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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner: Mary Sauer MSC 26/2.11.75
ArchiveNational Library of South Africa, Special Collections, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date After Start: Monday August 1894 ; Before End: September 1894
Address FromThe Homestead, Kimberley, Northern Cape
Address To
Who ToMary Sauer nee Cloete
Other VersionsRive 1987: 239
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. The date has been written on this letter in an unknown hand.
1 The Homestead
2 Kimberley
3 Monday
4
5 Thanks so, dear. I've got a girl who comes in the morning for a couple
6of hours a day, & cleans up, & that's all I need. I like doing the
7rest myself. I either want a girl who can do the water carrying, &c &c
8& leave the rest to me, or a rare good woman, to whom I would be quite
9willing to give £3 a month, who would not only do the work, but the
10thinking, & leave me quite free. As I'm not likely to get such a
11servant I'd rather be without one at all. Our little house is so
12beautiful & quiet when the girl goes home at 12 o'clock, & it isn't
13work that tires me; I like it; it's having to think & give orders.
14It's so sweet of you, Mary, to have taken so much trouble for me. I
15think I shall do well with this little girl.
16
17 I think I am going to have a baby, but am not yet quite sure, so
18please ?talk of this to no-one
! I shall know in a month's time for
19certain. I sometimes long to see you so much. It was a bitter
20disappointment to me to that I could not come to Cape Town. Is there
21any chance of your coming up to Kimberley soon? I haven't a spare room;
22 only four on the house, but Cron has to go to Cradock on business
23shortly & will be away four days or a week. Can't you come & stay
24then? & visit other friends after he g returns or go up to the
25Shippards
? Write & tell me if you can. I long to see you.
26
27 This is a dear pretty little house, very simple; but so nice and airy.
28
29 Goodbye, my darling. I want to see you.
30 Olive
31
32
Notation
Rive's (1987) version omits part of this letter and is also in a number of respects incorrect.