Letter from Hattie to Sarah, May 35, 1889
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Sarah, May 35, 1889
Subject
Gifts; Physicians; Aging; Missions--Study and teaching; Kerr, J. G. (John Glasgow), 1824-1901
Description
Harriet writes to Sarah, asking for an update from home. She wants to write a letter to the Missionary Society in Jacksonville. Dr. Kerr has gone to Macao so Miss Lewis, Miss Butler, and herself went to visit Mattie. She talks about how Dr. Kerr seems quite old now with white hair. Harriet has been up to visit Dr. Happer's college, he has sixty-six scholars. She is sending a little box with small presents home, including a pair of ivory cuff buttons for Rev Notestein.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #4
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1889-05-25
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_417
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton China
May 25th 1889.
My dear Sarah -
When this reaches
Seville you will surely be at
home and another year
of school-work finished . I
hope you will not be all tired
out. I have not heard a
word from you since we
parted early in Feb but I hope
that no news is good news. I
wonder if Mrs Griffiths is well
again. I would like to hear
something from the different ones
I met in Jacksonville . and I
must try and write a letter for
the Missionary Society there as I
think I promised to do . This is
Saturday it is always rather a busy
day here there is a great deal of
coming and going . Last Sat I
started up to the other end to
visit Dr Happer's college but such
a storm came up that I turned
back . Mrs Happer seems well
and teaches six hours a day.
I fear that she will not be well
long it seems pretty hard for her
as she does not appear strong.
Dr Kerr has gone to Macao for
a day or two . Last evening Miss
Lewis, Miss Butler and I went
over to Mattie's to tea. She "housekeeps"
very nicely. and her house
looks very pretty. When I first
came I thought Dr Kerr looked
younger than when I went home
he seems pretty well and
strong. But I know he will
seem [u]very old[/u] to you all if
they go home . I think he will
seem nearly as old as Father did.
his hair is whiter I think but he
is stronger than Father was
[illegible]. I dreamed so much
all night last night of being at
home . I almost always dream
that I am getting ready to come
away . I thought I was packing
and my trunks were not very full
and Edward bought me a lot of
little wooden things to fill up with.
I thought I was to leave in the
morning and we had not been to
the cemetery and I said that
before I left in the winter when
the mornings were so short that
I could not go over there but now
it was summer time and the
mornings so much longer that
I could go there before going to the
depot . I often think that I have
left home already three times and
I do not suppose there is the slightest
probability that I will leave home
to come to China more than
once more if I do that. Still I
would not at the end of twenty
years be any older than Dr Kerr
is now. But some of the
young missionaries have decided
that twenty five years is long
enough for any one to stay on the
field I do not think this however
will at present be the opinion of
the Board or of the Chinese I
always remember how [u]very old[/u]
the second Mrs Happer seemed
to me when she was fifty three
and I shall soon reach
that advanced stage. But
it does not seem to me that I
shall [u]feel[/u] as old if I live to be
eighty three as she seemed
to me . Miss Lewis looks very
old when we go out on the
streets together the Chinese
guess that I am her daughter in law.
I have been up to visit Dr
Happer's college today have been
trying to go ever since I came
back . He has sixty six scholars.
quite an interesting set of young
men and boys . This afternoon
we wished to go down and say
goodbye to Mrs Simmons but it has
poured down so that we could
not go. I am sending by her a
tiny little box. directed to Miss Noyes.
You will find in it a Japanese
paper dollar for Em. a cat's eye
pin for you and one for Mary
a Japanese pin for Clara.
a pair of ivory [--sleeve--] ^cuff buttons
for Rev W L Notestein if any of
you have courage enough to give
them to him and a pair of
dark cuff buttons for Elder Noyes.
I think he has already a pair
just like them but never mind
If he does not want them he can
give them to [u]John Caughey[/u] or some
one else. Tell Em I am having
her pin repaired and hoped to
have it finished to send now
but it will not be done just
yet. I have written scarcely
any letters since I came
back excepting for those at home.
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page one]
I will enclose
a magnolia
leaf wonder
if it will keep
its color. The
upper side
now the
most [u]beautiful[/u]
glossy green
the under
side light
brown .It
grows on
a tree
and has
beautiful
large white
blossoms
very fragrant.
