"Du Bois, great desolating native war" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Schreiner-Hemming Family BC 1080 A1.7/123 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | Monday 11 March 1912 |
| Address From | Alexandra Hotel, Muizenberg, Western Cape |
| Address To | Blaauwberg, Western Cape |
| Who To | Henrietta (‘Ettie’) Schreiner m. Stakesby Lewis (1891) |
| 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 date of this letter is provided by the postmark on an attached envelope and the address it was sent to is on its front; it also has the hotel address printed on it.
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1
Monday
2
3 My darling Ettie
4
5 I have not written before as I’ve not been well; & I am waiting for
6Hugh Smith’s answer about the prescription. I do hope you will try the
7flannel band it must be double thickness & with some little seams at
8the top to make it fit like this =
9
10[drawing of the flannel band here]
11
12 I make mine so long that it fold right across the stomach, pinning it
13with safety pins on each hip. The comfort is wonderful; it cal keeps
14off that deadly feeling of cold about the abdomen. A warm water bottle
15or hot salt only keeps the abdomen warm for a time, but the steady
16persistent warmth about the stomach & bowels makes the poor weak
17heart’s work easier all the time.
18
19 Will says he can’t come out on Sunday but the first day he can he’ll
20just hire a cart & drive out & come back when he’s seen you.
21
22 Its j I do hope its been possible for you to get out or even with help
23walk about the room a little. Every week one lies in bed weakens one
24more & more ^I^ wish you had a good keen doctor near who could come in
25sometimes to see you, & sound you.
26
27 Good bye, my own darling. I hope the winter may bring you a little
28strength. I am only so terribly afraid of the winter damp for you.
29
30 Good bye, your little sister
31 Olive
32
33 As soon as Hugh Smith answers I will write. Love to the dear girls.
34
35
2
3 My darling Ettie
4
5 I have not written before as I’ve not been well; & I am waiting for
6Hugh Smith’s answer about the prescription. I do hope you will try the
7flannel band it must be double thickness & with some little seams at
8the top to make it fit like this =
9
10[drawing of the flannel band here]
11
12 I make mine so long that it fold right across the stomach, pinning it
13with safety pins on each hip. The comfort is wonderful; it cal keeps
14off that deadly feeling of cold about the abdomen. A warm water bottle
15or hot salt only keeps the abdomen warm for a time, but the steady
16persistent warmth about the stomach & bowels makes the poor weak
17heart’s work easier all the time.
18
19 Will says he can’t come out on Sunday but the first day he can he’ll
20just hire a cart & drive out & come back when he’s seen you.
21
22 Its j I do hope its been possible for you to get out or even with help
23walk about the room a little. Every week one lies in bed weakens one
24more & more ^I^ wish you had a good keen doctor near who could come in
25sometimes to see you, & sound you.
26
27 Good bye, my own darling. I hope the winter may bring you a little
28strength. I am only so terribly afraid of the winter damp for you.
29
30 Good bye, your little sister
31 Olive
32
33 As soon as Hugh Smith answers I will write. Love to the dear girls.
34
35
Notation
The drawing of the flannel band that Schreiner provided is shown in the jpeg below.
The drawing of the flannel band that Schreiner provided is shown in the jpeg below.