Letter from Mattie to her dear sister
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Mattie to her dear sister
Subject
Birthdays; Early memories; Sisters; Family; Dreams
Description
Martha writes to Emily on her birthday and shares memories from when they were both young. She tells her of a dream she had of their mother telling her now that she is married she is different which troubled her. Mattie says that through their mother's death, she realized how much the family really does love each other.
Creator
Kerr, Noyes Martha
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3
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Unpublished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_725
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
My dear sister
Your birth day and
how old is it. 42 if I am
not mistaken How the years
do fly. I remember when you
were a little tot only a few
days old. I came home from
school and ran into the
parlor to get a glimpse of
the wee stranger. Mother
had you in her arms and
was sitting in the rocking
chair. I suspect in those
days they were glad to have
the six year old off at school
6 hours in the day. Your
coming was descanted upon
by that same six year old
the morning after you
[Note: Additional note written sideways on page two]
"while there
is life there
is hope"
arrival. I remember telling [--her--] Adaline [?Nye?]
that Mother woke up and
found you on her arm and
some how or other the angels
had put you there. We have
42 years since then
and it was a blessing to us
all when our Em came among
us. I think of you now as
occupying the seat at table
that I have so often felt some
time perhaps you would
occupy and try to think how
it seems. It came over me
with such a rush of feeling
yesterday of the mess it would
be if we ever went home
not to find little Mother
there. I had such a vivid
dream of her the other night
Thought Father Mother and
Hattie were coming out here
I met them some where
en route and saw Mother first
Began to talk with her. We
had talked quite a while when I
thought. I have not seen Father
yet but I must not have
mother a moment lest she should
vanish. I can see Father bye
and bye. The only thing I remem
ber asking her was whether I
seemed changed and she replied
"yes you are married now and
do not seem the same". It distressed
me so and I thought I would
ask Hattie if I seemed changed to
her. I told Mother I felt just as
I did before. We saw Dr Swan
when we reached her and I called
out My father and Mother are here
before yours 84 and 76, and then
awoke. Mother looked so natural
I wished so much I could have
recollected more she said. But
was it not strange to feel while
talking to her that she might
vanish suddenly. Oh how
like like she was. I do feel so
glad for the dream. Her death
has shown me more vividly
than I ever realized how much
we really do love one another
and how precious we are to each
other. Our family it seems to me
are different in that respect from
the large majority of families
and I know the Dr feels so.
We have every thing to be
thankful for that dear little
Mother went without pain or
the knowledge she was being
taken. I know just how it
was in the last stage of the
disease for we have had two
casese in the hospital just
like here - sometime I feel so
anxious for Hattie to come back
so we can talk it all over
but oh Em, you can not
possibly know how it is here
Nobody has any time for any
thing, and when she comes back
[Note: Letter continues sideways on page one]
looked at him. The dress looks very well. I wish you
could have this individual rattling away on your machine
for awhile.
