"Why not happy, arming native, politics" Read the full letter
Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box2/Fold3/1900/34 |
Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
Epistolary Type | Letter |
Letter Date | 17 June 1900 |
Address From | Wagenaars Kraal, Three Sisters, Northern Cape |
Address To | |
Who To | Betty Molteno |
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 name of the addressee is indicated by salutation.
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1
Wagenaars Kraal
2 Three Sisters
3 June 17 / 00
4
5 Dear Friend
6
7 I have just got your letter
8
9 I am leaving for Beaufort West next Tuesday the 25th. If you are to
10arrange to go that day if you go by train, we might meet at Three
11Sisters; but I expect you’ll go by sea.
12
13 My address in Beaufort West will be Mrs Kriel’s Boarding House
14Beaufort West.
15
16 Pl I got a nice long letter from dear old Merriman & another from dear
17Mary Sauer. You know I don’t think its Merriman or or Sauer, (I’m
18sure its not Merriman) who are trying to get Sievewright back. It’s
19Hofmeyer. Merriman & Sauer I feel I might influence, because old Sauer
20has a heart, but Hofmeyr I can do nothing with; but if your brothers
21Sauer & Merriman stand out he dare not break up the party by bringing
22Sievewright back. I got such a splendid letter from my dear little
23sister-in-law today thanking me so for going to the Congress. I may
24run down to Cape Town just for one day during the session.
25
26 Aren’t the Boers fighting magnificently. I always in this war have
27running in my mind that verse of the psalms "I will lift up mine eyes
28unto the hills from whence cometh my strength." I know that the wise
29men in Cape Town would think me mad, but I still feel sure, that at
30last the Transvaal will regain its independence. I have got the most
31fearful insulting & threatening letters from Port Elizabeth. I thought
32I was passed feeling such things, but the mean ness & cowardice of
33these letters seems to make life darker. I have written two long
34letters to my brother. I don’t argue with him: I just express my
35views & leave them to work. Thats the best way with him.
36
37 I will send you Cron’s last letter. You will love it ^about his visit
38to Burn's birth place^ They had an awful time at Aberdeen & Edinburgh.
39It is a marvel he was not killed. I sometimes have a feeling I shall
40never see him again. I never knew you could miss a human being as I
41miss him. Wire me if there any chance of your passing Beaufort West
42while I am there because I want to send my type-writer to Cape Town to
43type write an article for me.
44
45 Did I tell you I’d been rather ill since I got back. I got
46insensible one day, & they had to pack warm water bottles round me &
47cover me with with cushions to get the circulation back. I didn’t
48know anything for half an hour.
49
50 Good night
51 Olive
52
53 ^I have found out that instead of £7.15.6 the fare to Graaff Reinet
54ought to have been £3.15.6. I am going to get the money back.^
55
2 Three Sisters
3 June 17 / 00
4
5 Dear Friend
6
7 I have just got your letter
8
9 I am leaving for Beaufort West next Tuesday the 25th. If you are to
10arrange to go that day if you go by train, we might meet at Three
11Sisters; but I expect you’ll go by sea.
12
13 My address in Beaufort West will be Mrs Kriel’s Boarding House
14Beaufort West.
15
16 Pl I got a nice long letter from dear old Merriman & another from dear
17Mary Sauer. You know I don’t think its Merriman or or Sauer, (I’m
18sure its not Merriman) who are trying to get Sievewright back. It’s
19Hofmeyer. Merriman & Sauer I feel I might influence, because old Sauer
20has a heart, but Hofmeyr I can do nothing with; but if your brothers
21Sauer & Merriman stand out he dare not break up the party by bringing
22Sievewright back. I got such a splendid letter from my dear little
23sister-in-law today thanking me so for going to the Congress. I may
24run down to Cape Town just for one day during the session.
25
26 Aren’t the Boers fighting magnificently. I always in this war have
27running in my mind that verse of the psalms "I will lift up mine eyes
28unto the hills from whence cometh my strength." I know that the wise
29men in Cape Town would think me mad, but I still feel sure, that at
30last the Transvaal will regain its independence. I have got the most
31fearful insulting & threatening letters from Port Elizabeth. I thought
32I was passed feeling such things, but the mean ness & cowardice of
33these letters seems to make life darker. I have written two long
34letters to my brother. I don’t argue with him: I just express my
35views & leave them to work. Thats the best way with him.
36
37 I will send you Cron’s last letter. You will love it ^about his visit
38to Burn's birth place^ They had an awful time at Aberdeen & Edinburgh.
39It is a marvel he was not killed. I sometimes have a feeling I shall
40never see him again. I never knew you could miss a human being as I
41miss him. Wire me if there any chance of your passing Beaufort West
42while I am there because I want to send my type-writer to Cape Town to
43type write an article for me.
44
45 Did I tell you I’d been rather ill since I got back. I got
46insensible one day, & they had to pack warm water bottles round me &
47cover me with with cushions to get the circulation back. I didn’t
48know anything for half an hour.
49
50 Good night
51 Olive
52
53 ^I have found out that instead of £7.15.6 the fare to Graaff Reinet
54ought to have been £3.15.6. I am going to get the money back.^
55
Notation
Regarding her 'going to the congress' comment, Schreiner sent written addresses to some of the Volkskongresses and peace congresses and she spoke at others, as follows: Graaff-Reinet Volkskongres, April 1900 (spoke); Cape Town women's meeting, June 1900 (spoke); Somerset East peace congress, October 1900 (a letter of address); Paarl, November 1900 peace congress (a letter of address); Worcester Volkskongres, December 1900 (spoke).
Regarding her 'going to the congress' comment, Schreiner sent written addresses to some of the Volkskongresses and peace congresses and she spoke at others, as follows: Graaff-Reinet Volkskongres, April 1900 (spoke); Cape Town women's meeting, June 1900 (spoke); Somerset East peace congress, October 1900 (a letter of address); Paarl, November 1900 peace congress (a letter of address); Worcester Volkskongres, December 1900 (spoke).