Unsigned letter from Harriet to Sarah, April 18, 1874

Unsigned letter from Harriet to Sarah, April 18, 1874

Smallpox; Smallpox vaccine; Kerr, J. G. (John Glasgow), 1824-1901; Quarantine; Travel

In this letter to her sister Sarah, Hattie recounts why they have had to take a trip away from Canton. A young girl in the boarding school who had been vaccinated for smallpox was diagnosed with varioloid and all the girls had to be sent home. Smallpox is less feared in China than in the US. The girl who was ill is a favorite of Harriet's who she hopes will stay with her and become a teacher. Harriet is eager to return to Canton and see if anyone else was sick. The food and weather during their trip had not been good.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

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

Unpublished

1874-04-18

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_116

Ying Tak
April 18th '74.
My dear Sarah,
You will see by the heading
of this tha we are not "at this present
time in Canton but are away on a
country trip and have anchored for
the night apposite the city whose name is
at the top of the page I suppose we
are about one hundred and fifty miles
from Canton which city we left a week
ago yesterday This is Saturday eve dark
and rainy and we have anchored here
to spend the Sabbath. To-morrow we go
on a few miles farther to visit the cave of
the Goddess of Mercy and then turn our
faces Canton-ward. We shall have nearly
five days to get back for we must reach
there Friday Eve so as to mail our letters
the next morning. We hope to find the
American mail waiting for us when we
get back. And now I must tell you
why we are here instead of in Canton
looking after the school +c +c. Two
weeks ago to-day our schools were moving
on as nicely and satisfactory as one could
wish. One of the girls had been ailing
for two or three days and on Monday
we begun to fear it might be small-pox
and Henry went down to ask Dr Kerr
to come up and see her. He at once

pronounced it a case of varioloid. She had
been vaccinated the year before and it had
taken very well so I had not supposed it
could be that she had any form of small-pox
As varioloid communicates small-pox as
readily as the real disease Dr Kerr at once
gave it as his decided opinion that the
school should be disbanded. It was a
real trial for everything was going on so
well it seemed such a pity to break it
all up but we could not do otherwise
than follow the Dr's advice and so I had
to tell them that they much all go home
and in less than twenty-four hours every
one had gone. I was quite surprised
to find that they could get off with so
much dispatch as none of the girls could
go without some one to take charge
of them and several of them lived
some distance in the country.
When they were all gone we at once
made arrangements to have the house
school-house that is, white-washed and
re-painted We did not know but some
of us might have [--it--] ^[the disease] as we were all
thoroughly exposed. I visited the girls
room ever so many times and Examined
her case "professionally" feeling of her hands
and face, and pulse, looking at her tongue
+c +c. But as the time for taking it
has now passed and none of us
show any indications of illness we
may safely conclude that we have
been preserved from this danger.

A Mrs Holt who came with her husband
to join the Mission in Shanghai last
fall was taken with small-pox very
soon after reaching there and had a
very sad time but recovered from it
in time. I imagine the disease is
not quite so severe here as at home the
chinese do not seem to be very much
afraid of it. I have no doubt they
think we make a great deal more
ado abut it than necessary they all
said there was no need of dismissing
the school but I have no doubt that
most of them would have preferred to
stay if they knew they were going to
have the disease , as the school is a
better place than many of there homes.
We found when we wanted to send
the girl home that had it that her
family were not willing that she should
come home and when she did go
she did not go there ^[but to her [u]own mothers[/u]]. She is the [u]adopted[/u]
child of a woman who was I think
the twenty-third wife of a wealthy man
He has been dead for some time.
The girl who was sick "[?A-oon?]" is the
best and most advanced scholar in
the school and an especial favorite
of mine. She was in my day
school two or three years before coming
to the Boarding school. She says she is

not going to get married but stay with
me always. If she continues of this
mind she will make an excellent teacher.
I hope her face will not be marked and
I presume there is no danger as it was
such a slight attack. I am feeling
very anxious to get back to Canton
and learn whether any of the other
scholars have been sick. As soon as we
found out what was the matter we
"shut up shop" and did not go out any
where and no one came to see us
It seemed so strange thus to be prisoners
in our own domicile. When we get back
it will have been nearly three weeks
so I think that we shall be able
to venture out . The time would
have seemed very long in Canton
I am sure but away from there we
do not feel so much as prisoners. It
has [u]rained[/u] Every day but one since
we started but we have had nevertheless
a very enjoyable trip. Our supplies
gave out at the end of the 1st week and
since then we have been living "off the
country." Our bill of fare for breakfast +
dinner is Rice Eggs potatoes + some kind of
fish flesh or fowl The [u]variety[/u] of our diet is
found in the fourth dish. To-day we have
[u]goose[/u]. So much for Eatables. If I do not
take another sheet I shall have to bring
my letter to close.
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on the first page]
Will Sarah please send Carrie [?Feasley's?] letter to her after
reading it yourselves if you wish The picture is for her- I meant
to have the
letter read
her before the
school closes
but missing
the last mail
it will not.