With love ever
Your aff
Hattie -
中国广州，
1889 年 5 月 25 日。
我亲爱的莎拉——当它到达塞维利亚时，
你一定会在家，
并且又完成了一年的学业。
我希望你们都不会累。
自从我们二月初分开以来，
我没有听到你的消息，
但我希望没有消息就是好消息。
我想知道格里菲斯夫人是否又好了。
我想听听我在杰克逊维尔遇到的不同人的意见。
我 必须 努力 为 那里 的 传教 协会 写 一封 信 ，
我 认为 我 答应 了 .这是星期六，
这里总是很忙，
来来往往。
上周六，
我开始前往另一端参观哈珀医生的大学，
但风暴来了，
我折返了。
哈珀太太看起来很好，
每天教六个小时。
我担心她不会好久，
这对她来说似乎很难，
因为她看起来并不强壮。
克尔 医生已经去澳门一两天了。
昨晚刘易斯小姐、巴特勒小姐和我去玛蒂家喝茶。
她“管家”非常好。
她的房子看起来很漂亮。
当我第一次来的时候，
我认为克尔医生看起来比我回家时年轻，
他看起来很好很强壮。
但我知道，
如果他们回家，
他在你们大家看来会很老。
我想他看起来会和父亲一样老。
我想他的头发更白了，
但他比父亲更强壮[无法辨认]。
我昨晚整晚都在做梦，
梦见自己在家。
我几乎总是梦想着我正准备离开。
我以为我在收拾行李，
但我的行李箱不是很满，
爱德华给我买了很多小木头东西来装满。
我以为我要在早上离开，
我们还没有去过墓地，
我说在我冬天离开之前，
早上很短，
我不能去那里，
但现在是夏天，
早上如此在去仓库之前我可以去那里的时间要长得多。
我常常想，
我已经离家3次了，
我不认为我再离家来中国的可能性微乎其微。
到了二十岁，
我仍然不会比现在的克尔医生大。
但是一些年轻的传教士认为 25 年足以让任何人留在现场在我看来，
哈珀夫人 53 岁时，
我很快就会达到那个高级阶段。
但在我看来，
如果我活到八十三岁，
我并不会像她在我看来那样感到老去。
当我们一起上街时，
刘易斯小姐看起来很老，
中国人猜我是她的儿媳。
我今天一直去参观哈珀医生的大学，
自从我回来后就一直想去。
他有六十六位学者。
一组相当有趣的年轻男子和男孩。
今天下午，
我们想下去和西蒙斯夫人道别，
但已经倾盆大雨，
我们无法去。
我送她一个小盒子。
发给诺伊斯小姐。
你会在里面找到 Em 的日本纸币。
给你一个猫眼针，
给玛丽一个给克拉拉一个日本针。
一对象牙袖扣送给 W L Notestein 牧师，
如果你们有足够的勇气把它们送给他的话，
还有一对黑色袖扣送给诺伊斯长老。
我想他已经有一双和他们一样的了，
但没关系，
如果他不想要它们，
他可以把它们给 John Caughey 或其他人。
告诉 Em 我正在修理她的别针，
希望现在完成发送，
但目前还没有完成。
我回来后几乎没有写过任何信，
除了家里的那些。
[注：信在第一页结束]我将附上一片木兰叶，
想知道它是否会保持颜色。
上面现在是最漂亮的亮绿色，
下面是浅棕色。
它长在树上，
开着美丽的大白花，
非常香。
永远爱你的海蒂——
May 25th 1889.
My dear Sarah -
When this reaches
Seville you will surely be at
home and another year
of school-work finished . I
hope you will not be all tired
out. I have not heard a
word from you since we
parted early in Feb but I hope
that no news is good news. I
wonder if Mrs Griffiths is well
again. I would like to hear
something from the different ones
I met in Jacksonville . and I
must try and write a letter for
the Missionary Society there as I
think I promised to do . This is
Saturday it is always rather a busy
day here there is a great deal of
coming and going . Last Sat I
started up to the other end to
visit Dr Happer's college but such
a storm came up that I turned
back . Mrs Happer seems well
and teaches six hours a day.
I fear that she will not be well
long it seems pretty hard for her
as she does not appear strong.
Dr Kerr has gone to Macao for
a day or two . Last evening Miss
Lewis, Miss Butler and I went
over to Mattie's to tea. She "housekeeps"
very nicely. and her house
looks very pretty. When I first
came I thought Dr Kerr looked
younger than when I went home
he seems pretty well and
strong. But I know he will
seem [u]very old[/u] to you all if
they go home . I think he will
seem nearly as old as Father did.
his hair is whiter I think but he
is stronger than Father was
[illegible]. I dreamed so much
all night last night of being at
home . I almost always dream
that I am getting ready to come
away . I thought I was packing
and my trunks were not very full
and Edward bought me a lot of
little wooden things to fill up with.
I thought I was to leave in the
morning and we had not been to
the cemetery and I said that
before I left in the winter when
the mornings were so short that
I could not go over there but now
it was summer time and the
mornings so much longer that
I could go there before going to the
depot . I often think that I have
left home already three times and
I do not suppose there is the slightest
probability that I will leave home
to come to China more than
once more if I do that. Still I
would not at the end of twenty
years be any older than Dr Kerr
is now. But some of the
young missionaries have decided
that twenty five years is long
enough for any one to stay on the
field I do not think this however
will at present be the opinion of
the Board or of the Chinese I
always remember how [u]very old[/u]
the second Mrs Happer seemed
to me when she was fifty three
and I shall soon reach
that advanced stage. But
it does not seem to me that I
shall [u]feel[/u] as old if I live to be
eighty three as she seemed
to me . Miss Lewis looks very
old when we go out on the
streets together the Chinese
guess that I am her daughter in law.
