Letter from Hattie to Mattie, March 26, 1883

Letter from Hattie to Mattie, March 26, 1883

Islands--Hawaii; Women authors; Steamboats; Boat living; Travelers

Harriet writes to Mattie and informs her that Mrs. Happer is coming home by way of the Sandwich Islands. She references Isabella Bird's book, Six Months in the Sandwich Islands, amongst the Palm Groves, Coral Reefs, and Volcanos. Dr. Seelye is in Canton now and confirms that the Sandwich Islands are most delightful. There are other "globe trotters" there too, like Mr. and Mrs. Haines from Buffalo. They stayed with the Kerrs when Mrs. Kerr was sick because they did not want to go to a hotel, though they seem to have money. Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. White propose to go to Lin Chau this summer and live in boats, though Harriet does not think this would be an effective entrance.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3

Unpublished

1883-03-26

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_313

Canton China
March 26th 1883
My dear Mattie
I will send this letter
to Seville as I do not know
whether you are still in
Medina or not. If so those
at home can forward it.
Mrs Happer is leaving earlier
than she expected as the
Tokin will be delayed she
leaves by the Coptic tomorrow.
She will go by way of the
Sandwich Islands which
will be very nice only I am
afraid she cannot stop long
enough to see anything.
Have you read Miss Birds
Sandwich Islands book I
have forgotten just what
it is called. I am sure
you would enjoy reading it
if you can find it --

Dr Seelye an old gentleman
from Cleveland Ohio is in
Canton now. He spent last
winter in Sandwich Islands
and says it is a most delightful
place. He is a brother of
President Seelye of Amherst
College and the father of that
Miss Dr Seelye who came
out to India and died there
some years since. Dr Happer
had forgotten about her death
and asked Dr Seelye if he
were going to visit his daughter
It was so unexpected I suppose
that it affected him very much.
There are some other "globe
trotters" here of a different sort
from Dr Seelye. Mr + Mrs
Haines from Buffalo. They
came and quartered themselves
on Dr Kerr and [u]would
not[/u] go to the hotel. Mrs
Kerr was sick and they did

not want them at all. I do
not think I have ere felt more
vexed with any such people.
for they are evidently well off --
She missed her satchel by mistake
when she left the steamer and
was quite anxious until she got
hold of it again as there was
some four hundred dollars
worth of [u]jewelry[/u] in it. They
seem just the people who have
little if any interest in missionaries
and who would go away after
receiving their hospitality and
talk against them.
We are going to lose our
table boy to our great sorrow
He is going with Mrs Thomson
to Lin Chau as cook. Of course
he will be able to make more
there than here. Mrs Thomson
and Mrs White propose to
go up to linchan and live
in boat this summer. It
seems as though this plan will

probably destroy whatever chance
there is of getting residences there
but perhaps not. If Mr Fulton
were different it seems as though
he might manage to quietly get
it but for two families to go up
with all the retinue required to
keep them + their children taken
care of. and "encamp in boats"
at the gates of the city I am
afraid will not be found to be
a very successful way of effecting
an entrance. I could not begin
to tell you all the experiences we
have had with George Dornin
and his Mother. They are
coming over here this week to
stay the rest of the time until
they start to Lin chau the 10th
of April. Poor Mrs Henry has
had a time ever since the first
of January first with Mrs White
and her baby and Amah
there for some weeks and
then Mrs Thomson and
George and his Amah and
his servingwoman et cetera et cetera et cetera


[Note: Letter concludes vertically on page one]
I have not yet written what I commenced to tell you about Mrs
Happer. She wishes
very much to see
you but does not
want to stop in
Ohio except perhaps
a little while at
Wooster. If she
finds that she can
do so perhaps she
will send you
a telegram
+ possible you
might meet
her in Massillon.
I wish you
could see each
other.
With much love
Hattie --

中国广州
1883年3月26日
我亲爱的Mattie，
我会把这封信寄给Seville 
因为我不知道你是否还在Medina。
如果你还在 Medina，
家里的人可以把这封信转给你。
/
因为Tokin轮船晚点，
Happer太太比预期的要早离开，
所以她明天要坐Coptic轮船。
/
她会经过南乔治亚岛，
/
那会很好，
/
但恐怕她不能在那里停留很长时间。
你读过Bird小姐寄给你的关于南乔治亚岛的书吗？
我不太记得标题了。
/
如果你能找到它，
我相信你会喜欢阅读它。
/

俄亥俄州克利夫兰的一位名叫Seelye的老医生生现在在广州。
/
去年冬天，
他在南乔治亚群岛度过，
他说这是一个令人愉快的地方。
他是阿默斯特学院校长的兄弟，
/
也是在印度生活和死亡的女医生的父亲。
/
/
Happer医生忘了她已经死了，
/
问他要不要去看她。
/
这是非常出乎意料的，
一定让他感到惊讶。
这里还有一些与Seelye医生截然不同的世界旅行者。
/
Haines夫妇来自纽约布法罗。
/
他们和Kerr医生呆在一起，
不会去酒店。
Kerr太太病了，
/

根本不想让他们呆在那里。
我想我从来没有对这样的人感到恼火。
/
显然，他们很富有。
她把钱包忘在轮船上了，
她很着急，
直到把它拿回来。
里面有价值400美元的珠宝。
/
他们似乎是那种对传教士很不感兴趣的人，
他们只想要我们的款待，
/
然后就走开说我们的坏话。
/
/
我们的一名仆人要离开了，
非常难过。
我们的餐桌男孩要和Thomson太太一起做她的厨师。
他当然可以在那里赚更多的钱。
/
Thomson太太和White太太计划今年夏天去那里住在船上。
/
/
这个计划似乎不允许他们在那里找到合适的住房，
/

但也许不会。
/
如果Fulton先生不同，
/
他可能会去为两个家庭准备好一切。
/
但他可能不会。
我认为带着两个家庭、
/
他们的孩子和他们所有的仆人住在船上会非常困难。
/
/
我无法开始告诉你发生在George Dornin和他母亲身上的一切。
/
/
他们今天来这里，
/
到4月10日搬到连州。
/
可怜的Henry太太，
/
自从一月White太太和她的宝宝和保姆第一次到达以来，
/
她就度过了一段艰难的时光。
然后Thomson太太
和George和她的保姆来，
所以她继续过着困难的时期。



我还没开始告诉你Happer太太的事。
/
她想见你，
/
但她不想在俄亥俄停留，
/
除了去Wooster。
/
如果她发现她可以停下来看你，
/
她会给你发一封电报并在Massillon与你会面。
/
/
/
/
我希望你们能看到彼此。
/
/
爱你，
Hattie --

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