英德
1874年4月18日
亲爱的Sarah
你可以通过抬头看出来，
我们现在不在广州，
而且在一个遥远的村庄旅行，
晚上在一个适合的城市抛锚，
那个城市名字就是信的开头说的，
我猜我们离广州有150英里远，
/
我们上周五来的。
现在是周六晚上，
外面下着雨，我们在这里抛锚，
度过安息日。
明天我们再走几英里远，
去参观观音的山洞，然后回广州。
我们将会花五天时间回去，
我们必须周五晚上到达，
以至于我们可以第二天早上寄出包裹。
我希望我们回去的时候可以找到美国邮政。
/
现在我必须告诉你，
为什么我们在这，
而不是在广州照顾学校。
两周前，我们的学校运营很好，
像我们相信的一样满意。
一个女孩病了两三天，
到了周一，我们开始担心她会不会得了天花，
/
然后Henry就去请了Kerr医生来看她。
他立刻表示

这是一例花梨醇。
她去年打了疫苗，
而且非常有效，
所以我觉得那不会是任何形式的天花。
因为花梨醇和真性天花有些联系，
Kerr医生当机立断决定解散学校。
/
/
真的是为所有事情的一个很好的试验，
看起来关闭学校有点可惜，
但是我们除了听医生的话，
别无选择，
所以我不得不叫学生们一天之内都回家了。
/
我很惊讶地发现，
她们可以那么迅速回家，
所有人都可以自己回家，
/
而且有几个住在挺偏远的乡村。
/
她们走了以后，
我们就重新规整校舍，
撬了墙皮再重新粉刷。
我不知道，
但是我们有几个人可能也有这样的疾病，
因为我们暴露在这样的环境。
我参观了女孩们的房间好几次，
并且很“专业地”检测她们的症状，
感受她的手、脸和脉搏，观察她的舌头。
但是随着时间的推移，
我们没有人有任何症状
/
我们可能是安全的，
我们收到了保护。

去年秋天，
Holt太太和她的丈夫参加了上海的传教组织
他们到了以后，
就染上了天花病，
过得很不愉快，但是他们及时恢复了。
我感觉这个疾病在这里不是像在美国那么严重，
/
中国人看起来不是很害怕它。
我确定他们认为我们可以很干脆地处理好它，
/
/
没有他们说的那么可怕，不需要关闭学校，
但是我确定
很多人会选择待在家里，
如果他们知道他们会得病，
因为对于多数人来说，
学校是个比家好的地方。
我们觉得我们要把这个女孩送回家
/
她真的回到家的时候，
她的家人不会愿意让她回家。
她是被一个女人领养的，
我认为那个女人是个豪门的第23位妻子。
/
他去世了一段时间。
这个生病的女孩是学校里最好的学生，
/
也是我最喜欢的。
她在我的走读学校学了两三年
然后进了寄宿学校。
她说她不打算结婚，

而是要一直跟着我。
如果她继续这么想，
她会是一个很优秀的老师。
我希望她的脸上不会留下疤痕，
我也觉得这不会有危险，
因为是如此小的伤。
我对回广州感到很焦虑，
而且我想知道了任何一个学生是否生病。
一旦我们发现出了什么问题，我们就停课，没有出去如同囚犯一样待在家
并且没有人可以从这里看我们。
/
很奇怪，我们在自己的地盘上像囚犯一样。
我们回去的时候，
那将近三周了，
所以我想我们可以外出了。
在广州，
时间好像过得特别慢，
但是我们现在离开了，
不再像一个囚犯一样生活了。
我们离开后，除了第一天，往后天天下雨，
但是我们很喜欢旅行。
/
我们的补给已经在第一周吃完了，
从那之后，我们在村子里吃饭。
我们的早餐和晚餐有：
米饭、鸡蛋、土豆，还有一些鱼肉和家禽。
饮食的多变体现在第四餐。
今天我们有鹅肉。
很多吃的。
如果我不再拿纸了，
我的信就要结束了。

【边缘书写】
Sarah读完信会不会写给Carrie呢？
如果你愿意，这张照片是给她的-
我故意
这么写信的，
请在学校关闭前
寄给她。
但是错过了
最后一班船，
它不会。

Letter