Letter from Martha to Clara
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Martha to Clara
Subject
Weather; Breakfasts; Dinners and dining; Cooking (Peaches); Prayer meetings; Friendly visiting; Health
Description
Martha writes to Clara about how hot it has been in Canton and the first peaches of the season that she got to eat. She then discusses taking a nap after dinner at 1 pm and almost missing the prayer meeting led by someone named "Aoon". She mentions being invited to dinner with the Happers, Henrys, and Chalmers, then ends updating on Harriet's health and mentioning that Dr. Kerr may visit soon.
Creator
Kerr, Martha Noyes
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #5
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
Unknown
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_531
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
My dear Clara
I will begin my
home letters with one to you
in answer to your good one
of March 19th. Well a little
history of the day perhaps
would be interesting. First
of all it is exceedingly hot
really rather unusual
weather even for Canton
The Thermometer has
for the past 2 days stood
at 90°. We go to bed with it
at 88° get up in the morn-
ing - find it [?ditto?]. I wish
some of our good people
at home [u]Dr E.[/u]---for
instance could spend the
summer in Canton if at
its close - Nov 1st he concluded
He had the finest climate in
the world" I am mistaken
I suppose his judgement
was based upon those
two weeks he spent here in
Nov 1874. Well - I managed
to be ready for breakfast at
quarter before eight - then
did nothing except write a
letter to Lucy until my
1st class came in - was
busy from the that time unti
1 P.M. when dinner was
announced. The cook
surprised us with a dish of
peaches. {stewed} the first
we have had this season
Lillie came in before we
were through eating - and had
some with us. She has a
meeting with the bible women
every Tues at two oclock in
the school chapel but was
over early to day so made us
a little visit in the mean time
After dinner I came up
stairs to [u]lie down[/u] went
sound asleep. The weekly
prayer meeting in the school
was at three oclock. when
I woke up heard the girls
and women singing-and
thoughts. Why is it possible
prayer meeting has com-
menced. About five minutes
after Lillie and Hattie came
walking in. I could scarce
ly believe prayer meeting
was over. Hattie had asked
[u]A oon[/u] to conduct it but it
seems the old Bible Woman
at Nam Mung Ki took the
[u]chair[/u] and did the "[u]koveging[/u]"
She certainly was a good
example of brevity did her
[u]reading[/u] and explaining of
scripture in the space of
[u]five minutes[/u]. The girls
could scarcely keep from laugh-
ing- and moreover were quite
disappointed that Aoon was
supplanted thus Hattie and
I were invited to take din-
ner at the Cunningham's
this even in the company with
the Happer family Mr & Mrs
Henry and the Chalmers. Hattie
went but I did not think
it wise to use any surplus
strength in that way. Called
upon Mr Piercy however
found her more comfortable
than I have seen her for
sometime. She is just
on the verge of [u]life[/u] not
[u]death[/u]. I felt to night as I looked
at her - she would soon [illegible]
