"Lies about Boer generals & about OS, she self-supporting" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Smuts A1/191/54 |
| Archive | National Archives Repository, Pretoria |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | December 1908 |
| Address From | De Aar, Northern Cape |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Isie Smuts nee Krige |
| Other Versions | |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
The Project is grateful to the National Archives Repository, Pretoria, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Special Collections. The month and year have been written on this letter in an unknown hand. Schreiner was resident in De Aar from November 1907 until she left South Africa for Britain and Europe in December 1913, but with some fairly lengthy visits elsewhere over this time.
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1
Dear Isie
2
3 It was nice to see you. I always say I am "the last of the
4Republicans" in South Africa, but as you wear that little ribbon I
5suppose you are one too? I am so sick of hearing about "Europe" & the
6"Union Jack": it makes one perfectly ill. It’s very hot & dusty here,
7 & I shall be going to Matjesfontein about the 15th of this month –
8My Husband has ten days Holiday at Xmas, & if he goes down to Cape
9Town I may, possibly, go down too.
10
11 But I’m sure your house will be quite full at that time, so if I
12come to See Point I will take rooms in a ^boarding^ house somewhere near
13you, where I can run in & see you every day. Is your house on the
14Camp’s Bay side of the Round church? Is it on the street where the
15Camp’s Bay train passes, or nearer the sea. Tell me if you see Anna
16Purcell & if you like her. Both she & her husband are beautiful folk.
17
18 Kisses for the children. I hope the change is doing you all good.
19
20 Auntie Olive
21
22 ^I shared your flowers with the bank managers wife, & gave some to my
23husband’s office girl, & still brought a little bunch home, which is
24quite fresh still as I change the water every day.^
25
26
27
2
3 It was nice to see you. I always say I am "the last of the
4Republicans" in South Africa, but as you wear that little ribbon I
5suppose you are one too? I am so sick of hearing about "Europe" & the
6"Union Jack": it makes one perfectly ill. It’s very hot & dusty here,
7 & I shall be going to Matjesfontein about the 15th of this month –
8My Husband has ten days Holiday at Xmas, & if he goes down to Cape
9Town I may, possibly, go down too.
10
11 But I’m sure your house will be quite full at that time, so if I
12come to See Point I will take rooms in a ^boarding^ house somewhere near
13you, where I can run in & see you every day. Is your house on the
14Camp’s Bay side of the Round church? Is it on the street where the
15Camp’s Bay train passes, or nearer the sea. Tell me if you see Anna
16Purcell & if you like her. Both she & her husband are beautiful folk.
17
18 Kisses for the children. I hope the change is doing you all good.
19
20 Auntie Olive
21
22 ^I shared your flowers with the bank managers wife, & gave some to my
23husband’s office girl, & still brought a little bunch home, which is
24quite fresh still as I change the water every day.^
25
26
27