Letter from Mattie to Edward, September 14, 1875
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Mattie to Edward, September 14, 1875
Subject
Fluency (Language learning); Inventions; Travel; Home
Description
Mattie tells her brother Edward about her progress in Chinese and how many of the new missionaries falsely think that it will only take a year or two to learn. She asks how his machine is progressing and what life is like at home. Harriet and Henry are going to be traveling back home soon. Dr. Talmage invited them to go to Amoy but they have decided to stay put for the time being.
Creator
Kerr, Martha Noyes
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #5
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1875-09-14
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_490
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton China
Sept 14th /75
My dear Edward
I can not tell how
long it has been since I have
written to my dear eldest
brother much longer than I
like to think of but this mail
shall not go without at least
a few lines. I do not like to
think of you as so hurried but
does seem the fashion in the
Noyes family. We do not find
any exception to the rule out here
though I do not think the Canton
air in August at least well
adapted to that sort of proceed-
ure. One thing we can not
push into our heads very fast
is this jaw breaking Chinese
It is funny to see the "new
missionaries come out and plunge
into the study of it as if they would
have it all in the space of a
year or two but the result is the
same in all cases we fall into
the plod plod which must come
sooner or later. I sent a
letter to my brothers Sabbath School
last mail accompanied by a
little paper which perhaps the
children will like to see. You
will notice it is a new publica
tion and only 13 cts. per copy so
if they would like to raise money
to help us get copies for distri-
bution it would be pleasant
for us and not a bad plan for
them. I take great pleasure in
the thought there has been just
the change there has in that
Sabbath school am sure the
pupils appreciate it. How is
our good brothers machine
progressing? I know it much
be a long long undertaking
to get such a thing in shape
to put before the public but
it is in the hands of one gifted
with patience who will bring
it all outright in the end.
How nice it is that Henry
and Hattie will see it so soon
They often speak of it and they
must take a good look at it
for me too. Clara wrote in
her last of the violent wind
which blew down so much
fence and all the Oats. Father
says they look as if [--the--] a log
had been rolled over them
Henry remarked when he
read the letter I know just
what hard work that makes
He hopes to try his hand at
farming next year.
Noon-Just about a minute
more to finish this off have
to hear the women in school
read this afternoon afterwards
have a prayer meeting and
the mail goes before we are at
liberty. We have been so fortunate
as to have an opportunity of
sending every week for the
post I wish it was always so
Those Bumon plasters reached
me in good order for which
I am [u] greatly [/u] [u] obliged [/u] would
never have thought of the plan
you folks did of bending them
I tell Hattie she must take
some with her on the home
trip and thus save trouble.
I wonder if the association
{Musscel} is still in operation
From accounts received do
not imagine you would
mourn much if it was not
We have just received an
invitation from Dr Talmage
to go to Amoy for a change
but have had our rest this
year will lay it by for the future.
[Continued vertically on the first page]
Good bye dear brother I so often think of that last day I
had you with me in Cleveland, it is something I shall
always be thank-
ful for you could
go- I remember
every moment
every think con-
nected with that
day with a dis-
tinctness which
knows no change
Do you remem-
ber how you drew
my head down on
your shoulder after
the parting at the
Depot [--and--] I felt your
sympathy and it
helped me so
very much when
I needed help.
