"Going with me to England, think it all over carefully" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box4/Fold1/1908/60 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 3 October 1908 |
| Address From | De Aar, Northern Cape |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Frances (‘Fan’) Schreiner nee Reitz |
| Other Versions | |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
The Project is grateful to Manuscripts and Archives, University of Cape Town, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Manuscripts and Archives Collections.
|
1
De Aar
2 Oct 3rd 1908
3
4 My dear Fan
5
6 I know how much you have been missing your big girl, & so the old man
7will be off too. I wish it were possible for you to go with him I
8would offer to come & look after the house & children if you would go,
9only I feel I oughtn’t to leave my old man here, as long as I can
10possibly breathe here. You must often be very lonely when the children
11& all are away at school at office. I’m so glad you have so many of
12your dear people near you who can look you up some times I’ve not
13spoken to a soul here since I came & only twice been out of the gate.
14Then it was to see Mrs ?Shand, whose heart is very bad. She is
15expecting a baby next month, & then she is going away for six months
16till the cool of winter makes it possible for her to live here. She
17looks very, very bad. Cron says I am dark blue the colour of blue
18paper, but Mrs ?Shand is blue-black under the eyes & round the mouth.
19
20 Please let me know as soon as you have news of Dots arrival in England.
21
22 Love to all the dear ones.
23 Olive
24
25 It is Anna Purcell’s birthday today. Wonderful to say I have
26remembered it!
27
28
2 Oct 3rd 1908
3
4 My dear Fan
5
6 I know how much you have been missing your big girl, & so the old man
7will be off too. I wish it were possible for you to go with him I
8would offer to come & look after the house & children if you would go,
9only I feel I oughtn’t to leave my old man here, as long as I can
10possibly breathe here. You must often be very lonely when the children
11& all are away at school at office. I’m so glad you have so many of
12your dear people near you who can look you up some times I’ve not
13spoken to a soul here since I came & only twice been out of the gate.
14Then it was to see Mrs ?Shand, whose heart is very bad. She is
15expecting a baby next month, & then she is going away for six months
16till the cool of winter makes it possible for her to live here. She
17looks very, very bad. Cron says I am dark blue the colour of blue
18paper, but Mrs ?Shand is blue-black under the eyes & round the mouth.
19
20 Please let me know as soon as you have news of Dots arrival in England.
21
22 Love to all the dear ones.
23 Olive
24
25 It is Anna Purcell’s birthday today. Wonderful to say I have
26remembered it!
27
28