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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/6
ArchiveUniversity of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date13 January 1920
Address From9 Porchester Place, Edgware Road, Westminster, London
Address ToThe Cottage, Kenilworth House, Kenilworth, Cape Town, Western Cape
Who ToCaroline Murray nee Molteno
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 address this letter was sent to is provided by an attached envelope.
19 Porchester Place
2Edgware Rd
3Jan 13th 1920
4
5Dear Mrs Murray
6
7Betty is asked me to write to you as she feels so unable to. I fe
8think Alice Greene is coming very near the end. Mrs Edward Greene, a
9great friend of mine, was down at Trevone last week. She says Alice
10may last only weeks or perhaps even for months but the end is now
11certain. She is so weak she can only be moved by carrying her on a
12stretcher. Betty is facing it all so bravely that I fear all the more
13the re-action for her when the blow comes. Alice has played such a
14large part in her life. Dear Alice, is very brave & uncomplaining Mrs
15Greene
says, like an angel. Her sister Florence & Helen are with her,
16a very good nurse; & all that money can do for her is being done by
17her people. As soon as I hear the end has come I shall go down to
18Cornwall to fetch her. Darling May wants her to go & stay with her;
19but I don’t know whether she could stand the quiet of Llandrindod,
20whether whether it would not be better for her to be in London among
21the people & things that interest her so. What I fear for her is a
22nervous break down. I am writing to May to ask her if we hear of Miss
23Greenes
death whether she would not come down to London for a few days,
24 but it might be hard for her to leave Freddie. It is wonderful what
25one can live through & go on, isn’t it? I write to Betty every day &
26send her all the books & papers & news I think will interest her. The
27one thing is not to lose your hold on life
28
29I am so glad you have had the joy of having Margaret with you. She is
30a wonderful woman & will do good work in the world if she lives. I am
31so grieved to hear from May that your heart is troubling you so. I do
32wish May & Freddie could have gone out this winter; we must hope they
33will be able to do so next.
34
35I wonder if you have seen them Mrs Schreiner & Ursula & Dot. I miss
36them intensely, especially my sister-in-law.
37
38Good bye dear friend.
39Yours ever
40Olive Schreiner
41
42^Love to Kathleen^
43