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Letter ReferenceAnna Purcell MSB 386/1.12
ArchiveNational Library of South Africa, Special Collections, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date31 July 1910
Address FromDe Aar, Northern Cape
Address To
Who ToAnna Purcell nee Cambier Faure
Other Versions
PermissionsPlease read before using or citing this transcription
Legend
The Project is grateful to the National Library of South Africa (NLSA), Cape Town, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Special Collections. Schreiner was in De Aar from mid June to late November 1910.
1July 31st 1910
2
3My darling Anna
4
5 I am so glad to hear your beautiful, beautiful news. I hope the
6beloved little one when it comes will be a boy - for Walters sake.
7Margaretha will be what she will be, her character is very strong, but
8Walter might be spoiled if he grew up the only son in the family. It
9will be so good for him to have a brother. I love little baby girls
10with a peculiar tenderness - but its so sad to bring a woman into the
11world, till better times come. You can shield her during her childhood
12- but what then? Oh my darling, I am so glad any how . People like you
13& your husband are sure to have desirable children. Both Walter & my
14little Margaretha are charming each in their own way. I hope you are
15feeling well. You must not have anything to worry you.
16
17 I am thinking always of my darling Adela. If only the child lives that
18she has gone through such terrible suffering for. When do you think it
19will come to you? I'm so glad you've had that nice little change in
20Caledon.
21
22 I have just been reading an article by Upton Sinclair, about how he
23cured himself by fasting for ten & twelve days at a time. I'm going to
24begin on Monday morning & try till Thursday night - unless I faint. He
25says you ought to eat nothing but drink much water. I can't drink
26
27^the terrible bitter de Aar water, so I'm going to take the strained
28wey of my sour Kaffir milk. I'll write & tell you the results. The
29article is in the April no of the Contemporary Review. Cron went up to
30Kimberley this week to see the English football team & now he's away
31at Laingsburg at a political meeting. Arriet is lost she went out the
32day before yesterday & has not come back. I fear so she is killed.
33
34 Olive^
35
Notation
The article by Upton Sinclair concerned the health benefits of lengthy fasting; see Upton Sinclair 'Perfect Health' The Contemporary Review April 1910, pp.429-40; a follow-up letter around responses to it appeared in the September issue: 'On fasting: A letter to the editor' The Contemporary Review September 1910, pp.380-4.