"Great native question, we shall reap as we have sown" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box3/Fold1/1902/17 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 4 June 1902 |
| Address From | Hanover, Northern Cape |
| Address To | Kenilworth, Cape Town, Western 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 name of the addressee and the address this letter was sent to are provided by an attached envelope, which has been opened and passed by the military censor.
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1
Hanover
2 June 4th 1902
3
4 Dear Friend
5
6 It’s a long time since I had any letters from Cape Town from any one.
7 I am wondering how it goes with you.
8
9 I got a little from Isie Smuts today dated June May 30th from
10Pietermaritzburg in Natal. It’s the saddest most down hearted letter
11I have had from her yet.
12
13 I hear her husband passed here in the train yesterday. It’s strange
14ones friends should be so near & one not be able to see them.
15
16 Good night dear, I’m very tired, more than I’ve been for years,
17but ^it^ will pass over some time. Even the meerkats & dogs don’t seem
18any pleasure to me today.
19
20 On Monday they fired off guns here, & said the Boers had given in &
21there was peace, but we have heard nothing since as to kind of peace.
22
23 I would like to see you & talk, letter writing is very miserable. If I
24could I should like next spring to get a pass to come to Cape Town for
25a few days & see you all.
26
27 We had hopes of getting a tiny cottage here, but have failed & are
28still in our old room. It seems absolutely impossible to get
29accommodation of any kind in Hanover. Cron is doing well at his work,
30not making much money but doing a great deal. So many people are too
31poor to pay any thing.
32
33 Olive
34
35 ^Give my dear love to Miss Greene. I wonder if she is going to England.
36I would go away to Italy & never come back to Africa gain if I could
37only stand the voyage. I can do no good in this country, & it is only
38an anguish to live here.^
39
40
41
2 June 4th 1902
3
4 Dear Friend
5
6 It’s a long time since I had any letters from Cape Town from any one.
7 I am wondering how it goes with you.
8
9 I got a little from Isie Smuts today dated June May 30th from
10Pietermaritzburg in Natal. It’s the saddest most down hearted letter
11I have had from her yet.
12
13 I hear her husband passed here in the train yesterday. It’s strange
14ones friends should be so near & one not be able to see them.
15
16 Good night dear, I’m very tired, more than I’ve been for years,
17but ^it^ will pass over some time. Even the meerkats & dogs don’t seem
18any pleasure to me today.
19
20 On Monday they fired off guns here, & said the Boers had given in &
21there was peace, but we have heard nothing since as to kind of peace.
22
23 I would like to see you & talk, letter writing is very miserable. If I
24could I should like next spring to get a pass to come to Cape Town for
25a few days & see you all.
26
27 We had hopes of getting a tiny cottage here, but have failed & are
28still in our old room. It seems absolutely impossible to get
29accommodation of any kind in Hanover. Cron is doing well at his work,
30not making much money but doing a great deal. So many people are too
31poor to pay any thing.
32
33 Olive
34
35 ^Give my dear love to Miss Greene. I wonder if she is going to England.
36I would go away to Italy & never come back to Africa gain if I could
37only stand the voyage. I can do no good in this country, & it is only
38an anguish to live here.^
39
40
41