Letter from Mattie to Mary, August 12, 1889
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Mattie to Mary, August 12, 1889
Subject
Death; Heaven; Travel; Tourism; Missionaries; Atheism; Mail service; Aristocracy (social class)
Description
Mattie confesses that she has been thinking a lot about her mother. She is in Hong Kong with Dr. Kerr and yesterday visited the German mission. Mattie describes the place where they are staying for less than $4.00 per day. The hotel is full of tourists and luxury that make Mattie feel uncomfortable; she values family life now more than ever. Mattie is thankful for the missionary training she has received and the values her family has given her. She thinks that it must be very hard to be married to a man that is an atheist, or simply to be an atheist yourself.
Creator
Kerr, Martha Noyes
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #5
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1889-08-12
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_506
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Hong kong Hotel
Aug 12th
Dear Mary
I just learned that
the American mail leaves
[Note: written in red, different handwriting] 1889
to morrow so will send a
line by it hoping Hattie
will do better than I. Thought
so much about Mother
the 6th of Aug and of Varnum
too If Mother had lived she
would now have been 79
Life is now going so quickly
with us . I feel so fully that the
time is short oh so short.
But it does not matter if Heaven
is at the end of it. I came
down with Dr Kerr on Friday
last expecting to go back Satur
day .But the Dr said when we
were safely here we would not
have until Monday. First
went to the German Mission
where we can stay at 1.00
apiece a day. But the wife of
the Drs patient wanted him
to come to this Hotel so he
could be near them and we
came last eve {Sabbath} We
are at the most aristocratic
house here in the city. They
[?take?] us one for less than 4.00
per day that is the cheapest
and I suppose in some cases
the expense is doubled. The house
has a host of tourists from
the countries of the old and
new world as quests people
that do not care any thing
about the cost of things. I can
not feel comfortable and begged
the Dr to leave this morning
but he said he would be obliged
to remain until afternoon
His patient pays our expenses
here I had a glass of milk for
.10 at breakfast. told my husband
he should have as much
as that for nothing when we
went home. Oh girls what a
blessing the family life is
Nothing could be more heartless
and dreadful than to board in
such a hotel. No love no care
for each other. so much
money against so much ac-
commodation. But I am glad
to have seen it once. I believe
as a family we none of us care
for [--the--] reputation or friend
ship based upon a moneyed
value . Of course we know
those here are wealthy but
one finds more and more
that wealth can not by
happiness .Our home in
Canton is a thousand times
nicer than this. Yesterday
[u]Sabbath[/u] we had an invitation
to dine with one of the
Aristocrats of Hong kong who is
now on the peak. He is [--now--]
one of the Drs friends and I
knew his wife in 1877.
If it had been any other
day we would like to have
accepted it but of course could
not think of it on Sabbath. It
seemed so strange to think
he would imagine we would
go on Sabbath. I appreciate more
and more what a blessing it is
to have had such a training
that that one not only would not
do these things but that we do not
feel the least temptation to do
them. The Dr is just like our
family and it is such a blessing
He is utterly fearless always
and every where in doing and
defending the right. It must be
so hard to live a christian life
with an unbelieving husband.
God pity those who are [?themselves
too?]. I wish I could have you
all here to day. We would do some
right seeing would we not?
Olivia went to Macao last
Wednesday and I suppose return
ed to Canton Friday so she
and Dr Niles are having it all
go back to Hoi Nan before
next Feb. at the earliest .
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page one]
I do hope you are better and getting stronger. The
last mail brought us no letter from home so we
will hope for
a double
share next
time.
I came
closer to get
a little sea
air, have
not felt no
one for a
month or
twi - but
home is a
pretty good
place after
all.
