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Letter ReferenceOlive Schreiner: Ruth Alexander MSC 26/2.1.15
ArchiveNational Library of South Africa, Special Collections, Cape Town
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date12 May 1920
Address From9 Porchester Place, Edgware Road, Westminster, London
Address To
Who ToRuth Alexander nee Schechter
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.
1 9 Porchester Place
2 Edgware Rd
3 May 12th 1920
4
5 My darling Ruth
6
7 It was a joy to get your letter from Madeira. When you went I felt as
8if the sun had gone down. Your brother-in-law sent me some lovely
9fruit: I hope he will come & see me. I'm sure I would like him &
10understand him.
11
12 Yes, Oliver is wonderful. If he is in a room & the thinks any one is
13being slighted or neglected, you are sure to find him beside them.
14
15 I have been much worse since you went dear. It sometimes seems
16doubtful to me whether I shall ever get to the Cape - but oh I want to
17try. I meant to be so brave when I came over & die here quite alone
18where I could trouble no one. But I can't face another winter here - I
19can't.
20
21 I shan't trouble any one in Africa. If I get bad I'll go to that
22nursing home in Tamboers Kloof. If there was any chance of my getting
23to Italy I wouldn't go out - but I can't travel alone now, & they are
24going to have endless revolutions here; & now I can't walk I can't
25manage things. Otherwise I would just go to Alassio & stay there to
26the end.
27
28 My one terror is that any of my dear fellow humans should feel me a
29burden before I go - but one can't determine when your life shall end
30you must fight it through. When there's nothing else left you can
31still defy fate ?quite to crush you.
32
33 I love to think of your meeting with the dear children. How I shall
34love to see them. I am so glad that the working men here have refused
35to land the ship with guns to fight the Russian Republic. The Poles
36are not doing it of themselves, poor things; the French & we are
37urging them on. I am so thankful the English liberals have taken the
38matter up. Through all the dark & agony of this time I see far, far
39off a better & brighter day dawning.
40
41 ^My husband writes me he will not be here till the beginning of July. I
42had hoped he might be here by the end of this month, but business
43keeps him.
44
45 Good bye my darling darling.
46 Olive^
47