
告诉我们学校里有一个女孩特别不舒服。

我们发现它有一点不易察觉的痛苦呻吟。
当然我不知道我该怎么办，
但是我吓坏了只知道给Happer医生发急报，
当Happer医生来的时候，她看起来好一点。
我不知道，但是我会开始希望我能会一点医药学知识。
Ellinwood医生写信说，一个被发配到中国的对抗疗法医师
/
但是他们知道她不在广东。
Happer医生有时写的很着急
因为他要尽快给一个女医生写信，
所以我希望他们可以在这之前收到信，
而且他们理解很透彻。
他们会让这位女医生去广州。
我担心Kerr医生不会特别热情地欢迎她，
如果我们不能让他说得逻辑清晰一点。
她不会干涉工作。
我认为我们英国的朋友们对女人的奇奇怪怪的想法
会让她像一个巨大而丑陋的人。

如果她来没有被很好地接待
/
可能只是因为她像一个男人一样学医药学。
/
我担心我的脾气会爆发。
我已经够老了
现在可以用一根断棒子去和别的女人打架，
同样的问题
思想和性别看起来没有什么联系
要花很长时间，
我刚刚又去看了那个生病的女孩，
/
而且她好了，
我确定我不知道她怎么了。
/
一所寄宿学校和走读学校的问题不一样
/
但是我不会太惊讶。
现在我要说晚安了，
已经十点多了，
明天早上我要早起。
四年后，我希望我们很快就能见面了。
/
也许我们都要保持健康
保证安全。
我相信我们会再一次在这个世界上见面的。
【以下内容第四页空白边书写】
/
晚安，我会为您祈祷
爱您的女儿
Hattie. 

Letter