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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner: Katie Findlay MSC 26/2.14.10
ArchiveNational Library of South Africa, Special Collections, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date4 February 1878
Address FromSeymour, Eastern Cape
Address To
Who ToCatherine ('Katie') Findlay nee Schreiner
Other VersionsCronwright-Schreiner 1924: 4; Rive 1987: 21
PermissionsPlease read before using or citing this transcription
Legend
The Project is grateful to the National Library of South Africa (NLSA), Cape Town, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Special Collections.
1Seymour,
2Feb. 4th 1878.
3
4My dear Katie!
5
6It is so long since you last wrote to me that I can’t at all
7remember when it was. I know you owe me two letters, but I shall be
8very good & write again.
9
10Mamma has just received a letter from you, & we were glad to hear that
11you were all well.
12
13I was very glad also to hear of you from Willie, who was much
14delighted with your little ones. How much you must wish to see your
15dear little Katie. Will says she is growing into a really beautiful girl.
16
17I am as you see still at Seymour, but I think I shall be leaving next
18week. On my way back I ^shall^ spend a week with the John Hemmings in
19Queenstown. They are exceedingly nice people & have shown me a great
20deal of kindness. The war still goes on, & is nearer to us now than
21ever, but I don’t think we are in any real danger just yet. All the
22men in the district are armed. We got 300 fresh guns from Beaufort
23last week.
24
25The photos you mention in Mamma’s letter have not arrived. Do if you
26can, send me some. I should so much prize one of yourself. Can not you
27have one taken. I have not got one of you nor of any of the children
28except Katie.
29
30Hoping very soon to hear from you I will now close dear Katie.
31
32Ever with love for yourself & the little ones,
33I am
34Your loving sister
35Olive Schreiner
36
Notation
Rive's (1987) version omits part of this letter and is also in a number of respects incorrect. Cronwright-Schreiner's (1924) version is incorrect in various ways.