Letter from Hattie to Em, March 9, 1870

Letter from Hattie to Em, March 9, 1870

Steamboats; Letters; Postage stamps; Schools; Missionaries

This letter from Harriet Noyes to her sister, Emily, is written aboard the steamer Poyang on her way to Hong Kong. She begins by writing about the transport of letters and various improvements that have occurred to influence how quickly they arrive. This leads into some details about stamps and the cost of postage. Harriet also writes about visits from various missionaries to her home, including Mrs McChesney and Misses Mandeville and Chapin. Harriet describes the latter two individuals, comparing them to her sisters at home.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

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

Unpublished

1870-03-09

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_034

Steamer Poyang -
March 9th /70
My dear Em,
We are to-day on board
the steamer with "the Prestons." who left
Canton this morning [u]"Homeward Bound"[/u]
We go down to Hongkong + will stay
a few days + see them safely off in
the "America" which is to land them
on the western coast of [u]"USA"[/u]. If we
had been here Eighteen years. I think
the prospect of going all the way with-
them would be __________ I can think
of no word that will [u]fill[/u] that blank
but you know what our feeling would
be. Your January letters came all right
Sarah's of the 21st came in 43 days to Hongkong.
The steamer came in two days ahead of
time a thing unprecedented in the history
of the Pacific Mail Steamers. We saw in
the papers this morning an account of a
new invention for increasing the rate of
speed so that the distance from N York to
San Francisco can be make in 60 hours +
from Liverpool in 6 days. But I imagine
it will be soon enough to believe it is possible
when we see it done. Still I would not be
surprised if there should be improvements
in the course of a few years that would
shorten the time materially. Since the RR
was finished letters seem to come a great
deal sooner. We are more fortunate in
getting good long letters from home than

some of our missionary friends. We have
just been noticing the postage stamps on your
last letters. I suppose the old fashioned red
three cent stamps we used to use are all
"out of the market" now. We dont keep
very close track of the improvement you are
making over there. I learn from
a letter from Mr Hamsher that the
Mansfield SS had decided to support
my girls school in Canton. I am
very glad [u]indeed[/u] that they have done so.
When Dr Happer came back I had to
give up the room they had had in
their home but we succeeded in getting
another near so that the change does
not affect the school as we feared it
might. There are now 24 scholars and more
are promised. Lucy has a school of
Eighteen and Lillie one of fifteen. Lottie is
just one of the [u]nicest[/u] girls. I have not
been out to Ngan-pin but once this year
+ there they had not got fairly commenced.
Henry + I are preparing to itinerate
some this year, get a boat + go out for a
week or so once a month. I am sure
we should like it very much indeed.
We have been having boarders for the
past six weeks but they will move into
Mr Prestons house now so that we shall
be alone when we go back. We have
Enjoyed having them with us very much

Mrs McChesney is a nice person. She has
very long black curls as very likely I have
told you. [Note: Letter shifts from pencil to ink] I wrote this far on board
the steamer + now will finish this out
with pen + ink. At first I thought I
would not send this shut and commenced
another for you but as postage is so cheap
now perhaps it will be worth as much as it
costs to take it to you. We have just
had a nice visit from Mrs Dr House
Henry has been telling me ever since
I came what a nice person she
is + when I met her I was not at all
disappointed in fact felt a little like
the Queen of Sheba. Mrs Ashmore of
Swatow is here in Hongkong and I
have told you before what a pleasant
lady she is. We are very glad to have
the pleasure of meeting her here.
We are staying at Mr Turner's where
we stopped two years ago when
Henry was sick. We shall never
forget their kindness to us then when
I felt indeed "a stranger in a strange
land." I dont know that I have
written you since we had a visit
from two young ladies on their way
to India. Misses Mandeville + Chapin
They are the first single ladies their
Board the American Reformed has
ever sent out. It does me good to see the
Boards one after another "coming to the point"

They only made us a short visit of five days but we enjoyed it
[u]very much indeed[/u]. Miss Chapin made me think so much of you
+ Miss Mandeville of Sarah just about your heights + sizes +
[u]dispositions[/u]. Miss M had light hair + eyes + Miss C dark. Their room
was next mine + one day I heard Miss C trying to get Miss M who was lying
down to get up + get ready for dinner. When she found she would'nt be
persuaded by moral suasion she told her she would go right down
+ started towards the door when Miss M begged her to come back + wait
for her promising to get up instantly if she would. It seemed just
exactly as you + Sarah would do. It would have been so nice
if they had been going to stay here. I think I liked them
a little the best of any of the "single sisterhood" that I have
yet met. Dear Em I am so sorry to hear of your trouble
with your eye. I do hope it is well again before this. I dreamed
a few nights since of seeing you + examining your eyes.
You must not forget now let the rest forget to tell us
[u]just[/u] exactly how you are when you write. Tell Mother I
always like to have her write about the health of the family.
I am glad to hear that Dr Allen is doing so well in
Ashland. It is pleasant to hear of our friends if we do not hear
[u]from[/u] them. She has written to me one long letter 19 pages -
Well must say good bye dear Em Your own loving Hattie -

