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Letter ReferenceFindlay Family A1199/1189
ArchiveWilliam Cullen Library, Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date24 May 1873
Address FromDe Beers, New Rush, later Kimberley, Northern Cape
Address To
Who ToCatherine ('Katie') Findlay nee Schreiner
Other VersionsRive 1987: 11
PermissionsPlease read before using or citing this transcription
Legend
The Project is grateful to the William Cullen Library, University of Johannesburg, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Historical Papers.
1 De Beers New Rush
2 May 24th 1873
3
4 My dearest Katie!
5
6 I was much grieved to hear of heavy trial you have had to pass through,
7 in the loss of your little daughter. It is indeed bitter when death
8takes from us those we love; but, dear sister, we do not know what
9might have been her future had she lived; how many of there are for
10whom it would have been far better had they died as little babies, for
11her there is no more bitterness or grief for ever. I wish dear Katie
12that I could see you, to tell you how much I feel for you, or even
13that I could write you a long letter this post; but I can not as I am
14suffering from a very bad thumb & writing pains me much.
15
16 Give my best love to the children & thank Katie for her letter which I
17will answer as soon as my hand is better when you also must expect a
18long letter. Till then goodbye dear Katie.
19
20 With warm love & sympathy
21 I am
22 Your ever loving sister
23 Olive E. A. Schreiner
24
25 P.S. Many thanks for the likeness - I was very glad of it.
26
27
28
Notation
Rive's (1987) version of this letter is in a number of respects incorrect.