Letter from Hattie to Mother, January 28, 1885
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Mother, January 28, 1885
Subject
Betrothal; Typhoid fever; Chinese New Year; Missions--Societies, etc
Description
Harriet writes to her mother about how Dr. Matthewson wants to propose to Verdie Happer but how she thinks he will be rejected. She says that he is quite young and will no doubt live to love again. She inquires as to the table linens she sent a while ago. They all go to the Happer's, the doctor is sick and looking feeble. Harriet talks about the Kerrs as well, there seems to have been an attack of typhoid fever and there is much anxiety. The 46th annual meeting of the Medical Missionary Society is being held today. They hope to spend the Chinese New Year in Macau.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1885-01-28
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_363
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton China
Jan 28th 1885
My dear Mother,
This is the evening for
prayer meeting which is to be at
Mr Fultons. We are to take Dr Matthewson
up on the boat with us. He is quite
energetic in his siege for Verdie's heart
as he naturally would be having come
so far on purpose, but I fear he is
doomed to defeat. He is quite young
however not more than 23 or 24
so doubtless he will survive and
live to love and woo again.
I am glad you have at last
received the table linens. I began
to despair of getting an opportunity
to send it. Although it was so late
in reaching you it is intended
to go with the dishes, the tea set
given you June 17th 1883. I
have had it here for you ever since
that time but it made such a
heavy package I never liked to
ask anyone to take it for me.
The shawl I hope you will
like. I crocheted seven just like
it in spare moments in three
or four months which I thought
was pretty well for me as I do
not crochet fast as Em and
Clara do. One was for Miss Butler
the next for her Mother, then Lucy Leaman
Sadie Mateer, Mrs Ashmore yours
and mine. Wouldn't it be nice
if I had been here ten years
and were going home with
Dr and Mrs Ashmore. They
came out the last time the
same autumn that I did.
Thursday morn- After
prayer meeting last eve Dr
Matthewson wanted to go over
to Dr Happer's for a while
to which we agreed. It gave
us an opportunity to have a
little visit with Dr Happer.
He looks very feeble and has grown
old so fast since he has been ill.
He talks with difficulty as he is so
troubled for breath. They may
leave by the steamer which
carries this letter. I think they
will try to do so if it stops at the
Sandwich Islands. I wonder
if you ever hear from Mrs Kerr
She writes of Josie that he is doing
very well and is such a comfort
to them all I do hope if he has
reformed that it may prove
lasting. They have had a
very trying time with illness
in the family. One of Dr Kerr's
nieces and a niece & nephew
of Mrs Kerr's have been with
them studying at the college and
they have all three had an
attack of typhoid fever.
The anxiety and care must
have been very trying for them
all but the last that we heard from
them all were improving. We
are anxious to get the next letters.
We are so glad to know that
the mail by the San Pablo is not
lost as we feared it might be.
This time we have waited almost
a month for letters. We have been
having some cold weather but
today the thermometer is rising
rapidly and we have opened
all the doors to let the [u] warm [/u] in.
This afternoon the 46th annual
meeting of the Medical Missionary
Society is to be held. It is the
society which supports the
Hospital here. Dr Thomson
feared the contributions this year
would not be as good as usual
on account of the war but I
believe they have come out very
