"How OS makes bread, the yeast, the sheep tail fat" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Findlay Family A1199/1149 |
| Archive | William Cullen Library, Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 24 December 1872 |
| Address From | New Rush, later Kimberley, Northern Cape |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Catherine ('Katie') Findlay nee Schreiner |
| Other Versions | Rive 1987: 7 |
| 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.
|
1
New Rush
2 December 24th 1872
3
4 My dearest Katie!
5
6 I had only time to send you such a line before I left Hertzog but I
7must try & find time to send you a note by this post.
8
9 I arrived here safely last week after a six days journey. I should
10have got here in five but was delayed by the rivers. I found poor
11Ettie on my arrival very ill in bed & suffering dreadfully, it will be
12some time before she will really get about again. The dear old girl
13quite over works herself & can not be made to take care of herself in
14any way.
15
16 Theo & Willie are well. Will is a fine strong fellow, quite as tall as
17Theo & works as well as any man. I should not have known him again.
18They are not finding much & the little they do find they can get
19hardly any thing for. Diamonds are so low just now.
20
21 The heat here is some thing dreadful & sickness very prevalent. What
22it will be by New Year I don't know. I hope you & your little ones are
23very well. Do write to me soon. I am always so glad of your letters
24dear Katie. I will try & answer you at once though letter writing here
25is no easy task.
26
27 I saw Joe Orpen here a little time ago & am expecting him to call in
28every moment so had better close.
29
30 With much love from Ettie
31
32 I am ever
33 Your most affectate sister
34 Olive
35
2 December 24th 1872
3
4 My dearest Katie!
5
6 I had only time to send you such a line before I left Hertzog but I
7must try & find time to send you a note by this post.
8
9 I arrived here safely last week after a six days journey. I should
10have got here in five but was delayed by the rivers. I found poor
11Ettie on my arrival very ill in bed & suffering dreadfully, it will be
12some time before she will really get about again. The dear old girl
13quite over works herself & can not be made to take care of herself in
14any way.
15
16 Theo & Willie are well. Will is a fine strong fellow, quite as tall as
17Theo & works as well as any man. I should not have known him again.
18They are not finding much & the little they do find they can get
19hardly any thing for. Diamonds are so low just now.
20
21 The heat here is some thing dreadful & sickness very prevalent. What
22it will be by New Year I don't know. I hope you & your little ones are
23very well. Do write to me soon. I am always so glad of your letters
24dear Katie. I will try & answer you at once though letter writing here
25is no easy task.
26
27 I saw Joe Orpen here a little time ago & am expecting him to call in
28every moment so had better close.
29
30 With much love from Ettie
31
32 I am ever
33 Your most affectate sister
34 Olive
35
Notation
Rive?s (1987) version omits part of this letter and is also in a number of respects incorrect.
Rive?s (1987) version omits part of this letter and is also in a number of respects incorrect.