Letter from Harriet to Father, November 17, 1884
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Harriet to Father, November 17, 1884
Subject
Mail steamers; Sino-French War, 1884-1885; Schools; Health; Travel; Vacations
Description
Hattie is writing to her father from Macau. She tells him that the mission work resumed: the chapels are open and the girls are returning to the schools. Harriet believes that peace will arrive soon. Nonetheless, she believes that feelings of resentment and bitterness towards foreigners will remain for a while and it might hinder the mission's work. Harriet tells her father that they even had to give up some of the houses in the city. Dr. Happer's health is better but he is going to return to the United States in March and most likely he will not return to China. Harriet sends some photographs of her friends along with this letter.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1884-11-17
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_356
Coverage
Sino-French War, 1884-1885
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Macau China
Nov 17th 1884
My dear Father,
I can write you
one more letter from Macau
but I expect my next will
be from Canton, as I think
I must go back in a few
days. I did intend to go
by the next steamer but Miss
Butler is so unreconciled that
I will stay down a couple of
days longer. The work is
beginning again in Canton
the chapels are opened daily
and there are very good
audiences. Some of the
girls are returning back to
school again. It seems
likely now that the negotiations
for peace will soon be
concluded and that in
any event we shall not
be further molested here in Canton.
I am afraid however that the
bitter feelings that have been
excited will be for a long time
a hinderance to the work.
I have been obliged to give
up three of the day schools
in the city that is the
houses in which they were
taught and we fear
it will be difficult to get
others. We had a hard
battle over one the one of
which I wrote to the
S School but were obliged
to give up the building at
last and I presume we
cannot get another in
that vicinity. The schools
in the country we have
been able to keep. When
I go up to Canton a few
days hence I will see
about the prospect for
opening the Boarding
School. I presume we
can open it before long.
Dr Happer is somewhat
better does not cough now
as he did for a time.
He is not going to take
up any work again but
get ready to go home in
March so Mrs Happer
will soon have another
trip to America. I hardly
think he expects to return
to China. Henry has
charge of the Training
School now. I suppose
our home letters are in
Canton and we shall
get them when the
steamer comes down
tomorrow. I wonder if
by the time this reaches
you Martha will be on her
way back to China. I see
by the papers that Dr
Ellinwood has been sick
and that Dr Irving is better.
How unfortunate it was that
he broke his leg while out for
a pleasure excursion.
I send with this the
"photographs" of some of my
friends, which I hope
will reach you safely.
We have been obliged to
give up our sea bathing as
the water is too cold and
it is so windy. To-day
there is quite a high wind
and the sea is very
rough. I have no news to
write as very little happens
down here. It is a delightful
quiet to us. We enjoy the
Sabbath here so much.
[Continued vertically on the last page]
Ever your loving daughter Harriet
Nov 17th 1884
My dear Father,
I can write you
one more letter from Macau
but I expect my next will
be from Canton, as I think
I must go back in a few
days. I did intend to go
by the next steamer but Miss
Butler is so unreconciled that
I will stay down a couple of
days longer. The work is
beginning again in Canton
the chapels are opened daily
and there are very good
audiences. Some of the
girls are returning back to
school again. It seems
likely now that the negotiations
for peace will soon be
concluded and that in
any event we shall not
be further molested here in Canton.
I am afraid however that the
bitter feelings that have been
excited will be for a long time
a hinderance to the work.
I have been obliged to give
up three of the day schools
in the city that is the
houses in which they were
taught and we fear
it will be difficult to get
others. We had a hard
battle over one the one of
which I wrote to the
S School but were obliged
to give up the building at
last and I presume we
cannot get another in
that vicinity. The schools
in the country we have
been able to keep. When
I go up to Canton a few
days hence I will see
about the prospect for
opening the Boarding
School. I presume we
can open it before long.
Dr Happer is somewhat
better does not cough now
as he did for a time.
He is not going to take
up any work again but
get ready to go home in
March so Mrs Happer
will soon have another
trip to America. I hardly
think he expects to return
to China. Henry has
charge of the Training
School now. I suppose
our home letters are in
Canton and we shall
get them when the
steamer comes down
tomorrow. I wonder if
by the time this reaches
you Martha will be on her
way back to China. I see
by the papers that Dr
Ellinwood has been sick
and that Dr Irving is better.
How unfortunate it was that
he broke his leg while out for
a pleasure excursion.
I send with this the
"photographs" of some of my
friends, which I hope
will reach you safely.
We have been obliged to
give up our sea bathing as
the water is too cold and
it is so windy. To-day
there is quite a high wind
and the sea is very
rough. I have no news to
write as very little happens
down here. It is a delightful
quiet to us. We enjoy the
Sabbath here so much.
[Continued vertically on the last page]
Ever your loving daughter Harriet
中国澳门
1884年11月17日
我亲爱的父亲
我会再给您写一封来自澳门的信，
/
我希望我的下一封信会来自广东
因为我几天后必须回到那里。
/
我打算早点回来，在下一趟船
但我不得不和
Butler 小姐呆在一起的时间比预期的要长。
/
广东教堂重新开放，
许多人参加礼拜。
/
/
一些女孩又回到了学校。
/
和平谈判有可能很快就会结束，
所以广东应该不会再有麻烦了。
/
/
/
/
恐怕人们会因为战争而怨恨外国人，
这会使我们的工作变得更加困难。
/
/
我们不得不关闭三所走读学校
很难找到新的地点。
/
/
/
/
在这些地方建立学校很困难，
我预计至少其中一所是不可能取代的。
/
/
/
/
/
村子里的小学校应该没问题。
/
过几天回广东，
我会研究开寄宿学校，
/
/
/
应该可以很快开学。
/
Happer 医生好点了，
他的咳嗽不像以前那么严重了
/
他还没有回去工作，
而是计划在三月份和妻子一起回美国。
/
/
/
我认为他不打算回中国。
/
Henry 负责职业学校。
/
我猜我们从家来的信已经到了广州，
明天坐轮船可以把它们取回来。
/
/
/
也许当你收到这封信时，
Martha 已经在回中国的路上了
/
/
我在报纸上读到
Ellinwood 医生病了
而且Irving 医生好多了，
很不幸他在度假时摔断了腿。
/
这封信包括我朋友的照片，
我希望它们能安全到达。
/
/
/
我们不得不停止在海里游泳，
因为现在太冷多风了，
/
今天风大浪大。
/
/
我没有新消息要告诉你，
这里很少发生，
这又安静又漂亮，
我们过了一个美好的安息日
/
【纵向书写】
你亲爱的女儿
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Harriet to Father, November 17, 1884,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed November 23, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/412.