"Mingling races, my articles, not my husband" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner: Mary Sauer MSC 26/2.11.91 |
| Archive | National Library of South Africa, Special Collections, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 28 May 1895 |
| Address From | The Homestead, Kimberley, Northern Cape |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Mary Sauer nee Cloete |
| Other Versions | Rive 1987: 252-3 |
| Permissions | Please 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. Schreiner was resident in Kimberley from early August 1894 to November 1898.
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1
May 28 / 95
2
3 My darling Mary
4
5 I am getting on all right & hope next week to be back at my work.
6That's all I want I don't want even you, or anyone now, I'm better
7alone, because seeing other people makes me less able to harden myself
8^always, when I have any weight ?inside.^
9
10 Is it true that you are going to England again in September? I may be
11coming to Cape Town in October because I want to climb Table Mountain
12& see the sea. Will you be gone then? I shall be so sorry if you are.
13Write & tell me.
14
15 Ella Shippard is the only person I have seen since I was ill. I have
16never seen any one so improved. Even in mere appearance being a little
17bit stouter has made her so grand & handsome, & there is so much more
18in her face than there used to be. She told me you were going to
19England. I am sending you a little story by my darling old Adela
20Villiers. She is a little better in health now.
21
22 Cron is perhaps going to Cape Town for a week or ten days at the end
23of this month. I hope he will manage to see more of you than last time.
24 He won't have those congress meetings, so he will have much more time.
25
26 I am not able to sit yet, but I am getting stronger every day as far
27as walking goes.
28
29 ^Goodbye, my darling.
30 Your Olive^
31
32 ^I have asked my sister Mrs Lewis to send you a letter telling ^^all^^
33about the birth of my little one which he ^^Cron^^ wrote to his mother.
34When you have read it return it to Mrs Lewis^
35
2
3 My darling Mary
4
5 I am getting on all right & hope next week to be back at my work.
6That's all I want I don't want even you, or anyone now, I'm better
7alone, because seeing other people makes me less able to harden myself
8^always, when I have any weight ?inside.^
9
10 Is it true that you are going to England again in September? I may be
11coming to Cape Town in October because I want to climb Table Mountain
12& see the sea. Will you be gone then? I shall be so sorry if you are.
13Write & tell me.
14
15 Ella Shippard is the only person I have seen since I was ill. I have
16never seen any one so improved. Even in mere appearance being a little
17bit stouter has made her so grand & handsome, & there is so much more
18in her face than there used to be. She told me you were going to
19England. I am sending you a little story by my darling old Adela
20Villiers. She is a little better in health now.
21
22 Cron is perhaps going to Cape Town for a week or ten days at the end
23of this month. I hope he will manage to see more of you than last time.
24 He won't have those congress meetings, so he will have much more time.
25
26 I am not able to sit yet, but I am getting stronger every day as far
27as walking goes.
28
29 ^Goodbye, my darling.
30 Your Olive^
31
32 ^I have asked my sister Mrs Lewis to send you a letter telling ^^all^^
33about the birth of my little one which he ^^Cron^^ wrote to his mother.
34When you have read it return it to Mrs Lewis^
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.