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| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/42 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 29 November 1919 |
| Address From | 9 Porchester Place, Edgware Road, Westminster, London |
| Address To | Eastcliff, St James, Kalk Bay, Western Cape |
| 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. The address this letter was sent to is provided by an attached envelope. Schreiner was resident at Porchester Place from early April 1917 until August 1920, when she left Britain for South Africa.
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1Nov 29th 1919
2
3Dear Fan
4
5I had a pleasant surprise this afternoon when your friend Mrs
6Friedlander came in. She said she had heard from the porter at 59
7Cadogan Sq that Dot was married, & also saw a notice in the papers
8that she was engaged, & wanted to hear news of you. & of her. I told
9her what I could. I could have put my arms round her & hugged her, she
10brought you so near to me – I have always seen her with you. She
11spoke so lovingly & admiringly of you it made all my heart go out to
12her. She said she would call again some day. She’s a sweet woman, so
13sincere & natural & quite unspoiled by all her money.
14
15I saw Edna today; she does not get rid of her cough – how could any
16one in this weather! – but looking more sweet than ever.
17
18I am going to see Dr Corthorn on Sunday. She is looking very ill.
19
20I wonder where Dot will be when this reaches you. Perhaps at Talora.
21What is Colonel Greggs Christian name? Do you know anything about his
22family? I suppose being a Colonel he will have a pretty good salary
23– quite enough for them to live on.
24
25We have had a dense fog today – it has never lifted.
26
27Good bye my dear old sister
28Olive
29
30^I got such a sad letter from Emma. She says she feels so depressed &
31not at all well. She is going back to Eastbourne.^
32
2
3Dear Fan
4
5I had a pleasant surprise this afternoon when your friend Mrs
6Friedlander came in. She said she had heard from the porter at 59
7Cadogan Sq that Dot was married, & also saw a notice in the papers
8that she was engaged, & wanted to hear news of you. & of her. I told
9her what I could. I could have put my arms round her & hugged her, she
10brought you so near to me – I have always seen her with you. She
11spoke so lovingly & admiringly of you it made all my heart go out to
12her. She said she would call again some day. She’s a sweet woman, so
13sincere & natural & quite unspoiled by all her money.
14
15I saw Edna today; she does not get rid of her cough – how could any
16one in this weather! – but looking more sweet than ever.
17
18I am going to see Dr Corthorn on Sunday. She is looking very ill.
19
20I wonder where Dot will be when this reaches you. Perhaps at Talora.
21What is Colonel Greggs Christian name? Do you know anything about his
22family? I suppose being a Colonel he will have a pretty good salary
23– quite enough for them to live on.
24
25We have had a dense fog today – it has never lifted.
26
27Good bye my dear old sister
28Olive
29
30^I got such a sad letter from Emma. She says she feels so depressed &
31not at all well. She is going back to Eastbourne.^
32