"Dream for federation of South Africa, one day we shall need love & devotion of black & coloured man" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box2/Fold2/July-Dec1899/45 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | Sunday 3 December 1899 |
| Address From | na |
| Address To | Girls Collegiate School, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape |
| Who To | Betty Molteno and Alice Greene |
| 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 year has been written on this letter in an unknown hand. The names of the addressees and the address this letter was sent to are provided by an attached envelope.
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1
Sunday
2Dec 3rd
3
4 My Friends
5
6 I have so much, so much to tell you but I can’t. Among the last
7killed was Captain Sydney Earle, the son of my friend Mrs Earle Lady
8Loch’s sister, such a dear lad. Your know when our African men die I
9feel very little pain, "May my last end be as his!" but when these
10English boys die my heart seems breaking.
11
12 There is one officer here who is a very dear Friend of mine; He was
13ordered up to Front at Mud River, last Wednesday, but at the last
14moment the order was countermanded. If he had gone & got shot I really
15think I should have died, that beautiful noble life cut off, for what?
16for what??? Douglass Loch is up there too now.
17
18 I have had asthma today so can’t write more.
19
20 I believe, from what I hear; that at least 1,200 English were killed &
21wounded at Orange River Mud River & not 471 as stated in the papers.
22
23 Good bye
24 Olive
25
2Dec 3rd
3
4 My Friends
5
6 I have so much, so much to tell you but I can’t. Among the last
7killed was Captain Sydney Earle, the son of my friend Mrs Earle Lady
8Loch’s sister, such a dear lad. Your know when our African men die I
9feel very little pain, "May my last end be as his!" but when these
10English boys die my heart seems breaking.
11
12 There is one officer here who is a very dear Friend of mine; He was
13ordered up to Front at Mud River, last Wednesday, but at the last
14moment the order was countermanded. If he had gone & got shot I really
15think I should have died, that beautiful noble life cut off, for what?
16for what??? Douglass Loch is up there too now.
17
18 I have had asthma today so can’t write more.
19
20 I believe, from what I hear; that at least 1,200 English were killed &
21wounded at Orange River Mud River & not 471 as stated in the papers.
22
23 Good bye
24 Olive
25