Letter from Mattie to Em, August 23, 1879

Letter from Mattie to Em, August 23, 1879

Travel; Fashion; Sewing; Typhoid fever

Martha tells Emily about her plans so far that morning, which have included sewing and packing her trunk for Swatow. She talks about her soon-to-be new gauze dress and Hattie's hats. She received $50 from her ladies back home, wishing her to take a trip. The letter continues on Sept. 2 in Swatow. She mentions the death of Florie Gauld who died of Typhoid fever. She is concerned her mother is not doing well.

Kerr, Noyes Martha

The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3

Unpublished

1879-08-23

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_712

Canton China
Aug 23ed /79
My dear Em -
I have just an hour
before bed time and you
shall have it. We find the
Tokio is delayed a week so
we can add a little more
to what we have already
sent. Shall I tell you
what we have been doing
to-day? - Sewing principal
ly. This morning I pack
ed my trunk for Swatow
but more of that [?anon?].
When I was about to
begin the operation I found
the little key which locked
it had disappeared so I
called up the Major General
and asked him if he could

get a new one to which he
replied yes and that the lock
smith would come and fit one
to the lock. Well I packed
up nearly everything and it was
well done too in my humble
opinion when back come
[?Agney?] saying the man would
not come but he must take
the trunk to him. Well there
was no remedy so out came
every thing - but all was put
back this afternoon. Our
sewing women is expending
her energies upon a new
gauze dress which is to be
finished by Friday night
Hattie has partially trimmed
a hat one like Sarah I believe
a black straw which is com-
ing out dressed in the black
silk trimmings of my velvet
[?that?] accompanied by a straw
colored somewhat soiled
necktie but the general
effect is all that could be wished

The last mail brought a letter
from my ladies enclosing a
check for 50.00 with the request
that I go away for a change
It does seem so selfish to
leave Hattie here all by her-
self but she does not want to
leave Canton says she hopes
she can remain where she
is until she goes home
again.
Sept 2nd Am in Swatow
and a steamer is signaled
for the south so I must just
close up. Meant to have
written more but the ship
has come in sooner then
we expected. It has rained
and poured ever since I came
so we have not been
out any where. Saw Dr
Gauld is the same dear
good christian physician
as ever. They are feeling

very sad over the loss of
their dear little [?Florie?]
of four - who died a short
time ago of Typhoid fever
I hope sarah will remain
at home next year. Am
afraid mother is not very
strong. - From your letters
it seems as if Aunt
Fay must have failed
very much since I left
America. I suppose there
is very little hope of my
seeing her again.
Mr & Mrs Friend are still
here and very miserable
will have to go home
in the spring. Mr F has
lost entirely the use of
one eye. And I suppose
there is great danger the
other will become use-
less. Perhaps there will be
another str down before
the American mail goes
if so will write. I can
only say here that I have

[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page one]
another reason for [u]thankfulness[/u] in getting
here safely - had a rough and rather unsafe
passage.
Mrs Ashmore
is not very
strong but very
nice an
angel in
the house
hold. There
are just now
6 single
ladies in
Swatow
Yours lovingly
Mattie




中国广东
8 月 23 日 /79
我亲爱的Em——
我只有一个小时
睡前和你
将拥有它。我们发现
东京推迟一周所以
我们可以多加一点
我们已经拥有的
发送。我可以告诉你吗
我们一直在做什么
今天？ - 主要是缝纫。
今天早上我收拾行李去 Swatow
但很快就会有更多。
当我正要
开始我发现的操作
锁上的小钥匙
它消失了，所以我
召集少将
并问他是否可以

得到一个新的，他
回答是，那把锁
史密斯会来找一个
到锁。好吧，我打包了
几乎所有东西都起来了
在我的卑微中也做得很好
回来时的意见
阿格尼说那个人会
不来，但他必须带走
给他的行李箱。那么那里
没有补救措施，所以出来了
每件事——但一切都被放了
今天下午回来。我们的
缝纫妇女正在花费
她的精力在一个新的
纱裙
周五晚上结束
海蒂已经部分修剪
我相信像莎拉这样的帽子
一根穿着黑色衣服出来的黑色稻草
我的天鹅绒丝绸边饰
伴随着一根稻草
颜色有点脏
领带不过一般
效果就是我们所希望的

最后一封邮件带来了一封信
从我的女士们附上一个
根据请求检查 50.00
我离开换换
看起来确实很自私
把海蒂一个人留在这里，但她不想
离开广州说她希望
她可以留在她所在的地方
直到她回家
再次。
9 月 2 日上午在斯沃图
汽船发出信号
对于南方，所以我必须
特写。本来就有
写得更多，但船
来得早
我们预计。下过雨
自从我来了就倾盆而下
所以我们没有
出任何地方。看到博士
Gauld 是一样的亲爱的
好基督徒医生
如从前。他们感觉

对失去的感到非常难过
他们亲爱的小弗洛里
四人中的一员 - 短暂死亡
前段时间伤寒
我希望莎拉会留下来
明年在家。是
怕妈妈不是很
强的。 - 从你的来信
好像阿姨
费伊一定失败了
自从我离开以来
美国。我想那里
我的希望很小
再次见到她。
Mr & Mrs Friend 还在
这里很惨
将不得不回家
在春天。 F先生有
完全失去了使用
一只眼睛。我想
有很大的危险
其他将变得无用。
也许会有
之前又一艘轮船下来
美国邮件去
如果是这样会写。我可以
只在这里说我有

[注：信在第一页结束]
感恩的另一个原因
在这里安全 - 有一个粗糙而且相当不安全
通道。
阿什莫尔夫人
不是很
强大但非常
不错的
天使在
房子
抓住。那里
只是现在
6单
女士们
斯沃图
亲爱的
马蒂

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