With lots
of love
Mattie
香港酒店 8 月 12 日
亲爱的玛丽
我刚得知美国邮件离开了
[注：用红色写，不同的笔迹]
1889 到明天所以会发一条线希望海蒂比我做得更好。
非常想六号妈妈八月 和 瓦尔努姆 如果 母亲 还活着 她 现在 已经 79 岁 了我觉得时间太短了，
太短了。
但天堂是否在它的尽头并不重要。
上周五我和克尔医生一起下来，
期待周六回去。
但是医生说，
当我们安全地在这里时，
我们要到周一才能回来。
首先去了德国使团，
在那里我们可以以每天 1.00 的价格入住。
但是医生病人的妻子希望他来这家酒店，
这样他就可以靠近他们，
我们是在前一天晚上 {安息日} 我们在这个城市最贵族的房子里。
他们以每天不到 4.00 的价格为我们提供一个，
这是最便宜的，
我想在某些情况下费用会增加一倍。
这所房子有许多来自旧世界和新世界国家的游客，
他们不关心东西的成本。
我感到不舒服，
并恳求医生今天早上离开，
但他说他必须留到下午他的病人在这里支付我们的费用。
早餐时我喝了一杯牛奶 0.10。
告诉我丈夫，
当我们回家时，
他应该白白拥有这么多。
哦，
女孩们，
家庭生活是多么幸福啊，
没有什么比入住这样的酒店更无情和可怕的了。
没有爱就没有互相关心。
这么多钱对这么多住宿。
但我很高兴看到它一次。
我相信作为一个家庭，
我们都不关心基于金钱价值的声誉或友谊。
我们当然知道这里的人很富有，
但越来越多的人发现财富不能靠幸福。
我们在广州的家比这里好一千倍。
昨天安息日，
我们受邀与一位正处于巅峰的香港贵族共进晚餐。
他是博士的朋友之一，
我在 1877 年认识他的妻子。
如果是其他一天，
我们愿意接受它，
但当然不能在安息日想到它。
想到他会想象我们会在安息日去，
这似乎很奇怪。
我越来越感激能接受这样的训练是多么幸福的一件事情，
以至于那个人不仅不会做这些事情，
而且我们也没有丝毫的诱惑去做这些事情。
医生就像我们的家人一样，
这是一种祝福，
他在做和捍卫权利时始终无所畏惧。
和一个不信的丈夫一起过基督徒的生活一定很难。
上帝怜悯那些也是他们自己的人。
我希望今天能有你们所有人在这里。
我们会做一些正确的事情，
不是吗？
Olivia 上周三去了澳门，
我想周五会回广州，
所以她和 Niles 医生最迟要在明年 2 月之前全部回会南。
[注：信在第一页横向结束]我希望你变得更好，
变得更强壮。
上一封邮件没有给我们带来家里的信，
所以我们希望下次能双份分享。
我靠得更近了，
想呼吸一点海风，
已经有一个月或两周没有感觉到没人了——但家毕竟是个不错的地方。
充满爱的玛蒂
Aug 12th
Dear Mary
I just learned that
the American mail leaves
[Note: written in red, different handwriting] 1889
to morrow so will send a
line by it hoping Hattie
will do better than I. Thought
so much about Mother
the 6th of Aug and of Varnum
too If Mother had lived she
would now have been 79
Life is now going so quickly
with us . I feel so fully that the
time is short oh so short.
But it does not matter if Heaven
is at the end of it. I came
down with Dr Kerr on Friday
last expecting to go back Satur
day .But the Dr said when we
were safely here we would not
have until Monday. First
went to the German Mission
where we can stay at 1.00
apiece a day. But the wife of
the Drs patient wanted him
to come to this Hotel so he
could be near them and we
came last eve {Sabbath} We
are at the most aristocratic
house here in the city. They
[?take?] us one for less than 4.00
per day that is the cheapest
and I suppose in some cases
the expense is doubled. The house
has a host of tourists from
the countries of the old and
new world as quests people
that do not care any thing
about the cost of things. I can
not feel comfortable and begged
the Dr to leave this morning
but he said he would be obliged
to remain until afternoon
His patient pays our expenses
here I had a glass of milk for
.10 at breakfast. told my husband
he should have as much
as that for nothing when we
went home. Oh girls what a
blessing the family life is
Nothing could be more heartless
and dreadful than to board in
such a hotel. No love no care
for each other. so much
money against so much ac-
commodation. But I am glad
to have seen it once. I believe
as a family we none of us care
for [--the--] reputation or friend
ship based upon a moneyed
value . Of course we know
those here are wealthy but
one finds more and more
that wealth can not by
happiness .Our home in
Canton is a thousand times
nicer than this. Yesterday
[u]Sabbath[/u] we had an invitation
to dine with one of the
Aristocrats of Hong kong who is
now on the peak. He is [--now--]
one of the Drs friends and I
knew his wife in 1877.
