1The Homestead
2March 28 / 95. ^
3Kimberley
4South Africa^
5
6Dear Bob,
7
8I enclose a letter which I’ve just cut from a paper. Such letters
9are always appearing, & it makes me feel it can end in nothing but
10misery for the ordinary delicate working man to come out. People fa
11eat & drink in a much plainer rougher way - & are contented with much
12rougher housing here than at home. For five years I was governess in
13this country, & was for nearly all that time earning £ 10/- a week
14with the very coarsest food; a room with a mud floor across which the
15rainwater used to stream when it rained, from the holes in the roof. I
16had a bedstead made of wood & leather no table or chair, but an empty
17soap pot box to sit on & a bigger one to write on, & an old tin box
18that I keep my clothes in. For weeks at a time sometimes we did not
19see even bread, only unstamped mealies, or pumpkins. They were the
20happiest years of my life, because when my work was done I could creep
21away into the bush & be happy by myself; but I very much doubt whether
22the average English working man accustomed to his good bread, butter,
23& milk or tea &c could stand such a life, or would work contentedly
24for 10/- a week; & when his boots were worn out mend them with bits of
25cloth or leather & laugh all the while! Even now ^I^ I am do nearly all
26the scrubbing window cleaning & cookery myself. I have one little girl
27to help me, but her time is mainly taken up in doing the
28
29^washing &c. I am expecting my little one daily now: and am very busy
30getting the house cleaned up before it comes. How is little Waldo.
31Send me his photo. I wish I could see him^
32
33Yours ever dear old Bob.
34Olive
35