Letter from Hattie to Mattie, December 28, 1883

Letter from Hattie to Mattie, December 28, 1883

Croquet; Aging; Christmas; Health; Dengue fever; Chinese language--Study and teaching--Foreign speakers; Marriage; Legacies

Harriet tells Martha that this afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Fulton came to play croquet. On Monday evening, they set up a Christmas tree for the scholars. Harriet considers Miss Lewis, who is 48, to be old and weak. Miss Butler learned Chinese fairly quickly. However, she had dengue fever and Harriet thinks that it wore her out. Miss Rowe is not well, one of her lungs is affected. Although Harriet thinks that Miss Hope is too nice for Mr. Hargreaves, she thinks that since he is a good missionary he deserves a good wife - potentially Miss Hope. Dr. Happer will get Mary settled in the Sandwich Islands. Harriet hopes that Mattie gets better so that she can come back along with Miss Whilden before next fall. Harriet will send some funds to Mattie. She writes about uncertainty regarding some legacy.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

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

Unpublished

1883-12-28

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

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eng (English)

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noyes_c_cor_339

Canton China
Dec 28th 1883
My dear Mattie
If you could
look in upon us now you would
see Miss Lewis Miss Butler and
I gathered around the table in
the dining room actually having
a quiet evening at home. We only
managed to secure it by sending
work to Dr & Mrs Graves who had
told us they were coming to spend
the evening with us that we had not
yet had any time to write for the
mail which leaves tomorrow morning
and so would rather they would come
tomorrow evening. I know perfectly
well their plan was to come here
this evening and have us go down
there tomorrow. They are just as
persistent as ever in visiting us and
making us visit them. I think the
constant visiting and having visitors
here has nearly worn Miss Butler out.
She sleeps at night just about as well
as you used to and is as nervous as
any one well could be. Miss Lewis says
she cannot and will not visit so
constantly that if she does she will be
worn out in no time. This afternoon
at half past three Mr & Mrs Fulton
came to play croquet then Mr &
Mrs White I suppose Dr & Mrs Graves

will think we were very cruel to write
to them not to come but they ought to
know that we are busy the night before
the mail goes. Monday eve we were
busy getting ready a Christmas tree
for the scholars Tuesday we were at
our regular Christmas dinner at Lillie's
Wednesday prayer meeting Thursday
at Mrs Pearce's and so the evenings
go. Miss Lewis like all the rest who
come out is so surprised to find that
there is such constant [u] visiting [/u]. I hope
that with her help we may be able to
make some feeble stand against it.
She has been here nearly a week
and I think we shall like her very
much. As I wrote to you she is not
young is forty-eight and so of course
does not look young. Her hair is not
gray but her face is wrinkled. I am
afraid she is not very strong. I wonder
if any one will ever be sent out who
is strong. Miss Butler was thoroughly
worn out in teaching [u] ten [/u] [u] years [/u] in
Newark and the last year had
a most trying and wearring experience.
It seems as though if she would
be careful and take of herself
properly she might perhaps get
along pretty well but like every one
else she must do as she wants
to do, let the consequences be what
they may. She has got on with
the language very fairly and it

would seem a great pity if she should
lose her health now just as she is
ready to begin work. She is something
like you she needs to take exercise
and yet it does not seem as though
she is able to take it. Having the
dengue fever has seemed to exhaust
her nervous strength very much.
Miss Rowe is not at all well now one
of her lungs is affected. Miss Niles
went down to spend a couple of
weeks with her on the peak.
She wants Miss Butler to come
down and stay with her and
it seems a very good opportunity
but she thinks she would not
enjoy it and I doubt whether
she would. Miss Hope the lady
that Miss Rowe brought back with
her I fear she is going to lose. She
has been up here for several weeks
and we rather suspect that Mr
Hargreaves has succeeded in his
efforts to win her. She is a very
nice girl has a sweet fresh young
face. It seems as though she is
rather too nice for him, but he is
a good missionary and deserves a
good wife. If it is so I am sure
Miss Rowe will be much annoyed.
Mary & Mr Damon seem to
be on the best of terms I suppose.

Their marriage will come off after
Mrs Happer comes back. It seems
too bad that her visit home should
be so short but I rather think
that Dr Happer's plan is to go home
before such a very long time either
with or without her. After he gets
Mary settled in the Sandwich
Islands, he can take Verdie with
him. I wonder if Verdie will go to
the Sandwich Islands too. I
suppose hardly. It will be very
nice to see Mrs Happer back again
and I hope she will have seen
you all. Miss Whilden I wrote to you
is not coming for six months at
least. If you will hurry and get
well you could come out together. I
do not think under any circumstances
she should come back before next fall,
so that will give you another year.
It seems Miss Lewis is supported
this year by the Bloomfield ladies
but of course if you came back they
would resume your support. I am
glad she has a little start with
the language. I am sure she is
thoroughly good and will be very
pleasant to live with. Miss Niles
has now gone to Dr Happer's. I have
enjoyed her being here very much.
I am afraid she will not be very
happy there but perhaps she may

[Continued vertically on the first page]
As it seems so
uncertain about
that legacy I
will send you
some funds either
by Mr Henry
or if I can
find some
other way.
As to that legact
I suppose the
interest will never
be paid and
probably not
more than half
of the amount
stated. I wish
[?Mandana?] could
have his share
soon they must
need it. It seems
as though it would be well if he
could come back. The men in the navy have to
be away from their families

[Continued on the same page]
I will come up here to sign myself
Your aff sister Hattie

广州 1883你2月19日
我亲爱的父亲
我随同此信给您寄了一份报告，
/
那是我去年的工作状况。
Fulton先生写了一份今年组织的报告。
/
我确定，
相比于去年的一切，
这里有很大的进步。
给第二个教堂的钱已经获取了。
/
医疗的传教士组织给了一半（2300）美元
/
包含所有教堂要用的材料。
/
/
然后Williams给了（1300）美元，
当地资助300美元，
然后第二个教堂又多了300美元。
/
/
我希望Kerr医生可以很快开始建教堂。

/
当开始建教堂的时候，
我想安息日的礼拜会在学校进行。
/
昨天我们有一个政府官员。
/
他很正式，
Mattie可能记得他，
他在建设学校的时候来过一次。
/
当然，他是广州的一名官员，
但是现在他在一个省里当省长，
大约离这里有30英里。
/
他最近被被他脖颈上的痈折磨得不轻
/
她请Kerr医生来
帮助他，
以至于他恢复了健康，
他很感激。
告诉Martha，
他询问了她和Ricketts小姐。 
Kerr医生希望
他也许可以因为这个事情，
在Tai Lemoy得到一个固定的建教堂的地方，
/
组织努力了很久
希望在那得到一定的地位。

【纵向书写】
爱您的女儿Harriet

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