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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner: Mimmie Murray 2001.24/57
ArchiveNational English Literary Museum, Grahamstown
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter DateMonday February 1911
Address FromOudeberg, Free State
Address To
Who ToMinnie or Mimmie Murray nee Parkes
Other Versions
PermissionsPlease read before using or citing this transcription
Legend
The Project is grateful to the National English Literary Museum (NELM) for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Manuscript Collections. This letter has been approximately dated by reference to content. Schreiner stayed in Oudeberg from the end January to the end of February 1911.
1 Oudeberg
2 Monday night
3
4 Thanks, dear Mrs Murray for your letter. The heat here has been
5terrific for three days & nights, but tonight we are having a little
6thunderstorm. Mr ?Rosco has been here for a two days & left this
7evening again for Murray's-burg. He's a very nice loveable fellow. He
8says like you that the people are charming at Murraysburg. I spent a
9delightful day at at St ?Olives, & today Mr Stretch drove Mr ?Rosco &
10myself over to Mrs Enslins as she had invited me. She is a very
11loveable woman, a sort of big mother-heart. Have you tried to get her
12to join your society?
13
14 I hope ?Ian is keeping well. I always look at the old neck at Portlock.
15 If I had a strong telescope I might see you there some evening!!
16
17 I do hope
18 Love to all.
19 Olive Schreiner
20
21
Notation
On 9 February 1911 Cronwright-Schreiner wrote to Mrs Murray (Olive Schreiner: Mimmie Murray 2001.24/7) having received a letter about Schreiner’s visit to her, as follows:

P.O. Box 24,
De Aar, C.C.
9th Feb. 1911

My dear Mrs Murray,

Thank you so much for your kind and prompt letter which came this morning. The news you give is indeed pleasant and reassuring. It is curious how constant change suits her. I am doubtful whether there is any place where she will ever be well permanently. She can be and look so well, when she has a fair chance. Her time with you must have been a very pleasant one for her, and you must have a delightful place. She is revelling in the baboons now! All wild things appeal to here her. I suppose it is the freedom (or imagined freedom!!) of the life that touches her. I dare say if she were a baboon and saw Mr Murray stalking her with a rifle, there’d be a more direct realisation that a baboon’s life (like a policeman’s) is not a happy one. The little woman should never have to live in a town, with her great love of the country.

With kind regards to you both,
Yours very sincerely,
S.C. Cronwright Schreiner