Letter from Hattie to Father, May 9, 1873

Letter from Hattie to Father, May 9, 1873

Missionaries; Birthdays; Family

Harriet is thanking her father for writing to her for her birthday, she is twenty-nine but says she looks forty-nine. Mattie has submitted an application to become a missionary and will be joining Harriet and Henry. She is looking forward to her sister arriving and becoming friends with her friends. She is excited for her sister to be doing such meaningful work, and for all of them to be together again.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

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

Unpublished

1873-05-09

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_185

Canton China.
May 9th 1873.
My dear Father
The last mail
brought your letter written March
5th Many thanks to you and
all the rest for remembering the
day that made me [u]twenty nine[/u].
Sometimes I fancy that I look as
though I were about [u]forty nine[/u].
Our last letter from the Rooms
and also one from Matt told
us of what I suppose will be no
news to you of her application
for appointment as a missionary.
If it were not for thinking how
hard it will be for those at home
to spare here this news would
give us unalloyed happiness.
And there too like the rest of the
girls I had so set my heart on
our all being together in '76.
But I have never felt the same
about that since one night
I was talking with Henry of it
and he said that he felt that

he would'nt dare to lay plans for
that especial purpose for fear
something might happen that
we might not all be together after
all. There is only one thing
to do to follow the motto you
gave me so long ago and "Do
right" and [--when--] if we can
find what it is and do it we
shall be sure to be happy
wherever we are, We cant help
feeling that when Matt
really gets here and feels
settled she will feel happier
than she would in any
other place in the world.
I hope Mr & Mrs Sites will
go to see you as I feel
almost sure they will, for
they can tell you all about
just how pleasantly we are
situated here. It will be
so nice for Matt and Miss

Crouch to come together and
we will make room for them
both in our house and I
think we will have such
a splendid time all together.
And then it will be only two
years and we will come home
and see you all . We have
thought a good deal about how
hard it would be to leave Matt
here to go home for a visit
but in two years she would
just be getting nicely to
work and all the ladies would
be just like sisters to her
I know. It seems very hard
to ask you and Mother
to give up another of your
children but there is a bright
side to every cloud and
I know that you will find it so
Even though it is hard
very hard. And as it helped

us to bear the disappointment
when we thought she was
not coming thinking that
you would still have her at
home so I am sure it will
help you to give her up
thinking how much it will
add to our happiness to
have her here, I would not
feel the same about her
coming if I did not feel so
[u]sure[/u] that she would
enjoy the work here.
Henry has gone away this
time for a whole month
so I am quite alone as I
am so much of the
time. Give my love to
Edward I would like to
answer his letter but
cannot by this mail.
With much love from
Your aff daughter
Hattie -

Letter