Letter from Hattie to Mary, September 7, 1875

Letter from Hattie to Mary, September 7, 1875

Mail steamers; Letters; Homesickness

Harriet writes to her sister Mary, who is going to Wooster with Clara. Mary also had a visit with the Happers. Lillie Happer is still not doing well even with being back in the US. Lillie is homesick for Canton, whereas Harriet is excited to be home in the US. She writes that Mattie will give the details of what is going on in China and Harriet will just pine over being home soon.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #2

Unpublished

1875-09-07

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_154

Canton China
Sept 7th 1875
My own dear Mary -
The mail that
came yesterday evening brought
with the other letters one
from you. Every time the
letters come now I think
that the time is drawing
nearer when we can throw
away pen and paper
and talk face to face
I am [u]so glad[/u] that you
and Clara are going back
to Wooster and that Em
is not going to try to teach
school. You see my
[u]antipathy[/u] to teaching [u]school[/u]
is still strong although I
seem to be in the business
for life. Our school here
is very nice now teachers and

scholars are all so happy
in being back again and
our nice new building is
so pleasant and comfortable.
I am so glad that every
thing will be so nice to
leave for the girls next year.
I am glad you enjoyed
your visit with the
Happers. I had a
letter from Lillie last eve.
I have heard that the
Pittsburg M.D. that she
consulted told her that
if he could help her at
all he could cure her in
six months. The voyage
home does not seem to have
done her any good and I
cannot see how she will
be any better off where
she is now than she
was here as the Doctors here
said that a change of

climate would not make
any difference . Her sister
Lucy wanted her very much
to come up to Shanghai
and stay with her and
said she could have had
perfect quiet and Everything
necessary for her comfort.
She writes that they are all
"very homesick but are trying
to bear up bravely" I tell the
girls they will not get any
such letters from us when
we get over on the other side
of the sea . But of course
with them it is different
as then [u]home[/u] is here .
I dream so often now of
getting home and I never
fancy that I have come
home too soon as I used
to . You must not Exert
yourselves to put everything
in order . we shall be

perfectly happy I am
sure if we once get within
the home walls too much
so to care whether the paper
on the walls is new or old.
I can not [u]realize at all[/u] that
we are really going to see
you soon. You will think
my letters [?"treat"?] of nothing else
but our [u]home coming[/u], it is
always uppermost in my
mind, when I sit down
to write letters home - and
then I know Mattie faithfully
gives you all the news
in detail. We shall
surely be home in time for
Wooster commencement I
am so glad Em is appointed
for a performance . it will
be almost as nice as to
have seen her graduate.
Now you must be careful and
not study [u]too hard[/u] "at that school
you go to-"

[Note: Letter concludes sideways on first page]
With much love for all the dear ones of the home circle
I am Your loving siter
[u]Hattie[/u]

中国广东
1875年9月7日
亲爱的Mary
这封信昨天晚上和其它信到的
每次收到信的时候
我都在想：我们放弃写信
面对面说话的时候就快到了。
我很高兴听说你和Clara要回Wooster
Em不再教书。
你可以看出来
我对在学校教书很反感
即使我看起来是在做。
我们这边的学校很好
老师和学生都很高兴她们回来了

新楼也很美观舒适。
我很高兴所有明年留给女孩们的东西都很好
我很高兴你喜欢拜访Happers一家。
我昨晚收到了Lillie的信。
我也听说了
她咨询过的匹兹堡的医生
如果他能帮助她
他就可以治愈她6个月。
回家看起来对她不是很好
我也不知道她在那里会不会好一点
因为这里的医生说
天气变化不会有太大影响。

她的姐姐Lucy太想让她来上海
和她待一阵子了
还说她可以拥有非常安静的环境
以及一切她需要的东西。
她写到：“她们都很想家
但是必须要勇敢面对。”
我告诉女孩们
当我们到达海的另一边时，
她们不会收到我们这样的信。
当然了，对他们来说是不同的
因为家就在这。
我经常梦见回家
我从来没有想象到
我可以这么快回家。
你一定不要太尽力把所有事安排的有序。
我们会很高兴

我确定如果我一旦到家
就会有很多新的和旧的壁纸贴在墙上。
我想不到我们真的快要见面了。
你会认为我的信
除了回家
什么都没说，
那在我看来是最重要的，
当我坐下来给你写一封家信的时候
我很确定，Mattie已经跟你们说了很多细节。
我们肯定会及时回家
参加Wooster毕业典礼
我对Em的表现很满意。
在毕业典礼上可以看到她。
现在你一定要注意劳逸结合
在学校不要学的太辛苦。

【信件结尾边缘书写】
爱家里的所有人
爱你的姐姐Hattie

Letter