Dear loved brother
given as one of God's
rich blessings to us
[Continued vertically on the second page]
I do hope you will not forget always to tell us about
Frank, we are anxious to hear from him by every mail
Your loving sister
Mattie
中国广州
9 月14 日/75 日亲爱的爱德华 ，
我已经不知道有多久没有给我亲爱的大哥写信了 ，
比我想的要长得多 ，
但是这封邮件至少要写几行。
我不喜欢认为你这么匆忙 ，
但在诺伊斯家族中似乎很时髦。
尽管我不认为 8 月的广州空气至少能很好地适应这种程序 ，
但我们没有发现任何例外情况。
有一件事我们不能很快推入我们的脑海 ，
那就是这个令人瞠目结舌的中文 看到“新传教士出来并投入研究它 ，
好像他们会在一两年内全部掌握 ，
但在所有情况下 ，
结果都是一样的 ，
我们陷入迟早必须到来的单调乏味。
我在最后一封邮件中给我的兄弟安息日学校寄了一封信 ，
附有一张小纸条 ，
也许孩子们会喜欢看。
你会注意到的是一本新出版物 ，
每本只需 13 美分。
因此 ，
如果他们想筹集资金来帮助我们获得分发副本 ，
这对我们来说会很愉快 ，
对他们来说不是一个坏计划。
我很高兴想到有只是安息日学校的变化 ，
我相信学生们会很欣赏它。
我们的好兄弟机器进展如何？我知道要让这样的东西成型并呈现在公众面前是一项漫长的任务 ，
但它在一个有耐心的人的手会带来它到头来都是彻头彻尾的。
亨利和海蒂这么快就看到了 ，
真是太好了。
他们经常谈论它 ，
他们也必须为我好好看看。
克拉拉在她的最后一篇狂风中写道 ，
狂风吹倒了这么多栅栏和所有的燕麦。
父亲说 ，
它们看起来就像是一根圆木压在它们身上。
亨利在读到这封信时说 ，
我知道他希望明年能尝试种田的辛勤工作。
中午——再过一分钟就可以结束这件事 ，
今天下午必须听学校里的女学生读完之后有一个祈祷会 ，
邮件在我们自由之前就发了。
我们很幸运有机会每周发送邮件 ，
我希望它总是这样我告诉海蒂她必须带一些回家旅行 ，
这样可以省去麻烦。
我想知道 {Musscel} 协会是否仍在运作 从收到的帐户中 ，
如果没有 ，
您不会感到非常悲痛 我们刚刚收到 Talmage 医生的邀请 ，
要去淘宝换衣服 ，
但今年我们休息了为未来做好准备。
[第一页垂直续] 再见 ，
亲爱的兄弟 ，
我经常想起我在克利夫兰和你在一起的最后一天 ，
这是我永远感谢你能去的事情——我记得每一刻的每一个想法都与此有关清清楚楚的一天 ，
永远不会改变你还记得在汽车站分手后 ，
你是如何把我的头靠在你肩上的吗？我感受到了你的同情 ，
当我需要帮助时 ，
它对我帮助很大。
亲爱的兄弟 ，
作为上帝赐给我们的丰富祝福之一
[在第二页垂直续]
我希望你不要忘记总是告诉我们关于弗兰克的事 ，
我们渴望通过每封邮件收到他的来信
你慈爱的妹妹玛蒂
Sept 14th /75
My dear Edward
I can not tell how
long it has been since I have
written to my dear eldest
brother much longer than I
like to think of but this mail
shall not go without at least
a few lines. I do not like to
think of you as so hurried but
does seem the fashion in the
Noyes family. We do not find
any exception to the rule out here
though I do not think the Canton
air in August at least well
adapted to that sort of proceed-
ure. One thing we can not
push into our heads very fast
is this jaw breaking Chinese
It is funny to see the "new
missionaries come out and plunge
into the study of it as if they would
have it all in the space of a
year or two but the result is the
same in all cases we fall into
the plod plod which must come
sooner or later. I sent a
letter to my brothers Sabbath School
last mail accompanied by a
little paper which perhaps the
children will like to see. You
will notice it is a new publica
tion and only 13 cts. per copy so
if they would like to raise money
to help us get copies for distri-
bution it would be pleasant
for us and not a bad plan for
them. I take great pleasure in
the thought there has been just
the change there has in that
Sabbath school am sure the
pupils appreciate it. How is
our good brothers machine
progressing? I know it much
be a long long undertaking
to get such a thing in shape
to put before the public but
it is in the hands of one gifted
with patience who will bring
it all outright in the end.
How nice it is that Henry
and Hattie will see it so soon
They often speak of it and they
must take a good look at it
for me too. Clara wrote in
her last of the violent wind
which blew down so much
fence and all the Oats. Father
says they look as if [--the--] a log
had been rolled over them
Henry remarked when he
read the letter I know just
what hard work that makes
He hopes to try his hand at
farming next year.
Noon-Just about a minute
more to finish this off have
to hear the women in school
read this afternoon afterwards
have a prayer meeting and
the mail goes before we are at
liberty. We have been so fortunate
as to have an opportunity of
sending every week for the
post I wish it was always so
Those Bumon plasters reached
me in good order for which
I am [u] greatly [/u] [u] obliged [/u] would
never have thought of the plan
you folks did of bending them
I tell Hattie she must take
some with her on the home
trip and thus save trouble.