well. Some of the Chinese contribute
quite liberally, which is very good
as the hospital is for the benefit
of their countrymen. There have
not been as many patients as
usual this year on account of
the political troubles. But I think
there are a good number in now
but most of them will probably go
home for the New Years. The
Chinese New Year comes this year
on the Sabbath Feb 13th [u] We [/u] hope
to spend it in Macau in our "Retreat"
[Continues vertically on the last page]
and anticipate it with much pleasure Your aff daughter
Hattie
中国广州
1885 年 1 月 28 日
我亲爱的母亲，
这是在富尔顿先生举行的祈祷会的晚上。
我们要带马修森医生一起上船。
他在围攻 Verdie 的心脏时非常有活力，
因为他自然会故意走这么远，
但我担心他注定要失败。
他很年轻，
但不超过 23 或 24 岁，
所以毫无疑问他会活下来并再次爱和求爱。
我很高兴你终于收到了桌布。
我开始对有机会发送它感到绝望。
虽然来得太晚了，
它是打算和盘子一起吃的，
茶具是 1883 年 6 月 17 日给你的。
从那时起我就一直在这里给你，
但它的包裹太重了，
我从来不想问任何人替我拿。
我希望你会喜欢的披肩。
我在三四个月的空闲时间里像它一样钩了七个，
我认为这对我来说非常好，
因为我不像 Em 和 Clara 那样快速钩针。
一个是给巴特勒小姐的，
下一个是给她母亲的，
然后是露西·利曼·萨迪·马特尔，
阿什莫尔夫人是你我的。
如果我在这里待了十年，
然后和阿什莫尔博士和夫人一起回家，
那该多好啊。
他们最后一次出现在我做的同一个秋天。
星期四早上——在最后一个晚上的祷告会之后，
马修森博士想去哈珀博士那里待一会儿，
我们同意了。
它让我们有机会与 Happer 博士进行一次短暂的访问。
他看起来很虚弱，
自从他生病以来，
他老得这么快。
他说话困难，
因为他呼吸困难。
他们可以乘载有这封信的汽船离开。
我认为如果它停在三明治群岛，
他们会尝试这样做。
我想知道你有没有听过 Kerr She 夫人写的关于乔西的信，
他说他做得很好，
对他们来说是一种安慰，
我希望他能改过自新，
这可能会证明是持久的。
他们在家庭疾病中度过了一段非常艰难的时期。
克尔博士的一个侄女和克尔夫人的一个侄女和侄子一直和他们一起在大学学习，
他们三人都患了伤寒。
焦虑和关心对他们来说一定是非常痛苦的，
但我们从他们那里听到的最后一个消息正在改善。
我们急于收到下一封信。
我们很高兴知道圣巴勃罗的邮件并没有像我们担心的那样丢失。
这次我们等了将近一个月的来信。
我们一直有一些寒冷的天气，
但今天温度计迅速上升，
我们已经打开所有的门让温暖进来。
今天下午将举行医疗布道会第46届年会。
在这里支持医院的是社会。
Thomson 博士担心，
由于战争，
今年的捐款不会像往常一样好，
但我相信他们的表现非常好。
一些中国人的贡献相当慷慨，
这非常好，
因为医院是为他们的同胞谋福利的。
由于政治问题，
今年没有像往常一样多的病人。
但我认为现在有很多人，
但他们中的大多数人可能会回家过年。
今年的农历新年是在 2 月 13 日的安息日。
我们希望在我们的“静修会”中度过它在澳门[垂直上页继续]并非常高兴地期待它你的女儿，
Hattie
Jan 28th 1885
My dear Mother,
This is the evening for
prayer meeting which is to be at
Mr Fultons. We are to take Dr Matthewson
up on the boat with us. He is quite
energetic in his siege for Verdie's heart
as he naturally would be having come
so far on purpose, but I fear he is
doomed to defeat. He is quite young
however not more than 23 or 24
so doubtless he will survive and
live to love and woo again.
I am glad you have at last
received the table linens. I began
to despair of getting an opportunity
to send it. Although it was so late
in reaching you it is intended
to go with the dishes, the tea set
given you June 17th 1883. I
have had it here for you ever since
that time but it made such a
heavy package I never liked to
ask anyone to take it for me.
The shawl I hope you will
like. I crocheted seven just like
it in spare moments in three
or four months which I thought
was pretty well for me as I do
not crochet fast as Em and
Clara do. One was for Miss Butler
the next for her Mother, then Lucy Leaman
Sadie Mateer, Mrs Ashmore yours
and mine. Wouldn't it be nice
if I had been here ten years
and were going home with
Dr and Mrs Ashmore. They
came out the last time the
same autumn that I did.
Thursday morn- After
prayer meeting last eve Dr
Matthewson wanted to go over
to Dr Happer's for a while
to which we agreed. It gave
us an opportunity to have a
little visit with Dr Happer.
He looks very feeble and has grown
old so fast since he has been ill.
He talks with difficulty as he is so
troubled for breath. They may
leave by the steamer which
carries this letter. I think they
will try to do so if it stops at the
Sandwich Islands. I wonder
if you ever hear from Mrs Kerr
She writes of Josie that he is doing
very well and is such a comfort
to them all I do hope if he has
reformed that it may prove
lasting. They have had a
very trying time with illness
in the family. One of Dr Kerr's
nieces and a niece & nephew
of Mrs Kerr's have been with
them studying at the college and
they have all three had an
attack of typhoid fever.
