"No god save the king or god bless Paul Kruger" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Findlay Family A1199/1238 |
| Archive | William Cullen Library, Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 20 October 1874 |
| Address From | Colesberg, Northern Cape |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Catherine ('Katie') Findlay nee Schreiner |
| Other Versions | Rive 1987: 14-15 |
| Permissions | Please 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
Colesberg
2 October 20th 1874
3
4 My dearest Katie,
5
6 You have for a long time past owed me two letters, but having for a
7wonder paid off all my debts in the letter line I shall trouble you
8with a third hoping that it will bring a speedy reply.
9
10 We have been and are very busy nursing the children who one after the
11other have been ill. The baby is still very bad & it some times seems
12as if they would never be all well again. I suppose you will have
13heard all the particulars with regard to dear Theo's lucky find. I am
14hoping that if they take their diamond to Europe as they sometimes
15talk of doing I shall have a peep at them as they pass through
16Colesberg.
17
18 I wish I had had the pleasure so being at the Fields when it was found,
19 just to have seen them all so happy. I do hope he will get a good
20price for it in the end, most of all for poor Papa & Mamma's sake for
21whom I know he would do so much if he only could.
22
23 Give Auntie Olive's love to all the dear little ones. Are you thinking
24of sending Katie to school son? I should think she was quite old
25enough, but you would miss her dreadfully if she went.
26
27 Have you ever got your likenesses from Cape Town. If you have please
28don't forget your promise to send me some.
29
30 Hoping to hear from you very soon
31
32 I am dear Katie
33 Your very affectionate sister
34 Olive
35
2 October 20th 1874
3
4 My dearest Katie,
5
6 You have for a long time past owed me two letters, but having for a
7wonder paid off all my debts in the letter line I shall trouble you
8with a third hoping that it will bring a speedy reply.
9
10 We have been and are very busy nursing the children who one after the
11other have been ill. The baby is still very bad & it some times seems
12as if they would never be all well again. I suppose you will have
13heard all the particulars with regard to dear Theo's lucky find. I am
14hoping that if they take their diamond to Europe as they sometimes
15talk of doing I shall have a peep at them as they pass through
16Colesberg.
17
18 I wish I had had the pleasure so being at the Fields when it was found,
19 just to have seen them all so happy. I do hope he will get a good
20price for it in the end, most of all for poor Papa & Mamma's sake for
21whom I know he would do so much if he only could.
22
23 Give Auntie Olive's love to all the dear little ones. Are you thinking
24of sending Katie to school son? I should think she was quite old
25enough, but you would miss her dreadfully if she went.
26
27 Have you ever got your likenesses from Cape Town. If you have please
28don't forget your promise to send me some.
29
30 Hoping to hear from you very soon
31
32 I am dear Katie
33 Your very affectionate sister
34 Olive
35
Notation
Rive's (1987) version omits part of this letter and is also in a number of respects incorrect.
Rive's (1987) version omits part of this letter and is also in a number of respects incorrect.