If it had been any other
day we would like to have
accepted it but of course could
not think of it on Sabbath. It
seemed so strange to think
he would imagine we would
go on Sabbath. I appreciate more
and more what a blessing it is
to have had such a training
that that one not only would not
do these things but that we do not
feel the least temptation to do
them. The Dr is just like our
family and it is such a blessing
He is utterly fearless always
and every where in doing and
defending the right. It must be
so hard to live a christian life
with an unbelieving husband.
God pity those who are [?themselves
too?]. I wish I could have you
all here to day. We would do some
right seeing would we not?
Olivia went to Macao last
Wednesday and I suppose return
ed to Canton Friday so she
and Dr Niles are having it all
go back to Hoi Nan before
next Feb. at the earliest .
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page one]
I do hope you are better and getting stronger. The
last mail brought us no letter from home so we
will hope for
a double
share next
time.
I came
closer to get
a little sea
air, have
not felt no
one for a
month or
twi - but
home is a
pretty good
place after
all.
With lots
of love
Mattie
香港酒店 8 月 12 日
亲爱的玛丽
我刚得知美国邮件离开了
[注：用红色写，不同的笔迹]
1889 到明天所以会发一条线希望海蒂比我做得更好。
非常想六号妈妈八月 和 瓦尔努姆 如果 母亲 还活着 她 现在 已经 79 岁 了我觉得时间太短了，
太短了。
但天堂是否在它的尽头并不重要。
上周五我和克尔医生一起下来，
期待周六回去。
但是医生说，
当我们安全地在这里时，
我们要到周一才能回来。
首先去了德国使团，
在那里我们可以以每天 1.00 的价格入住。
但是医生病人的妻子希望他来这家酒店，
这样他就可以靠近他们，
我们是在前一天晚上 {安息日} 我们在这个城市最贵族的房子里。
他们以每天不到 4.00 的价格为我们提供一个，
这是最便宜的，
我想在某些情况下费用会增加一倍。
这所房子有许多来自旧世界和新世界国家的游客，
他们不关心东西的成本。
我感到不舒服，
并恳求医生今天早上离开，
但他说他必须留到下午他的病人在这里支付我们的费用。
早餐时我喝了一杯牛奶 0.10。
告诉我丈夫，
当我们回家时，
他应该白白拥有这么多。
哦，
女孩们，
家庭生活是多么幸福啊，
没有什么比入住这样的酒店更无情和可怕的了。
没有爱就没有互相关心。
这么多钱对这么多住宿。
但我很高兴看到它一次。
我相信作为一个家庭，
我们都不关心基于金钱价值的声誉或友谊。
我们当然知道这里的人很富有，
但越来越多的人发现财富不能靠幸福。
我们在广州的家比这里好一千倍。
昨天安息日，
我们受邀与一位正处于巅峰的香港贵族共进晚餐。
他是博士的朋友之一，
我在 1877 年认识他的妻子。
如果是其他一天，
我们愿意接受它，
但当然不能在安息日想到它。
想到他会想象我们会在安息日去，
这似乎很奇怪。
我越来越感激能接受这样的训练是多么幸福的一件事情，
以至于那个人不仅不会做这些事情，
而且我们也没有丝毫的诱惑去做这些事情。
医生就像我们的家人一样，
这是一种祝福，
他在做和捍卫权利时始终无所畏惧。
和一个不信的丈夫一起过基督徒的生活一定很难。
上帝怜悯那些也是他们自己的人。
我希望今天能有你们所有人在这里。
我们会做一些正确的事情，
不是吗？
Olivia 上周三去了澳门，
我想周五会回广州，
所以她和 Niles 医生最迟要在明年 2 月之前全部回会南。
[注：信在第一页横向结束]我希望你变得更好，
变得更强壮。
上一封邮件没有给我们带来家里的信，
所以我们希望下次能双份分享。
我靠得更近了，
想呼吸一点海风，
已经有一个月或两周没有感觉到没人了——但家毕竟是个不错的地方。
充满爱的玛蒂
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Kerr, Martha Noyes, “Letter from Mattie to Mary, August 12, 1889,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed November 21, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/560.