The anxiety and care must
have been very trying for them
all but the last that we heard from
them all were improving. We
are anxious to get the next letters.
We are so glad to know that
the mail by the San Pablo is not
lost as we feared it might be.
This time we have waited almost
a month for letters. We have been
having some cold weather but
today the thermometer is rising
rapidly and we have opened
all the doors to let the [u] warm [/u] in.
This afternoon the 46th annual
meeting of the Medical Missionary
Society is to be held. It is the
society which supports the
Hospital here. Dr Thomson
feared the contributions this year
would not be as good as usual
on account of the war but I
believe they have come out very
well. Some of the Chinese contribute
quite liberally, which is very good
as the hospital is for the benefit
of their countrymen. There have
not been as many patients as
usual this year on account of
the political troubles. But I think
there are a good number in now
but most of them will probably go
home for the New Years. The
Chinese New Year comes this year
on the Sabbath Feb 13th [u] We [/u] hope
to spend it in Macau in our "Retreat"
[Continues vertically on the last page]
and anticipate it with much pleasure Your aff daughter
Hattie
中国广州
1885 年 1 月 28 日
我亲爱的母亲，
这是在富尔顿先生举行的祈祷会的晚上。
我们要带马修森医生一起上船。
他在围攻 Verdie 的心脏时非常有活力，
因为他自然会故意走这么远，
但我担心他注定要失败。
他很年轻，
但不超过 23 或 24 岁，
所以毫无疑问他会活下来并再次爱和求爱。
我很高兴你终于收到了桌布。
我开始对有机会发送它感到绝望。
虽然来得太晚了，
它是打算和盘子一起吃的，
茶具是 1883 年 6 月 17 日给你的。
从那时起我就一直在这里给你，
但它的包裹太重了，
我从来不想问任何人替我拿。
我希望你会喜欢的披肩。
我在三四个月的空闲时间里像它一样钩了七个，
我认为这对我来说非常好，
因为我不像 Em 和 Clara 那样快速钩针。
一个是给巴特勒小姐的，
下一个是给她母亲的，
然后是露西·利曼·萨迪·马特尔，
阿什莫尔夫人是你我的。
如果我在这里待了十年，
然后和阿什莫尔博士和夫人一起回家，
那该多好啊。
他们最后一次出现在我做的同一个秋天。
星期四早上——在最后一个晚上的祷告会之后，
马修森博士想去哈珀博士那里待一会儿，
我们同意了。
它让我们有机会与 Happer 博士进行一次短暂的访问。
他看起来很虚弱，
自从他生病以来，
他老得这么快。
他说话困难，
因为他呼吸困难。
他们可以乘载有这封信的汽船离开。
我认为如果它停在三明治群岛，
他们会尝试这样做。
我想知道你有没有听过 Kerr She 夫人写的关于乔西的信，
他说他做得很好，
对他们来说是一种安慰，
我希望他能改过自新，
这可能会证明是持久的。
他们在家庭疾病中度过了一段非常艰难的时期。
克尔博士的一个侄女和克尔夫人的一个侄女和侄子一直和他们一起在大学学习，
他们三人都患了伤寒。
焦虑和关心对他们来说一定是非常痛苦的，
但我们从他们那里听到的最后一个消息正在改善。
我们急于收到下一封信。
我们很高兴知道圣巴勃罗的邮件并没有像我们担心的那样丢失。
这次我们等了将近一个月的来信。
我们一直有一些寒冷的天气，
但今天温度计迅速上升，
我们已经打开所有的门让温暖进来。
今天下午将举行医疗布道会第46届年会。
在这里支持医院的是社会。
Thomson 博士担心，
由于战争，
今年的捐款不会像往常一样好，
但我相信他们的表现非常好。
一些中国人的贡献相当慷慨，
这非常好，
因为医院是为他们的同胞谋福利的。
由于政治问题，
今年没有像往常一样多的病人。
但我认为现在有很多人，
但他们中的大多数人可能会回家过年。
今年的农历新年是在 2 月 13 日的安息日。
我们希望在我们的“静修会”中度过它在澳门[垂直上页继续]并非常高兴地期待它你的女儿，
Hattie
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Mother, January 28, 1885,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 19, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/419.