Letter from Hattie to Clara, June 4, 1881
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Clara, June 4, 1881
Subject
Letters; Homesickness; Dreams; Clothing and dress; Dressmaking
Description
Harriet writes to Clara that she is excited for Mattie to get home. She has been thinking of being home again, even though it is nice to be in China and see the progress of the mission work. She asks the family to give her regards to Frank Leitzell's family. Harriet is glad their mother likes the gauze dress she sent. There are many unmade dresses laying around her house that will serve her well until she is home again.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #2
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1881-06-04
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_243
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton June [?4th?]
1881
My dear Clara -
I have just been
writing a long letter to Lucy
and it is after nine too latE
to write much longer but
I can give a little time
to you. It seems so strange
that Mattie will be with
you when you read these
letters. She can add explanations
if necessary and comments-
I have been spending the
afternoon at Mrs [?Parkes?] had
a very pleasant time. She
says she is going to write
to Mattie. Mr [?Parkes?] has
been shut up with rheumatism
for four weeks but is getting
able to move about a little
now. I am glad you
will all be at home when
Mattie gets there and hope
none of you will be [illegible]
with a desire to teach school
this year. Do not get your
hearts set upon amassing
riches in that way. Once in
a while Mother's odd sayings
come to mind as for instance
the felicity of being "fed with
an egg and clothed with a
rag"- but more than any other
I think "This world is full of
trouble as an egg is full of
meat-" I wonder where she
learned them all I think
it would "puzzle the king"
to tell. I am glad you
are going to have such a
nice fence I would like
to see it. I wish the [u]calf pen[/u]
what an unromantic name
could be transformed into a
lawn with fruit and shade
trees. That would prevent
the house from seeming so
exposed. I wrote to you about
such a beautiful dream I had
of being not there with you all +
Father cut such a beautiful
branch of roses and it was all
so delightful and I said in
my dream what I so often
thought when I was at home
as did Henry that we had
forgotten how nice it was
to be at [u]home[/u] in America.
And it is very nice to be here
in China and see the work
going forward, and bye + bye
when we have all finished
our work it will be best of
all to be at [u]home[/u] together in
the merry mansions of our
Fathers house. I hope you
will be able to see Mr Shaw
sometimes and help him.
I so often think of Frank
Leitzell. I have wanted
to write to him but it
seems impossible Tell the
good friends in Seville if they
inquire for me that I
remember them all and
would be glad to write more
letters if I had time.
I am glad the Lafayette
church have an organ. I
wonder who will play it.
It seems strange to think of
Anthony Fritz as being so
active there I hope you will
find the Hydes a good
addition to your circle.
I am glad Mother likes her
gauze dress but I always
feel [u]too sorry[/u] we did not
send her one long ago-
I always had it in mind
to do so from the time
I first saw it here when
I came so many years
since. Now let me tell you
dont you go to work to make me
dresses or anything of the sort before
Mattie comes back. Dont turn the
house into a sewing establishment as
I did. I have [u]ten[/u] dresses in the
house here now [u]unmade[/u] so you can
judge how needy I am. five of them
are from home. The black silk [?sacque?]
Mattie gave me will answer summer +
winter until I go home and the nice
hats you have sent will do me until
Mattie comes back -----
[Note: Written vertically]
Good night Your aff Hattie
广州
1881 年 6 月 4 日
我亲爱的克拉拉——我刚刚给露西写了一封长信，
九点以后写得太晚了，
但我可以给你一点时间。
当您阅读这些信件时，
Mattie 会和您在一起，
这似乎很奇怪。
如有必要，
她可以添加解释和评论——我在帕克斯夫人度过了一个非常愉快的下午。
她说她要写信给玛蒂。
帕克斯先生因风湿病已经闭关了四个星期，
但现在可以稍微活动一下了。
我很高兴当马蒂到达那里时你们都会在家，
并希望你们今年都不会 [难以辨认] 渴望教书。
不要让你的心以这种方式积累财富。
偶尔我会想起妈妈的奇怪谚语，
比如“吃鸡蛋，
穿破布”是多么幸福——但我认为“这个世界充满了麻烦，
就像鸡蛋里充满了肉一样” ——”我想知道她是从哪里学到的，
我认为这会让国王感到“困惑”。
我很高兴你会有这么漂亮的栅栏，
我很想看看。
我希望小牛栏这个不浪漫的名字可以变成一个种满果树和遮荫树的草坪。
这样可以防止房子看起来如此暴露。
我写信给你，
说我做了一个不和你们在一起的美好梦想，
父亲剪下了如此美丽的玫瑰枝，
这一切都是那么令人愉快，
我在梦中说了我在家时经常想到的事情亨利说我们忘记了在美国呆在家里是多么美好。
很高兴来到中国，
看到工作向前发展，
再见了，
当我们都完成工作后，
最好一起在家，
在我们父亲家的快乐豪宅里。
我希望你能偶尔见到肖先生并帮助他。
我经常想起弗兰克·莱策尔。
我想给他写信，
但似乎不可能。
如果塞维利亚的好朋友来找我，
我记得他们都记得，
如果有时间我很乐意多写信。
我很高兴拉斐特教堂有管风琴。
我想知道谁会玩。
认为 Anthony Fritz 在那里如此活跃似乎很奇怪，
我希望你会发现 Hydes 是你圈子里的一个很好的补充。
我很高兴妈妈喜欢她的薄纱连衣裙，
但我总是很遗憾我们很久以前没有送她一件——从我第一次看到它的那一刻起，
当我来到这里这么多年时，
我就一直想这样做。
现在让我告诉你，
在玛蒂回来之前，
你不要去工作给我做衣服或类似的东西。
不要像我一样把房子变成缝纫店。
我这里的房子里有十件衣服现在还没有做，
所以你可以判断我有多需要。
其中五个来自家里。
玛蒂给我的黑色丝绸包会在我回家之前回答夏天和冬天，
而你送来的漂亮帽子会帮我直到玛蒂回来-----
[注：竖写]晚安，
海蒂
1881
My dear Clara -
I have just been
writing a long letter to Lucy
and it is after nine too latE
to write much longer but
I can give a little time
to you. It seems so strange
that Mattie will be with
you when you read these
letters. She can add explanations
if necessary and comments-
I have been spending the
afternoon at Mrs [?Parkes?] had
a very pleasant time. She
says she is going to write
to Mattie. Mr [?Parkes?] has
been shut up with rheumatism
for four weeks but is getting
able to move about a little
now. I am glad you
will all be at home when
Mattie gets there and hope
none of you will be [illegible]
with a desire to teach school
this year. Do not get your
hearts set upon amassing
riches in that way. Once in
a while Mother's odd sayings
come to mind as for instance
the felicity of being "fed with
an egg and clothed with a
rag"- but more than any other
I think "This world is full of
trouble as an egg is full of
meat-" I wonder where she
learned them all I think
it would "puzzle the king"
to tell. I am glad you
are going to have such a
nice fence I would like
to see it. I wish the [u]calf pen[/u]
what an unromantic name
could be transformed into a
lawn with fruit and shade
trees. That would prevent
the house from seeming so
exposed. I wrote to you about
such a beautiful dream I had
of being not there with you all +
Father cut such a beautiful
branch of roses and it was all
so delightful and I said in
my dream what I so often
thought when I was at home
as did Henry that we had
forgotten how nice it was
to be at [u]home[/u] in America.