[Note: Letter continues sideways on page one]
a year ago last Winter and I have always felt a peculiar
attachment for her. She used to come in always and
sleep with her Mother
so I saw a good deal
of her. We are looking
with some anxiety
for news by the next
mail. Dr Carrow
evidently means to
stay where he is at all
events. If he knew
what was going on at
the other end would
be some what un-
easy. I imagine -
I should not be sur-
prised to see Dr Kerr
here any time. Henry
better - yes considerably
better than they used
to be" Good news is it not
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page two]
although no doubt had enough at best. -B- wrote to me
last mail. The first letters I have received since the one
she wrote about the Organ. Well dear Clara good
night. The clock says bed time --
Your loving sister
Mattie
亲爱的克拉拉,
我的家信将以一封写给您的信件开始,
以回应您 3 月 19 日的一封好信。
好吧,
今天的一点历史也许会很有趣。
首先,
即使对于广州来说,
天气也非常热,
非常不寻常。
温度计在过去 2 天里一直保持在 90°。
我们在 88° 时睡觉,
早上起床 - 发现它同上。
我希望我们家里的一些好人 E 医生——例如,
如果在广州结束时可以在广州度过夏天——11 月 1 日,
他得出结论说他拥有世界上最好的气候”我错了,
我想他的判断是有根据的1874 年 11 月,
他在这里度过了那两周。
好吧——我设法在八点前一刻准备好吃早餐——然后除了给露西写一封信,
直到我的第一堂课进来——从那时起一直忙到下午 1 点。
宣布晚餐时。
厨师用一盘桃子让我们大吃一惊。
{stewed} 这是我们本季第一次吃的,
莉莉在我们吃完之前就进来了——和我们一起吃了一些。
她每周二和圣经女性会面下午两点在学校礼拜堂,
但是今天很早就结束了,
所以顺便拜访了我们一下。
晚饭后,
我上楼躺下,
睡得很香。
学校每周的祈祷会是在三点钟。
当我醒来听到女孩和女人的歌声和思绪。
为什么它是sible祷告会已经开始。
莉莉和海蒂走进来大约五分钟后。
我简直不敢相信祷告会结束了。
Hattie 曾要求 A oon 主持,
但似乎是 Nam Mung Ki 的圣经老妇人主持并做了“koveging”。
她在五分钟的时间内阅读和解释经文无疑是一个简洁的好例子。
女孩们几乎忍不住笑了——而且对 Aoon 被取代感到非常失望,
因此海蒂和我被邀请到坎宁安家吃晚饭,
即使是在哈珀家族的亨利夫妇和查默斯夫妇的陪伴下。
海蒂去了,
但我认为以这种方式使用任何多余的力量并不明智。
拜访了皮尔西先生,
但发现她比我见过的她更舒服。
她只是在生而不是死的边缘。
当我看着她时,
我感到彻夜难眠——她很快就会 [难以辨认] [注：信在第一页继续横着写] 一年前的冬天,
我一直对她有一种特殊的依恋。
她过去总是进来和她妈妈一起睡觉,
所以我看到了很多她。
我们正在焦急地寻找下一封邮件的消息。
卡罗医生显然意味着无论如何都待在原地。
如果他知道另一端发生的事情会有些不安。
我想——我不应该对任何时候在这里见到克尔医生感到惊讶。
亨利更好 - 是的,
比以前好多了” 好消息是不是 [注：信在第二页横向结束] 尽管毫无疑问充其量是足够的。
-B- 写给我的最后一封邮件。
我收到的第一封信自从她写了一篇关于风琴的文章。
好吧,
亲爱的克拉拉,
晚安。
时钟显示就寝时间——你亲爱的妹妹玛蒂
I will begin my
home letters with one to you
in answer to your good one
of March 19th. Well a little
history of the day perhaps
would be interesting. First
of all it is exceedingly hot
really rather unusual
weather even for Canton
The Thermometer has
for the past 2 days stood
at 90°. We go to bed with it
at 88° get up in the morn-
ing - find it [?ditto?]. I wish
some of our good people
at home [u]Dr E.[/u]---for
instance could spend the
summer in Canton if at
its close - Nov 1st he concluded
He had the finest climate in
the world" I am mistaken
I suppose his judgement
was based upon those
two weeks he spent here in
Nov 1874. Well - I managed
to be ready for breakfast at
quarter before eight - then
did nothing except write a
letter to Lucy until my
1st class came in - was
busy from the that time unti
1 P.M. when dinner was
announced. The cook
surprised us with a dish of
peaches. {stewed} the first
we have had this season
Lillie came in before we
were through eating - and had
some with us. She has a
meeting with the bible women
every Tues at two oclock in
the school chapel but was
over early to day so made us
a little visit in the mean time
After dinner I came up
stairs to [u]lie down[/u] went
sound asleep. The weekly
prayer meeting in the school
