1 Wednesday
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3 Dear Laddie
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5 I wrote yesterday to tell you I couldn’t go, but Cron wouldn’t let
6me post the letter. Today I’m a bit better its only my heart. I’ll
7wire dear on Monday; if I’m not better. If you don’t get a wire on
8Monday morning you’ll know I am. Oh Will, I hope your money won’t
9be wasted; I do hope if I’m too ill to go they’ll refund you. Its
10bad enough you should spend so much me; & sit scratching crowns there
11so hard in old Cape Town while I am enjoying everything, but it would
12be too hard if I couldn’t go. When you wrote to invite me I felt so
13well I feared neither man nor devil – but I’m a miserable old
14thing. I’ve no asthma its only my heart & I may be all right in a
15few days. But I don’t want to wait till the last visit minute
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17 Dear, I’m so distressed about this Black Peril business, – Black
18Peril! – its a white peril that hangs over every black man. I
19don’t think even you have thought the matter out as I have. If I’m
20better when I come back from the Falls, if I do go, I’m going to
21write comprehensively on the matter, taking four distinct ^points of^
22views. That Can’t write more. Good bye dear. If only you were coming
23too. I long so to see you where we can have a few talks.
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25 Ol
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27 If you can, Will, arrange if I go that our car goes before the dining
28room car not behind it. The smell of the oil cooking smoke has always
29a curious effect on my heart. Most people don’t mind a bit going
30behind, they don’t notice the smell and smoke. The officials here &
31in Cape Town are always very kind in letting me have a place before
32the dining car. I don’t think there’ll be any difficulty. We are
33having pouring incessant mist & rain here. Something quite unheard
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35^of at de Aar & at this time of year. ^
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37 O
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