Must stop
may be after
two more birth
days we may
be on hand to
celebrate one
But do not
say any thing
ever to Henry
for I would not
want any one
to think I was
planning to
go home so
soon after
reaching China
With love
Mattie
亲爱的姐姐
你的生日和
几岁了。 42 如果我是
没看错 岁月如何
飞。我记得当你
有一点点只有几个
天老了。我从
学校跑进了
客厅一瞥
那个小小的陌生人。母亲
有你在她的怀里
坐在摇摆的
椅子。我怀疑那些
他们很高兴拥有的日子
六岁的孩子放学了
一天6小时。您的
即将来临
同一个六岁
在你之后的早晨
[注：附加说明写在第二页上]
“在那里时
那里有生命吗
是希望”
到达。我记得告诉阿达琳奈
妈妈醒来了
发现你在她的手臂上
一些如何或其他的天使
把你放在那里。我们有
从那时起42年
这对我们来说是一种祝福
所有当我们的Em进来时
我们。我现在把你想成
占座
我经常感觉到一些
时间也许你会
占据并尝试思考如何
它似乎。它向我袭来
带着如此急切的心情
昨天的烂摊子
如果我们回家
不找小妈妈
那里。我有这么生动
那天晚上梦见她
想爸爸妈妈和
海蒂要出来了
我在某个地方遇到了他们
途中先见到妈妈
开始和她说话。我们
我谈了很久
想法。我没见过父亲
但我一定没有
妈妈，以免她应该
消失。我可以再见到父亲
再见。我记得唯一问过她的是我是否
似乎变了，她回答
“是的，你现在结婚了，而且
看起来不一样”。它心疼
我是这样，我以为我会
问海蒂我是不是变成了
她。我告诉妈妈我的感觉就像
我以前做过。我们看到了天鹅医生
当我们到达她，我打电话给
out 我的爸爸妈妈在这里
在你的 84 和 76 之前，然后
醒了。妈妈看起来很自然
我多么希望我能拥有
她说得更多。但
感觉不是很奇怪吗？
和她说话，她可能会
突然消失。哦如何
就像她一样。我确实觉得
为梦想而高兴。她的死
更生动地向我展示了
比我意识到的
我们真的很相爱
我们对每个人来说是多么珍贵
其他。我们的家庭在我看来
在这方面不同于
绝大多数家庭
我知道医生也是这么想的。
我们拥有一切
感谢那个可爱的小宝贝
母亲没有疼痛或
她的知识
采取。我知道它是怎么回事
处于最后阶段
疾病因为我们有过两次
医院里的病例只是
就像这里——有时我觉得
急切盼望海蒂回来
所以我们可以好好谈谈
但是哦，Em，你不能
可能知道这里的情况
没有人有任何时间
事情，当她回来时
[注：信在第一页继续横向]
看着他。这件衣服看起来非常好。我希望你
可能会让这个人在你的机器上嘎嘎作响
一阵子。
必须停止
可能在之后
还有两个出生
我们可能的日子
随时待命
庆祝一个
但不要
随便说什么
永远对亨利
因为我不会
想要任何一个
以为我是
计划着
回家吧
不久之后
到达中国
有爱
马蒂
Your birth day and
how old is it. 42 if I am
not mistaken How the years
do fly. I remember when you
were a little tot only a few
days old. I came home from
school and ran into the
parlor to get a glimpse of
the wee stranger. Mother
had you in her arms and
was sitting in the rocking
chair. I suspect in those
days they were glad to have
the six year old off at school
6 hours in the day. Your
coming was descanted upon
by that same six year old
the morning after you
[Note: Additional note written sideways on page two]
"while there
is life there
is hope"
arrival. I remember telling [--her--] Adaline [?Nye?]
that Mother woke up and
found you on her arm and
some how or other the angels
had put you there. We have
42 years since then
and it was a blessing to us
all when our Em came among
us. I think of you now as
occupying the seat at table
that I have so often felt some
time perhaps you would
occupy and try to think how
it seems. It came over me
with such a rush of feeling
yesterday of the mess it would
be if we ever went home
not to find little Mother
there. I had such a vivid
dream of her the other night
Thought Father Mother and
Hattie were coming out here
I met them some where
en route and saw Mother first
Began to talk with her. We
had talked quite a while when I
thought. I have not seen Father
yet but I must not have
mother a moment lest she should
vanish. I can see Father bye
and bye. The only thing I remem
ber asking her was whether I
seemed changed and she replied
"yes you are married now and
do not seem the same". It distressed
me so and I thought I would
ask Hattie if I seemed changed to
her. I told Mother I felt just as
I did before. We saw Dr Swan
when we reached her and I called
out My father and Mother are here
before yours 84 and 76, and then
awoke. Mother looked so natural
I wished so much I could have
recollected more she said. But
was it not strange to feel while
talking to her that she might
vanish suddenly. Oh how
like like she was. I do feel so
glad for the dream. Her death
has shown me more vividly
than I ever realized how much
we really do love one another
and how precious we are to each
other. Our family it seems to me
are different in that respect from
the large majority of families
and I know the Dr feels so.
