"I was bleeding to death, you saved my life" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/37 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | Thursday 6 November 1919 |
| Address From | 9 Porchester Place, Edgware Road, Westminster, London |
| Address To | |
| Who To | May Murray Parker nee Murray |
| Other Versions | |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
The Project is grateful to Manuscripts and Archives, University of Cape Town, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Manuscripts and Archives Collections. The date has been written on this letter in an unknown hand. Schreiner was resident at Porchester Place from early April 1917 until August 1920, when she left Britain for South Africa.
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1Thursday
2
3Darling May
4
5I enclose Aunt Betty’s of Monday. It is clear Alice is growing
6weaker & weaker, if she has to have a chair to wheel her from one bed
7to another. Aunt Betty bearing up with such wonderful bravery: I fear
8the re-action when the end comes.
9
10I have had a letter from a niece of mine at the Cape, who saw them the
11day they landed, & posted the same day to catch the post: so I have to
12yet get letters from any of the party; but she says Colonel Gregg is
13going to British East Africa, so I suppose Dot married at once, to go
14on with him. We shall hear full news next week. I am anxious to hear
15more. She met him for the first time on board ship.
16
17Dr Purcell seems to have suffered much before he died. Cron saw him
18when he was in town a few days before he was then very weak. As Cron
19was leaving he twice called out “Old chap, old chap!” as if he
20were saying good bye. On the 1st Anna sent a wire to Cron at de Aar
21saying “Fred is dying, can you come at once. I need help. Wire time
22of arrival,” but Cron was unwell with influenza & could not go. On
23the 3rd she wired “Fred dead; 3rd October, my birthday.” If only I
24could be with her, & try to help her. I cannot bear to be away from my
25friends when they are in sorrow.
26
27We are having heavy snow here. This afternoon Lucy & Olivers wife
28coming to have tea with me.
29
30I am so sorry Fred can’t get away to Africa for the winter. Could
31you not to the Riviera?
32
33My love to you both
34Olive
35
2
3Darling May
4
5I enclose Aunt Betty’s of Monday. It is clear Alice is growing
6weaker & weaker, if she has to have a chair to wheel her from one bed
7to another. Aunt Betty bearing up with such wonderful bravery: I fear
8the re-action when the end comes.
9
10I have had a letter from a niece of mine at the Cape, who saw them the
11day they landed, & posted the same day to catch the post: so I have to
12yet get letters from any of the party; but she says Colonel Gregg is
13going to British East Africa, so I suppose Dot married at once, to go
14on with him. We shall hear full news next week. I am anxious to hear
15more. She met him for the first time on board ship.
16
17Dr Purcell seems to have suffered much before he died. Cron saw him
18when he was in town a few days before he was then very weak. As Cron
19was leaving he twice called out “Old chap, old chap!” as if he
20were saying good bye. On the 1st Anna sent a wire to Cron at de Aar
21saying “Fred is dying, can you come at once. I need help. Wire time
22of arrival,” but Cron was unwell with influenza & could not go. On
23the 3rd she wired “Fred dead; 3rd October, my birthday.” If only I
24could be with her, & try to help her. I cannot bear to be away from my
25friends when they are in sorrow.
26
27We are having heavy snow here. This afternoon Lucy & Olivers wife
28coming to have tea with me.
29
30I am so sorry Fred can’t get away to Africa for the winter. Could
31you not to the Riviera?
32
33My love to you both
34Olive
35