Letter from Hattie to Mattie, May 9, 1873
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Mattie, May 9, 1873
Subject
Letters; Missionaries; Travel
Description
In this letter to her sister Martha, Harriet shares how excited she and Henry were to recieve the good news of Martha's decision to join them as a missionary in Canton. Harriet assures her that it will not feel too far away and she will go home again. Henry is going to meet Mattie in Hong Kong. They are very excited to welcome her.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #1
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Unpublished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_096
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton Chin
May 9th 1873.
My dear Mattie,
This is the last of twelve
letters that I have written during
the past twenty wight hours beside
my Chinese work sleeping + Eating
I think the good news the
last mail brought has helped
my pen to move lively .
Henry said he [u]must[/u] write to
you before he started off into
the country but I do not find
a letter for you so I expect
he did not get time.
We had got so used to the thought
that you were not coming at
present that I could hardly
believe my ears when Henry
opened your letter of March
13th. I do not doubt but you
have been led in the way
that is [u]right[/u] and I do not
believe that you will Ever
for a moment regret it. And
then it is so nice for you
to have Miss Crouch for company
all the way. Dr + Mrs Hepburn
when they left here expected
to come back to Japan
in November + if you should
come with them you would
find them splendid company.
You will be sure of plenty of
good missionary company
coming out any time in
tha fall And when you
get here you may be sure
that nothing that we can
do will be left undone to
make you happy.
And don't feel that in leaving
America you cannot have
some good hope of seeing [u]all[/u]
the dear ones again. Miss
Shaws Father was I think
73 when she left America
ande her mother about the
same age and she always
thinks of going home ^[+ being there] at the
end of [u]ten[/u] years. But I
think [u]Eigh [/u] years should be
the time for single people
+ then if we go home in
six years + stay about two
four of your years will
be gone and only four left.
When Henry + I left America
we had not the slightest
idea of ever going back
but now traveling is a
different matter from
what it was long ago and
now no one comes out with
such ideas . When you get
here I dont believe you
will feel nearly as [u]far away[/u]
as you think now, you are
still in America when in San
Francisco and before you
leave the steamer you go
aboard of then you will
be sure to meet Henry who
will be waiting for you in
Hong kong. I shall count
the days now until you
come. I suppose this
letter will find you at
home + I expect you will
not want to leave there much
It would be nice for you
to meet the ladies of the
Miss Societi[--y--]es but I suppose
you will hardly be
likely to make another
trip East. And now good
night and may our
heavenly Father guide and
protect and bless you always
I enclose a letter from
Miss Crouch there is nothing
particular in it if any one
cares to read it.
Your aff sister
Hattie
May 9th 1873.
My dear Mattie,
This is the last of twelve
letters that I have written during
the past twenty wight hours beside
my Chinese work sleeping + Eating
I think the good news the
last mail brought has helped
my pen to move lively .
Henry said he [u]must[/u] write to
you before he started off into
the country but I do not find
a letter for you so I expect
he did not get time.
We had got so used to the thought
that you were not coming at
present that I could hardly
believe my ears when Henry
opened your letter of March
13th. I do not doubt but you
have been led in the way
that is [u]right[/u] and I do not
believe that you will Ever
for a moment regret it. And
then it is so nice for you
to have Miss Crouch for company
all the way. Dr + Mrs Hepburn
when they left here expected
to come back to Japan
in November + if you should
come with them you would
find them splendid company.
You will be sure of plenty of
good missionary company
coming out any time in
tha fall And when you
get here you may be sure
that nothing that we can
do will be left undone to
make you happy.
And don't feel that in leaving
America you cannot have
some good hope of seeing [u]all[/u]
the dear ones again. Miss
Shaws Father was I think
73 when she left America
ande her mother about the
same age and she always
thinks of going home ^[+ being there] at the
end of [u]ten[/u] years. But I
think [u]Eigh [/u] years should be
the time for single people
+ then if we go home in
six years + stay about two
four of your years will
be gone and only four left.
When Henry + I left America
we had not the slightest
idea of ever going back
but now traveling is a
different matter from
what it was long ago and
now no one comes out with
such ideas . When you get
here I dont believe you
will feel nearly as [u]far away[/u]
as you think now, you are
still in America when in San
Francisco and before you
leave the steamer you go
aboard of then you will
be sure to meet Henry who
will be waiting for you in
Hong kong. I shall count
the days now until you
come. I suppose this
letter will find you at
home + I expect you will
not want to leave there much
It would be nice for you
to meet the ladies of the
Miss Societi[--y--]es but I suppose
you will hardly be
likely to make another
trip East. And now good
night and may our
heavenly Father guide and
protect and bless you always
I enclose a letter from
Miss Crouch there is nothing
particular in it if any one
cares to read it.
Your aff sister
Hattie
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Mattie, May 9, 1873,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed May 1, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/151.