was at three oclock. when
I woke up heard the girls
and women singing-and
thoughts. Why is it possible
prayer meeting has com-
menced. About five minutes
after Lillie and Hattie came
walking in. I could scarce
ly believe prayer meeting
was over. Hattie had asked
[u]A oon[/u] to conduct it but it
seems the old Bible Woman
at Nam Mung Ki took the
[u]chair[/u] and did the "[u]koveging[/u]"
She certainly was a good
example of brevity did her
[u]reading[/u] and explaining of
scripture in the space of
[u]five minutes[/u]. The girls
could scarcely keep from laugh-
ing- and moreover were quite
disappointed that Aoon was
supplanted thus Hattie and
I were invited to take din-
ner at the Cunningham's
this even in the company with
the Happer family Mr & Mrs
Henry and the Chalmers. Hattie
went but I did not think
it wise to use any surplus
strength in that way. Called
upon Mr Piercy however
found her more comfortable
than I have seen her for
sometime. She is just
on the verge of [u]life[/u] not
[u]death[/u]. I felt to night as I looked
at her - she would soon [illegible]
[Note: Letter continues sideways on page one]
a year ago last Winter and I have always felt a peculiar
attachment for her. She used to come in always and
sleep with her Mother
so I saw a good deal
of her. We are looking
with some anxiety
for news by the next
mail. Dr Carrow
evidently means to
stay where he is at all
events. If he knew
what was going on at
the other end would
be some what un-
easy. I imagine -
I should not be sur-
prised to see Dr Kerr
here any time. Henry
better - yes considerably
better than they used
to be" Good news is it not
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page two]
although no doubt had enough at best. -B- wrote to me
last mail. The first letters I have received since the one
she wrote about the Organ. Well dear Clara good
night. The clock says bed time --
Your loving sister
Mattie
亲爱的克拉拉,
我的家信将以一封写给您的信件开始,
以回应您 3 月 19 日的一封好信。
好吧,
今天的一点历史也许会很有趣。
首先,
即使对于广州来说,
天气也非常热,
非常不寻常。
温度计在过去 2 天里一直保持在 90°。
我们在 88° 时睡觉,
早上起床 - 发现它同上。
我希望我们家里的一些好人 E 医生——例如,
如果在广州结束时可以在广州度过夏天——11 月 1 日,
他得出结论说他拥有世界上最好的气候”我错了,
我想他的判断是有根据的1874 年 11 月,
他在这里度过了那两周。
好吧——我设法在八点前一刻准备好吃早餐——然后除了给露西写一封信,
直到我的第一堂课进来——从那时起一直忙到下午 1 点。
宣布晚餐时。
厨师用一盘桃子让我们大吃一惊。
{stewed} 这是我们本季第一次吃的,
莉莉在我们吃完之前就进来了——和我们一起吃了一些。
她每周二和圣经女性会面下午两点在学校礼拜堂,
但是今天很早就结束了,
所以顺便拜访了我们一下。
晚饭后,
我上楼躺下,
睡得很香。
学校每周的祈祷会是在三点钟。
当我醒来听到女孩和女人的歌声和思绪。
为什么它是sible祷告会已经开始。
莉莉和海蒂走进来大约五分钟后。
我简直不敢相信祷告会结束了。
Hattie 曾要求 A oon 主持,
但似乎是 Nam Mung Ki 的圣经老妇人主持并做了“koveging”。
她在五分钟的时间内阅读和解释经文无疑是一个简洁的好例子。
女孩们几乎忍不住笑了——而且对 Aoon 被取代感到非常失望,
因此海蒂和我被邀请到坎宁安家吃晚饭,
即使是在哈珀家族的亨利夫妇和查默斯夫妇的陪伴下。
海蒂去了,
但我认为以这种方式使用任何多余的力量并不明智。
拜访了皮尔西先生,
但发现她比我见过的她更舒服。
她只是在生而不是死的边缘。
当我看着她时,
我感到彻夜难眠——她很快就会 [难以辨认] [注：信在第一页继续横着写] 一年前的冬天,
我一直对她有一种特殊的依恋。
她过去总是进来和她妈妈一起睡觉,
所以我看到了很多她。
我们正在焦急地寻找下一封邮件的消息。
卡罗医生显然意味着无论如何都待在原地。
如果他知道另一端发生的事情会有些不安。
我想——我不应该对任何时候在这里见到克尔医生感到惊讶。
亨利更好 - 是的,
比以前好多了” 好消息是不是 [注：信在第二页横向结束] 尽管毫无疑问充其量是足够的。
-B- 写给我的最后一封邮件。
我收到的第一封信自从她写了一篇关于风琴的文章。
好吧,
亲爱的克拉拉,
晚安。
时钟显示就寝时间——你亲爱的妹妹玛蒂
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Kerr, Martha Noyes, “Letter from Martha to Clara,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed November 21, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/588.