"Rhodes as a system" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box1/Fold5/1898/25 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | Wedneday 14 September 1898 |
| Address From | The Homestead, Kimberley, Northern Cape |
| Address To | Girls Collegiate School, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape |
| Who To | Betty Molteno |
| Other Versions | |
| Permissions | Please 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 date of this letter has been derived from the postmark on an attached envelope, while the name of the addressee and the address it was sent to are on its front. The name of the addressee is also indicated by salutation and content.
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1
The Homestead
2 Wednesday
3
4 Dear Friend
5
6 I got much worse on the way up & at Cawoods began spitting blood, so I
7came stra on home ^at once^. My darling boy met me at Orange River. It
8was such a surprise & joy. I am better today.
9
10 It was so beautiful to see you & dear Miss Greene. I am only so sorry
11I was such a sad visitor in health. Your love & goodness made
12everything beautiful.
13
14 Cron sends his love to you both. ?Stighing has brought an action
15against Rhodes for £2000 for libel, in that Rhodes in a public speech
16said he was taking Transvaal money. ^The summons was served on Rhodes
17yesterday.^ Solomon says dear old Innes is utterly sick of the
18Progressives & that Will, Sauer & Merriman are in good spirits. He
19returned yesterday from Cape Town.
20
21 But Be sure dear to mention to no one what I told you about Cron
22having to support his mother & sister, & perhaps having to up go up to
23Johannesburg on that account. But I know you won’t. No I couldn’t take
24that money to buy the farm dearest when I can’t take care of myself.
25It’s time I should die. I may get better enough to work again, in some
26fashion or other soon.
27
28 Good bye
29 Olive
30
31 Please do me a great favour & drop a line to my mother, just telling
32her I was not well & that was the cause I did not go to Grahamstown.
33The dear old mother might fancy I was offended at the letters. It was
34a bitter
35
36 ^disappointment to me not to go, but I really was not well enough.
37Don’t mention politics.^
38
39
40
2 Wednesday
3
4 Dear Friend
5
6 I got much worse on the way up & at Cawoods began spitting blood, so I
7came stra on home ^at once^. My darling boy met me at Orange River. It
8was such a surprise & joy. I am better today.
9
10 It was so beautiful to see you & dear Miss Greene. I am only so sorry
11I was such a sad visitor in health. Your love & goodness made
12everything beautiful.
13
14 Cron sends his love to you both. ?Stighing has brought an action
15against Rhodes for £2000 for libel, in that Rhodes in a public speech
16said he was taking Transvaal money. ^The summons was served on Rhodes
17yesterday.^ Solomon says dear old Innes is utterly sick of the
18Progressives & that Will, Sauer & Merriman are in good spirits. He
19returned yesterday from Cape Town.
20
21 But Be sure dear to mention to no one what I told you about Cron
22having to support his mother & sister, & perhaps having to up go up to
23Johannesburg on that account. But I know you won’t. No I couldn’t take
24that money to buy the farm dearest when I can’t take care of myself.
25It’s time I should die. I may get better enough to work again, in some
26fashion or other soon.
27
28 Good bye
29 Olive
30
31 Please do me a great favour & drop a line to my mother, just telling
32her I was not well & that was the cause I did not go to Grahamstown.
33The dear old mother might fancy I was offended at the letters. It was
34a bitter
35
36 ^disappointment to me not to go, but I really was not well enough.
37Don’t mention politics.^
38
39
40