And it is very nice to be here
in China and see the work
going forward, and bye + bye
when we have all finished
our work it will be best of
all to be at [u]home[/u] together in
the merry mansions of our
Fathers house. I hope you
will be able to see Mr Shaw
sometimes and help him.
I so often think of Frank
Leitzell. I have wanted
to write to him but it
seems impossible Tell the
good friends in Seville if they
inquire for me that I
remember them all and
would be glad to write more
letters if I had time.
I am glad the Lafayette
church have an organ. I
wonder who will play it.
It seems strange to think of
Anthony Fritz as being so
active there I hope you will
find the Hydes a good
addition to your circle.
I am glad Mother likes her
gauze dress but I always
feel [u]too sorry[/u] we did not
send her one long ago-
I always had it in mind
to do so from the time
I first saw it here when
I came so many years
since. Now let me tell you
dont you go to work to make me
dresses or anything of the sort before
Mattie comes back. Dont turn the
house into a sewing establishment as
I did. I have [u]ten[/u] dresses in the
house here now [u]unmade[/u] so you can
judge how needy I am. five of them
are from home. The black silk [?sacque?]
Mattie gave me will answer summer +
winter until I go home and the nice
hats you have sent will do me until
Mattie comes back -----
[Note: Written vertically]
Good night Your aff Hattie
广州
1881 年 6 月 4 日
我亲爱的克拉拉——我刚刚给露西写了一封长信，
九点以后写得太晚了，
但我可以给你一点时间。
当您阅读这些信件时，
Mattie 会和您在一起，
这似乎很奇怪。
如有必要，
她可以添加解释和评论——我在帕克斯夫人度过了一个非常愉快的下午。
她说她要写信给玛蒂。
帕克斯先生因风湿病已经闭关了四个星期，
但现在可以稍微活动一下了。
我很高兴当马蒂到达那里时你们都会在家，
并希望你们今年都不会 [难以辨认] 渴望教书。
不要让你的心以这种方式积累财富。
偶尔我会想起妈妈的奇怪谚语，
比如“吃鸡蛋，
穿破布”是多么幸福——但我认为“这个世界充满了麻烦，
就像鸡蛋里充满了肉一样” ——”我想知道她是从哪里学到的，
我认为这会让国王感到“困惑”。
我很高兴你会有这么漂亮的栅栏，
我很想看看。
我希望小牛栏这个不浪漫的名字可以变成一个种满果树和遮荫树的草坪。
这样可以防止房子看起来如此暴露。
我写信给你，
说我做了一个不和你们在一起的美好梦想，
父亲剪下了如此美丽的玫瑰枝，
这一切都是那么令人愉快，
我在梦中说了我在家时经常想到的事情亨利说我们忘记了在美国呆在家里是多么美好。
很高兴来到中国，
看到工作向前发展，
再见了，
当我们都完成工作后，
最好一起在家，
在我们父亲家的快乐豪宅里。
我希望你能偶尔见到肖先生并帮助他。
我经常想起弗兰克·莱策尔。
我想给他写信，
但似乎不可能。
如果塞维利亚的好朋友来找我，
我记得他们都记得，
如果有时间我很乐意多写信。
我很高兴拉斐特教堂有管风琴。
我想知道谁会玩。
认为 Anthony Fritz 在那里如此活跃似乎很奇怪，
我希望你会发现 Hydes 是你圈子里的一个很好的补充。
我很高兴妈妈喜欢她的薄纱连衣裙，
但我总是很遗憾我们很久以前没有送她一件——从我第一次看到它的那一刻起，
当我来到这里这么多年时，
我就一直想这样做。
现在让我告诉你，
在玛蒂回来之前，
你不要去工作给我做衣服或类似的东西。
不要像我一样把房子变成缝纫店。
我这里的房子里有十件衣服现在还没有做，
所以你可以判断我有多需要。
其中五个来自家里。
玛蒂给我的黑色丝绸包会在我回家之前回答夏天和冬天，
而你送来的漂亮帽子会帮我直到玛蒂回来-----
[注：竖写]晚安，
海蒂
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Clara, June 4, 1881,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed November 23, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/299.