I have been up to visit Dr
Happer's college today have been
trying to go ever since I came
back . He has sixty six scholars.
quite an interesting set of young
men and boys . This afternoon
we wished to go down and say
goodbye to Mrs Simmons but it has
poured down so that we could
not go. I am sending by her a
tiny little box. directed to Miss Noyes.
You will find in it a Japanese
paper dollar for Em. a cat's eye
pin for you and one for Mary
a Japanese pin for Clara.
a pair of ivory [--sleeve--] ^cuff buttons
for Rev W L Notestein if any of
you have courage enough to give
them to him and a pair of
dark cuff buttons for Elder Noyes.
I think he has already a pair
just like them but never mind
If he does not want them he can
give them to [u]John Caughey[/u] or some
one else. Tell Em I am having
her pin repaired and hoped to
have it finished to send now
but it will not be done just
yet. I have written scarcely
any letters since I came
back excepting for those at home.
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page one]
I will enclose
a magnolia
leaf wonder
if it will keep
its color. The
upper side
now the
most [u]beautiful[/u]
glossy green
the under
side light
brown .It
grows on
a tree
and has
beautiful
large white
blossoms
very fragrant.
With love ever
Your aff
Hattie -
中国广州，
1889 年 5 月 25 日。
我亲爱的莎拉——当它到达塞维利亚时，
你一定会在家，
并且又完成了一年的学业。
我希望你们都不会累。
自从我们二月初分开以来，
我没有听到你的消息，
但我希望没有消息就是好消息。
我想知道格里菲斯夫人是否又好了。
我想听听我在杰克逊维尔遇到的不同人的意见。
我 必须 努力 为 那里 的 传教 协会 写 一封 信 ，
我 认为 我 答应 了 .这是星期六，
这里总是很忙，
来来往往。
上周六，
我开始前往另一端参观哈珀医生的大学，
但风暴来了，
我折返了。
哈珀太太看起来很好，
每天教六个小时。
我担心她不会好久，
这对她来说似乎很难，
因为她看起来并不强壮。
克尔 医生已经去澳门一两天了。
昨晚刘易斯小姐、巴特勒小姐和我去玛蒂家喝茶。
她“管家”非常好。
她的房子看起来很漂亮。
当我第一次来的时候，
我认为克尔医生看起来比我回家时年轻，
他看起来很好很强壮。
但我知道，
如果他们回家，
他在你们大家看来会很老。
我想他看起来会和父亲一样老。
我想他的头发更白了，
但他比父亲更强壮[无法辨认]。
我昨晚整晚都在做梦，
梦见自己在家。
我几乎总是梦想着我正准备离开。
我以为我在收拾行李，
但我的行李箱不是很满，
爱德华给我买了很多小木头东西来装满。
我以为我要在早上离开，
我们还没有去过墓地，
我说在我冬天离开之前，
早上很短，
我不能去那里，
但现在是夏天，
早上如此在去仓库之前我可以去那里的时间要长得多。
我常常想，
我已经离家3次了，
我不认为我再离家来中国的可能性微乎其微。
到了二十岁，
我仍然不会比现在的克尔医生大。
但是一些年轻的传教士认为 25 年足以让任何人留在现场在我看来，
哈珀夫人 53 岁时，
我很快就会达到那个高级阶段。
但在我看来，
如果我活到八十三岁，
我并不会像她在我看来那样感到老去。
当我们一起上街时，
刘易斯小姐看起来很老，
中国人猜我是她的儿媳。
我今天一直去参观哈珀医生的大学，
自从我回来后就一直想去。
他有六十六位学者。
一组相当有趣的年轻男子和男孩。
今天下午，
我们想下去和西蒙斯夫人道别，
但已经倾盆大雨，
我们无法去。
我送她一个小盒子。
发给诺伊斯小姐。
你会在里面找到 Em 的日本纸币。
给你一个猫眼针，
给玛丽一个给克拉拉一个日本针。
一对象牙袖扣送给 W L Notestein 牧师，
如果你们有足够的勇气把它们送给他的话，
还有一对黑色袖扣送给诺伊斯长老。
我想他已经有一双和他们一样的了，
但没关系，
如果他不想要它们，
他可以把它们给 John Caughey 或其他人。
告诉 Em 我正在修理她的别针，
希望现在完成发送，
但目前还没有完成。
我回来后几乎没有写过任何信，
除了家里的那些。
[注：信在第一页结束]我将附上一片木兰叶，
想知道它是否会保持颜色。
上面现在是最漂亮的亮绿色，
下面是浅棕色。
它长在树上，
开着美丽的大白花，
非常香。
永远爱你的海蒂——
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Sarah, May 35, 1889,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 20, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/473.