I wonder if the association
{Musscel} is still in operation
From accounts received do
not imagine you would
mourn much if it was not
We have just received an
invitation from Dr Talmage
to go to Amoy for a change
but have had our rest this
year will lay it by for the future.
[Continued vertically on the first page]
Good bye dear brother I so often think of that last day I
had you with me in Cleveland, it is something I shall
always be thank-
ful for you could
go- I remember
every moment
every think con-
nected with that
day with a dis-
tinctness which
knows no change
Do you remem-
ber how you drew
my head down on
your shoulder after
the parting at the
Depot [--and--] I felt your
sympathy and it
helped me so
very much when
I needed help.
Dear loved brother
given as one of God's
rich blessings to us
[Continued vertically on the second page]
I do hope you will not forget always to tell us about
Frank, we are anxious to hear from him by every mail
Your loving sister
Mattie
中国广州
9 月14 日/75 日亲爱的爱德华 ，
我已经不知道有多久没有给我亲爱的大哥写信了 ，
比我想的要长得多 ，
但是这封邮件至少要写几行。
我不喜欢认为你这么匆忙 ，
但在诺伊斯家族中似乎很时髦。
尽管我不认为 8 月的广州空气至少能很好地适应这种程序 ，
但我们没有发现任何例外情况。
有一件事我们不能很快推入我们的脑海 ，
那就是这个令人瞠目结舌的中文 看到“新传教士出来并投入研究它 ，
好像他们会在一两年内全部掌握 ，
但在所有情况下 ，
结果都是一样的 ，
我们陷入迟早必须到来的单调乏味。
我在最后一封邮件中给我的兄弟安息日学校寄了一封信 ，
附有一张小纸条 ，
也许孩子们会喜欢看。
你会注意到的是一本新出版物 ，
每本只需 13 美分。
因此 ，
如果他们想筹集资金来帮助我们获得分发副本 ，
这对我们来说会很愉快 ，
对他们来说不是一个坏计划。
我很高兴想到有只是安息日学校的变化 ，
我相信学生们会很欣赏它。
我们的好兄弟机器进展如何？我知道要让这样的东西成型并呈现在公众面前是一项漫长的任务 ，
但它在一个有耐心的人的手会带来它到头来都是彻头彻尾的。
亨利和海蒂这么快就看到了 ，
真是太好了。
他们经常谈论它 ，
他们也必须为我好好看看。
克拉拉在她的最后一篇狂风中写道 ，
狂风吹倒了这么多栅栏和所有的燕麦。
父亲说 ，
它们看起来就像是一根圆木压在它们身上。
亨利在读到这封信时说 ，
我知道他希望明年能尝试种田的辛勤工作。
中午——再过一分钟就可以结束这件事 ，
今天下午必须听学校里的女学生读完之后有一个祈祷会 ，
邮件在我们自由之前就发了。
我们很幸运有机会每周发送邮件 ，
我希望它总是这样我告诉海蒂她必须带一些回家旅行 ，
这样可以省去麻烦。
我想知道 {Musscel} 协会是否仍在运作 从收到的帐户中 ，
如果没有 ，
您不会感到非常悲痛 我们刚刚收到 Talmage 医生的邀请 ，
要去淘宝换衣服 ，
但今年我们休息了为未来做好准备。
[第一页垂直续] 再见 ，
亲爱的兄弟 ，
我经常想起我在克利夫兰和你在一起的最后一天 ，
这是我永远感谢你能去的事情——我记得每一刻的每一个想法都与此有关清清楚楚的一天 ，
永远不会改变你还记得在汽车站分手后 ，
你是如何把我的头靠在你肩上的吗？我感受到了你的同情 ，
当我需要帮助时 ，
它对我帮助很大。
亲爱的兄弟 ，
作为上帝赐给我们的丰富祝福之一
[在第二页垂直续]
我希望你不要忘记总是告诉我们关于弗兰克的事 ，
我们渴望通过每封邮件收到他的来信
你慈爱的妹妹玛蒂
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Kerr, Martha Noyes, “Letter from Mattie to Edward, September 14, 1875,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 19, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/544.