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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/47
ArchiveUniversity of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter DateTuesday 23 December 1919
Address From9 Porchester Place, Edgware Road, Westminster, London
Address To
Who ToBetty Molteno
Other Versions
PermissionsPlease 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.
1Tuesday
2
3My darling Betty
4
5This will reach you on Xmas morning I hope. May the day be one free of
6pain for our darling, then I know it be be a good one for you. When I
7lie awake in the night my thoughts go so to Alice – is she waking
8– is she faint. You say she takes porridge for her breakfast, I find
9porridge rather heavy, would she not find Allenburgs Diet, (not
10Allenburg’s baby food – but Diet) a nice change or Bengers. Does
11she ever take Mellin’s food? Its delicious, takes the place of tea
12or coffee, & is so strengthening & nourishing at the same time. For
13the last 6 years of my mothers life she had a cup ful made last thing,
14if she didn’t drink before she slept she drank it in the night if
15she woke (its quite nice cold) – she used to call it “my dear
16Mellins” it helped her so.
17
18I will order Keynes book for you & one for Margarett tomorrow, &
19I’ll write to Margarett. About Dillons I don’t quite understand.
20In the first part of your letter you say you have bought a copy & are
21going to send it on to Margarett – but in the last part you ask me
22to send it to her? I won’t send it till I hear again from you I have
23the £2. I am writing to dear May
24
25Thine ever
26Olive
27
28We saved my mother’s life with oysters when she was supposed to be
29ding. We gave her four or six oysters, with a tablespoon of the best
30champagne after them. In a weeks time she had got so strong Mrs Lewis
31was able to take her to Cape Town. She couldn’t lift her hand when
32we began giving her the oysters. If Alice can take champagne it helps
33the oysters to digest & helps one to sleep.
34
35Sir Graham Greene or her brother Edward would be able to order her
36some that was good – it must be the best One bottle would last for
37days. You buy a champagne cork bottle cork s-crew You screw it through
38the cork – you don’t pull the cork out, & it keeps its fizz for
39days. I am so glad you are getting out for some walks
40
Notation
The books referred to are: John Maynard Keynes (1919) The Economic Consequences of the Peace London: Macmillan & Co; Emile Joseph Dillon (1919) The Peace Conference London: Hutchinson & Co.