1904 — Handwritten letter fragment regarding missionary work among Chinese people and family life

1904 — Handwritten letter fragment regarding missionary work among Chinese people and family life

Year: 1904

Two-page scan of a fragmentary handwritten English letter dated April 14, 1904, preserved as a personal correspondence item. The surviving leaves are written in cursive on light-colored paper with visible fold lines, edge darkening, and age toning. The document appears incomplete, with no full salutation or closing signature visible in the supplied pages. The handwriting is pale and uneven in places, and portions of the text are difficult to read, but the letter clearly combines domestic family discussion with reflections on Christian missionary and Y.M.C.A. work among Chinese people. One page discusses childcare and household concerns, including comments about a child’s feeding schedule and the writer’s uncertainty about caring for him, with phrasing such as “real time yet—and his stomach isn’t always a true guide,” “He has gone nearly three hours now,” and a reference to whether anything can be done to “remove” a “bright” but troubling condition. The page conveys the writer’s anxiety about infant care and family responsibilities. Another page contains an extended reflection on a man’s opportunity to undertake “Y.M.C.A work among his Chinese later,” and contrasts family life with