在鄱阳轮船上
1870年9月
我亲爱的Em
今天我们跟Preston夫妇一起在轮船上度过，
他们今天早上离开了香港，
他们将停留几天，
然后前往美国西海岸。
/
/
如果我们像他们一样在这里待了 18 年，
我只能想象我们回家时会多么兴奋，
我甚至想不出一个词来形容我的感受。
/
/
但是你知道我的感受
我们收到了你一月份的来信，
她1月21日写的信在43天后抵达香港。
邮件提前两天到达，
这在太平洋邮件轮船的历史上是前所未有的。
今天早上我们在报纸上读到，
一项新发明使从纽约到旧金山在 60 小时内，
从利物浦在 6 天内到达成为可能。
/
/
这似乎不可能，
但我想它很快就会成为可能。
我希望在未来几年内会有改进，
使运输速度更快。
/
自从铁路建成后，
信件到达的速度要快得多。
/
我们很幸运能从家里收到这么好的长信，
其他一些传教士没有收到这样的信。
我注意到你贴在最后一封信上的邮票，
我们过去使用的旧红色三美分邮票现在不见了。
/
/
我们没有很好地跟随你的进步。
我在你的信中读到Mansfield州立学校想要支持我在广州的女子学校。
/
/
我很高兴他们决定支持我们。
/
我们一直把医生家里的一个房间用作学校，
我担心他们回来后我们不得不放弃它，
但我们找到了一个新房间出租，
所以没有太大影响。
/
现在，
我们有 24 名学生，
很快就会有更多。
Lucy的学校有18个学生，
Lillie的学校有15个。
Lottie是最好的女孩之一，
今年我还没去南平
但他们还没真正开始学习了。
今年，
Henry和我打算买一条船，
这样我们每个月都可以出去玩一个星期，
我相信他会很喜欢的。
过去六周我们有寄宿生，
但现在他们要搬进Preston夫妇家。
我们很高兴让他们和我们在一起。

McCesney太太是个好人。
她的头发又长又黑又卷。
【信从铅笔变成钢笔】我用铅笔在轮船上写了这封信，
但现在我要用铅笔和钢笔完成。
一开始，
我以为我不会给你寄这封信，
于是开始写另一封信，
但现在邮资这么便宜，
我就把整封信寄给你。
我们刚被House夫妇拜访，
自从我来到中国，
Henry一直告诉我House太太是一个多么好的人，
现在我知道这是真的，
她让我想起了示巴女王。
现在Ashmore太太也在香港了，
基本上她在汕头当传教士，
她真是个好人，
我们很享受她的陪伴。
/
我们住在Turner先生家，
两年前Henry生病时我们住在那里。
当我们感到绝望和孤独时，
我们将永远记得他们对我们有多好。
/
/
我不记得我是否告诉过你，
两位女士，
Chapin小姐和Mandeville小姐，
在前往印度的途中拜访了我们。
他们是美国改革宗传教组织派来的第一批单身女士。
我很高兴传教组织开始意识到什么是真正重要的。
/

他们只和我们呆了五天，
但我们很享受
Chapin 小姐她让我想起你， Mandeville 小姐让我想起Sarah，
你们的身高体重和性格都非常相似，M小姐有浅色的眼睛、头发，C小姐有黑头发。
他们的房间在我的旁边，
我无意中听到C小姐叫M小姐起床准备下楼吃晚餐。
M不去，C开始走，M求着回来等着，她答应马上起床。
就像你和Sarah两个会做的那样。
/
如果她们能留在中国就好了。
我比我遇到的任何单身女传教士都更喜欢她们。
/
我很遗憾听到你的眼睛有问题，
我希望在你收到我的信之前能好起来。
几天前，我梦见我在看着你的眼睛。
下次你给我写信时，
告诉我你好吗。
告诉妈妈我喜欢她给我写的关于家人健康的信。
我很高兴听到Allen医生在Ashland很好。
当我们没有收到朋友的信时，很高兴听到他们的消息。
她给我写了一封19页的信。
拜拜亲爱的Em，你的姐姐 Hattie

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