We have every thing to be
thankful for that dear little
Mother went without pain or
the knowledge she was being
taken. I know just how it
was in the last stage of the
disease for we have had two
casese in the hospital just
like here - sometime I feel so
anxious for Hattie to come back
so we can talk it all over
but oh Em, you can not
possibly know how it is here
Nobody has any time for any
thing, and when she comes back
[Note: Letter continues sideways on page one]
looked at him. The dress looks very well. I wish you
could have this individual rattling away on your machine
for awhile.
Must stop
may be after
two more birth
days we may
be on hand to
celebrate one
But do not
say any thing
ever to Henry
for I would not
want any one
to think I was
planning to
go home so
soon after
reaching China
With love
Mattie
亲爱的姐姐
你的生日和
几岁了。 42 如果我是
没看错 岁月如何
飞。我记得当你
有一点点只有几个
天老了。我从
学校跑进了
客厅一瞥
那个小小的陌生人。母亲
有你在她的怀里
坐在摇摆的
椅子。我怀疑那些
他们很高兴拥有的日子
六岁的孩子放学了
一天6小时。您的
即将来临
同一个六岁
在你之后的早晨
[注：附加说明写在第二页上]
“在那里时
那里有生命吗
是希望”
到达。我记得告诉阿达琳奈
妈妈醒来了
发现你在她的手臂上
一些如何或其他的天使
把你放在那里。我们有
从那时起42年
这对我们来说是一种祝福
所有当我们的Em进来时
我们。我现在把你想成
占座
我经常感觉到一些
时间也许你会
占据并尝试思考如何
它似乎。它向我袭来
带着如此急切的心情
昨天的烂摊子
如果我们回家
不找小妈妈
那里。我有这么生动
那天晚上梦见她
想爸爸妈妈和
海蒂要出来了
我在某个地方遇到了他们
途中先见到妈妈
开始和她说话。我们
我谈了很久
想法。我没见过父亲
但我一定没有
妈妈，以免她应该
消失。我可以再见到父亲
再见。我记得唯一问过她的是我是否
似乎变了，她回答
“是的，你现在结婚了，而且
看起来不一样”。它心疼
我是这样，我以为我会
问海蒂我是不是变成了
她。我告诉妈妈我的感觉就像
我以前做过。我们看到了天鹅医生
当我们到达她，我打电话给
out 我的爸爸妈妈在这里
在你的 84 和 76 之前，然后
醒了。妈妈看起来很自然
我多么希望我能拥有
她说得更多。但
感觉不是很奇怪吗？
和她说话，她可能会
突然消失。哦如何
就像她一样。我确实觉得
为梦想而高兴。她的死
更生动地向我展示了
比我意识到的
我们真的很相爱
我们对每个人来说是多么珍贵
其他。我们的家庭在我看来
在这方面不同于
绝大多数家庭
我知道医生也是这么想的。
我们拥有一切
感谢那个可爱的小宝贝
母亲没有疼痛或
她的知识
采取。我知道它是怎么回事
处于最后阶段
疾病因为我们有过两次
医院里的病例只是
就像这里——有时我觉得
急切盼望海蒂回来
所以我们可以好好谈谈
但是哦，Em，你不能
可能知道这里的情况
没有人有任何时间
事情，当她回来时
[注：信在第一页继续横向]
看着他。这件衣服看起来非常好。我希望你
可能会让这个人在你的机器上嘎嘎作响
一阵子。
必须停止
可能在之后
还有两个出生
我们可能的日子
随时待命
庆祝一个
但不要
随便说什么
永远对亨利
因为我不会
想要任何一个
以为我是
计划着
回家吧
不久之后
到达中国
有爱
马蒂
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Kerr, Noyes Martha, “Letter from Mattie to her dear sister,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 25, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/796.