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Letter ReferenceSchreiner-Hemming Family BC 1080 A1.7/88
ArchiveUniversity of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date23 October 1906
Address FromDe Aar, Northern Cape
Address Toc/o Librarian, Public Library, Johannesburg, Transvaal
Who ToWynnie Hemming
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 date of this letter is derived from the postmark on an attached envelope, which also provides the address the letter was sent to.
1 de Aar
2
3 ^I leave tomorrow for Matjesfontein^
4
5 My darling Wynnie
6
7 I have just heard from Aunt Ettie that my dear old brother has gone
8from us. Oh Wynnie, why didn’t I obey the feeling I’ve had so
9often the last weeks that I must write to him, & I kept putting it off
10thinking I’d write when I was a little better. My darling, I know
11how you will feel it that you were not with him. Just too late. Dear
12when last I saw him in Johannesburg it made me so sad. It seemed as if
13the shadow had already fallen on him. That beautiful kindly nature,
14which never through all its long stay on earth, ever, wilfully
15inflicted suffering on any human creature
! Surely a more Christlike
16attribute than all those that make a great noise in the world. One
17could wish nothing better to be said of one over ones new grave.
18
19 My darling, I am so glad Theo is with you I could bear to think of
20your being there all alone. Winnie, if there is still time when this
21reaches you buy a little wreath & put it on his coffin. I think he
22would have liked it.
23
24 Good bye, dear.
25 Your little Aunt
26 Olive
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