"Meet you at Hanover Road, ordering provisions" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Findlay Family A1199/1226a |
| Archive | William Cullen Library, Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 4 August 1871 |
| Address From | Hermon, Basutoland (now Lesotho) |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Catherine ('Katie') Findlay nee Schreiner |
| Other Versions | |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
The Project is grateful to the William Cullen Library, University of Johannesburg, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Historical Papers. Schreiner's writing of the date for this letter is very hard to read. Although it has been archivally located as 1874, it has been dated as 1871, as the only record of Schreiner being in Hermon is in that year.
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1
Hermon
2 August 4th 1871
3
4 My dearest Katie!
5
6 I have just received your letter dated the 4th of May, so it has been
7just three months on the way; I was most glad to get it, it was indeed
8a long time since I had heard from you. I was glad to know you were
9all well & my dear little niece & namesake getting on nicely, tell me
10what colour her eyes are & all about her when you write. I take a
11special interest in all that concerning your little Olive
12
13 I am still at Hermon as Hammy has not been able to send for us & will
14not be able for some weeks to come. Auntie & Emmie send their love,
15Auntie has so much to do that she really has no time for letter
16writing, it seems sad that after a long & active life (as her's has
17be) she should have so much work old age, poor Emmie does not seem in
18any way better for the trip.
19
20 Emile has just returned from the Bay; he is looking very well after
21his journey. I suppose you have heard he has resigned his position as
22French missionary, & has accepted a first class magistracy from
23Government at £450 a year, so Maggie will now I suppose come out
24again in a few months. She must be in England by this time.
25
26 We are living such a quiet life here that I really have no news of any
27kind to give you, I spend most of my time in reading & walking, & am
28much enjoying the quiet of the country. I have a great dislike to Town
29life especially in small towns where you are obliged to be frien
30associate with everyone or mortally offend them.
31
32 When you write direct my letters to Care of
33
34 ^H. Hope Esqre, Aliwal North. I will be sure to get them wherever I am.
35
36 And now good night & good bye; it is time for all good folks to be in
37bed. I have still some letters to write.
38
39 With love to all,
40 I am your affectate
41 Olive^
42
43
44
2 August 4th 1871
3
4 My dearest Katie!
5
6 I have just received your letter dated the 4th of May, so it has been
7just three months on the way; I was most glad to get it, it was indeed
8a long time since I had heard from you. I was glad to know you were
9all well & my dear little niece & namesake getting on nicely, tell me
10what colour her eyes are & all about her when you write. I take a
11special interest in all that concerning your little Olive
12
13 I am still at Hermon as Hammy has not been able to send for us & will
14not be able for some weeks to come. Auntie & Emmie send their love,
15Auntie has so much to do that she really has no time for letter
16writing, it seems sad that after a long & active life (as her's has
17be) she should have so much work old age, poor Emmie does not seem in
18any way better for the trip.
19
20 Emile has just returned from the Bay; he is looking very well after
21his journey. I suppose you have heard he has resigned his position as
22French missionary, & has accepted a first class magistracy from
23Government at £450 a year, so Maggie will now I suppose come out
24again in a few months. She must be in England by this time.
25
26 We are living such a quiet life here that I really have no news of any
27kind to give you, I spend most of my time in reading & walking, & am
28much enjoying the quiet of the country. I have a great dislike to Town
29life especially in small towns where you are obliged to be frien
30associate with everyone or mortally offend them.
31
32 When you write direct my letters to Care of
33
34 ^H. Hope Esqre, Aliwal North. I will be sure to get them wherever I am.
35
36 And now good night & good bye; it is time for all good folks to be in
37bed. I have still some letters to write.
38
39 With love to all,
40 I am your affectate
41 Olive^
42
43
44