Letter from Harriet to Father, May 4, 1883

noyes_c_cor_317.pdf

Dublin Core

Title

Letter from Harriet to Father, May 4, 1883

Subject

Memory; Home; Families; Wedding anniversaries; Friendly visiting

Description

Hattie writes to her father about how she wishes she could be home for June 17 like she was back in 1877. She remembers just how everything looks, the woods and the fields, and believes she can remember it now better than any other time. She does not feel as separated from her parents as she once did. Mrs. Happer is home and Harriet hopes her father (and presumably her mother) will have a nice visit with her. She thinks it would be a good idea for Dr. Happer to go home as well but he does not want to leave.

Creator

Noyes, Harriet Newell

Source

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

Publisher

Unpublished

Date

1883-05-04

Contributor

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

Format

PDF

Language

eng (English)

Type

Text

Identifier

noyes_c_cor_317

Text Item Type Metadata

Text

Canton China
May 4th 1883
My dear Father,
I wish I could
send letters to you and
Mother so that you would
be sure to receive them on
June 17th but I think letters
by this mail will be a little
too early and the next one
will be as much too late.
It does not matter however
you will I am sure know
that I will be thinking
about you a great deal on
that day when it comes
and wishing very much
that I could spend it with
you in the dear old
"home on the hill," I
always feel so glad to
remember that the 17th
of June 1877 was such

a delightful day in every
way. I hope you will have
as pleasant a day this year.
I wish it came on the 18
Sabbath this year as it did
then. I can imagine just
how the woods and fields
will be looking in "the beautiful
warmth of June." Since I
came back I can remember
so much better than I did
before just how everything
looks. It seemed to me
as though I should and
yet because before it seemed
as though the picture of
home gradually grew
dimmer and dimmer in
my mind I was afraid
it might again. But I
do not think it will it
is all so clear in my
mind especially that
beautiful pasture across the

road as it looks towards
evening when the sun
is low in the West. Perhaps
it is because I am older
now or perhaps when I came
back everything here was
so natural that nothing
made such deep impressions
as the first time and so
the [u] home [/u] impressions are
not effaced or dimmed
in any way. I am so
glad that I do not feel
nearly so much [u] separated [/u]
from you as I did before,
and the time passes quickly
so now I can begin to
look forward to going home
again bye and bye.
When I had been
here six years before it
seemed a long time and
I shall have six years
of my second term in

the past. Mrs Happer I
suppose is at home by this
time. I hope you will have
a good visit with her and
be able to talk with her.
I always feel as though we
might say of her as the
Savior did of Nathanial
"Behold an Israelite indeed
in whom is no guile."
I hope she will enjoy her
visit home she deserves to
have a good time if any
one ever did. I do not think
Dr Happer has any idea
of going home for a visit I
cannot help wondering why
he does not. I think it would
do him good and I have
no doubt that he would do
a great deal of good. Dr
and Mrs Dr and Mrs Graves
wish to be remembered to you
Dr Happer intended to write
to you if his eyes were well
enough. Now with warmest love
and best wishes for your welfare

[Continued vertically on the first page]
and happiness. Ever your loving daughter Harriet.



中国广州
1883 年 5 月 4 日
我亲爱的父亲,
我希望我能寄信给您和母亲,
这样您一定会在 6 月 17 日收到它们,
但我认为这封邮件有点太早了,
下一封将是为时已晚。
不管你怎么想都没有关系,
我确信,
当它到来的那一天,
我会很想你,
非常希望我能和你一起在亲爱的老“山上的家”里度过。
想起 1877 年 6 月 17 日在各方面都是如此令人愉快的一天,
总是很高兴。
我希望你今年也能有同样愉快的一天。
我希望它像当年一样在今年的第 18 个安息日到来。
我可以想象在“六月的美丽温暖”中,
树林和田野会是什么样子。
自从我回来后,
我记得比以前好多了。
在我看来,
我应该这样做,
但因为在这之前,
家的画面似乎在我的脑海中逐渐变得越来越暗淡,
我害怕它会再次出现。
但我不认为它会在我的脑海中如此清晰,
尤其是马路对面那片美丽的牧场,
因为它在夕阳西下的傍晚看起来。
也许是因为我现在年纪大了,
也许当我回来的时候,
这里的一切都是那么自然,
没有什么比第一次留下如此深刻的印象,
所以家的印象并没有以任何方式被抹去或淡化。
我很高兴我不再像以前那样感到与你分开了,
而且时间过得很快,
所以现在我可以开始期待再见了。
当我六年前来到这里时,
这似乎很长一段时间,
而我将在过去的第二个任期内度过六年。
我想哈珀夫人此时已经在家了。
我希望你能和她好好相处,
并能和她交谈。
我总觉得我们可以说她就像救主对拿但尼尔说的那样:“看哪,
真是一个没有诡计的以色列人。
”我希望她会喜欢她的访问,
如果有人这样做的话,
她应该有一个美好的时光。
我不认为 Happer 医生有任何回家探访的想法,
我不禁想知道他为什么不回家。
我认为这对他有好处,
我毫不怀疑他会做很多好事。
Graves医生和太太希望大家记得 Happer 医生打算给您写信,
如果他的眼睛足够好的话。
现在以最热烈的爱和最良好的祝愿[第一页垂直续]和幸福。
永远是你亲爱的女儿哈丽特。

Original Format

Letter

Tags

Citation

Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Harriet to Father, May 4, 1883,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed November 21, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/373.

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