Letter from Hattie to Mary, May 31, 1883

Letter from Hattie to Mary, May 31, 1883

Birthdays; Death; Women physicians; Thieves; Miscommunication

Harriet is thinking of how it is Frank's birthday. Dr. Grave's birthday was two days ago so Harriet and Miss Butler spent the evening at their house even though Miss Butler's father just passed away. He was eighty-six years old and used to be a Methodist preacher. The two women went out to the village school and Harriet talks about the prospects of Miss Butler as a physician. They had a scare last night when Mr. Henry got onto the roof. He wanted to see which were the noisiest boats but the watchman saw him and sounded the alarm. The servants armed themselves with knives and a pole to see what was going on. They all thought that the thief was going to kill Harriet but it all turned out fine in the end.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

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

Unpublished

1883-05-31

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_320

Canton China
May 31st 1883.
My dear Mary -
I have thought so
many times to-day about its
being Frank's birthday.
I wonder if he remembers it
too and thinks of us as we
think of him. Day before
yesterday was Dr Graves'
birthday. We went down
and spent the evening there.
Miss Butler hardly knew
whether to go or not she had
just received the day before
the sad tidings of the death
of her father. It was not
unexpected for he had been
ill some time He was
eighty six years old He
I think you know was
a Methodist preacher but
has not preached much for

sometime has been living
in Tyron Pa lately -
Miss Butler went with me
today out to my village school
We had a very pleasant time
went out for a little while on
the hills behind the village
and it seemed [u]so quiet[/u] to
be away from the sounds
here in Canton. You must
not conclude from the fact
that Miss Butler has given
up to some extent the study of
medicine that she is at all
fick for she anything but
that. she has the bump of
perseverance unusually well
developed. But it became perfectly
evident to us all and we at
last succeeded in convincing
her that she might just as
well throw away at once all
hope of ever doing any
mission work here of any kind
if she went on for none of

us felt that by the time she
acquired a knowledge of medicine
and Chinese both she would
have any strength left to use
either. She is thirty-five and
I suppose cannot learn as
easily as she would have
younger. and at any rate
by the time she would have
acquired both she would have
been quite well on in years.
I am glad if you have seen
a nice lady physician I do
not think they are very plenty.
Miss Niles is a good little body
but rather odd and I do not
believe she will make
much of a doctor. Thank
you much for your photograph
it looks natural. I do not
see that you are growing
old very fast. Night before
last we had a little scare.

It seemed Mr Henry
went up on the roof to see which
were the noisiest boats and
the old watchman saw him
and raised the alarm that there
was a man on the roof Our
servants armed themselves with
the carving knife and a long pole
and went up to see about it.
Miss Butler & Miss Niles heard
the disturbance + got up to see
what was the matter. They called
+ called me but I was sleeping
so soundly I did not hear
anything. Finally they came
in after having concluded that the
thief must have been in and
killed me. When I finally did
get awake I was so startled
that I did not recognize them
at all and as acted so queer
that they though I must be
crazy. We mutually frightened
each other nearly out of our
senses. but final recovered
and found there was no
occasion for any disturbance.

[Note: Letter concludes vertically on page one]
Now I must
say goodbye
with much
love for all
I cannot
write any
more this
time
Ever your
loving
Hattie

中国广州
1883年5月31日，
我亲爱的Mary，
我一直在想今天是Frank的生日。
/
/
即使他在天堂，
/
我不知道他是否记得他的生日并想着我们。
前天是Graves医生的生日，
我们去陪他过夜。
/
Butler小姐不知道该不该参加他的生日聚会，
/
因为她刚刚收到了她父亲去世的悲伤消息。
/
没想到，
因为他已经86岁了，
他已经病了一段时间。
/
他是一位循道会传教士，
/
但他最近没有太多传教。

他住在宾夕法尼亚州Tyron。
/
Butler小姐和我一起来参观乡村学校。
/
我们度过了非常愉快的时光。
/
我们去了村后的山上欣赏风景，
和广州很不一样。
广州很吵，
那里很安静。
/
只是因为她放弃了学医的念头，
/
别以为她善变，
/
其实她很坚持。
/
她意识到她应该停止学习医学，
/
因为当她完成英语和中文的医学学习时，
/
她将没有力量去做传教工作。
/
/
/

/
/
/
/
她已经 35 岁了，
她不能像年轻时那样学习东西。
/
当她完成学业时，
/
她已经老了。
/
我很高兴你见过一位女医生。 
/
我知道女医生不多。
Niles小姐是个好人，
但是有点奇怪，
我不相信她会成为一个好医生。
/
谢谢你寄给我你的照片，
看起来很自然。
/
我感觉你没有老得那么快。
前一天晚上我们被吓到了

Henry先生爬上屋顶看喧闹的船，
/
守夜人看到他，
/
认为他是坏人，
所以他拉响了警报。
/
我们的仆人拿着刀和棍子上屋顶调查。
/
Butler小姐和Niles小姐
她们听到了噪音，
所以我们去看看是怎么回事。
她们为了唤醒我而大喊大叫，
但我睡得很香，
我什么也没听到。
他们闯入我的房间，
因为他们害怕小偷闯入我的房间并杀了我。
/
当我醒来时，
我吓得差点认不出他们，
我的举止很奇怪，
他们以为我疯了。
/
我们吓坏了彼此。
终于我们的理智回来了，
/
我们发现没有理由害怕。


现在
我要说再见
/
寄给你们许多的爱
/
我不能写更多，
/
/
爱你，
Hattie

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