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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner BC16/Box4/Fold2/1909/2
ArchiveUniversity of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter DateJanuary 1909
Address FromHotel Milner, Matjesfontein, Western Cape
Address To
Who ToFrances ('Fan') Schreiner nee Reitz
Other Versions
PermissionsPlease 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. The month and year have been written on this letter in an unknown hand. The letter is on printed headed notepaper.
1 Hotel Milner
2 Matjesfontein,
3 Cape Colony
4
5 My dear wicked old sister who never writes to me. I hear from Dr Brown
6that he saw you & Ursie & that you both looked very well. I suppose
7you are down at St James now?
8
9 I am very well & flourishing, & writing at my novel. The air here is
10just splendid – for me any how. It’s wonderful how it suits me.
11I’ve not heard from any of my relations till for near two months
12till I got a note from Ettie today, & that was business, about some
13people she wants me to get a cottage for. I am deserted of all my
14family!
15
16 I see Will is back at Grey-Town & that the trial, it is said, will be
17over by the middle of next month. I do hope so as I want Will to be
18there when Parliament meets. Do you know whether it is true its going
19to meet next month? I must write & ask my old friend Malan.
20
21 I’d Did you see Isie Smuts when she was at Sea Point? What is Dots
22latest news?
23
24 I am looking out anxiously for the University lists to see how our
25folks have done. Has Will also been in for a laws exam.
26
27 Theo & Katie were here when I came, but I believe they have left, as I
28don’t see them about any more.
29
30 How is your brother? Has the change done him good? Write me one of
31your nice letters with plenty of news.
32
33 Cron is well at de Aar & they’ve had fine rains. But my servant girl
34Sophie, who I had left to take care of him, had a brick thrown at her
35head on New Years day by a drunk man, & had been laid up ever since.
36So he’s only had a little bit of a girl to do his rooms, & get his
37breakfast His dinner he has at the Hotel.
38
39 Good bye dear. Much love to you two. The boys I suppose are still away.
40 Olive
41
42
43
Notation
The novel Schreiner was 'writing at' is From Man to Man.