"Jan Smuts, front, facilities" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box3/Fold3/1904/42 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 27 August 1904 |
| Address From | Robertsons Hotel, Bedford, Eastern Cape |
| Address To | |
| 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 of this letter is indicated by salutation and content.
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1
Bedford
2 Robertsons Hotel
3 Aug 27 / 04
4
5 Dear Friend
6
7 I wonder where you & Miss Greene are. I have a feeling perhaps you
8have gone to England!!
9
10 We returned here early this morning before dawn 10 days spent in the
11ox wagon. We got my dear old father’s remains, quite perfect, even
12the box in large part whole after this long 28 years he has rested
13there. We took it out with out disturbing anything & put it in the new
14coffin. It will be reburied with my mother’s remains in Cape Town
15after I come down on the 7th on which date I shall arrive in Cape Town
16I would write a much longer letter, but I fear you are gone & it is no
17use my writing at all. Oh my dear friend, I know what you & Miss
18Greene must do. You must buy a big ox wagon (I will explain the exact
19kind when I meet you). And travel about for months. And keep the wagon
20that you can always travel again. These ten days sleeping always in
21the open, with wind or rain or sunlight or moonlight always on me have
22made a new creature of me. If I could travel so for a few months it
23would make me almost well I know; & for you & Miss Greene who have no
24real organic disease it would simply mean a return of your youth. You
25must must do it. All the way I have been saying to my sister "Oh if
26Miss Molteno & Miss Greene were here." I shall be back in Hanover on
27Thurs Tuesday. Write & tell me whether I shall find you in Cape Town.
28
29 Olive
30
31
32
2 Robertsons Hotel
3 Aug 27 / 04
4
5 Dear Friend
6
7 I wonder where you & Miss Greene are. I have a feeling perhaps you
8have gone to England!!
9
10 We returned here early this morning before dawn 10 days spent in the
11ox wagon. We got my dear old father’s remains, quite perfect, even
12the box in large part whole after this long 28 years he has rested
13there. We took it out with out disturbing anything & put it in the new
14coffin. It will be reburied with my mother’s remains in Cape Town
15after I come down on the 7th on which date I shall arrive in Cape Town
16I would write a much longer letter, but I fear you are gone & it is no
17use my writing at all. Oh my dear friend, I know what you & Miss
18Greene must do. You must buy a big ox wagon (I will explain the exact
19kind when I meet you). And travel about for months. And keep the wagon
20that you can always travel again. These ten days sleeping always in
21the open, with wind or rain or sunlight or moonlight always on me have
22made a new creature of me. If I could travel so for a few months it
23would make me almost well I know; & for you & Miss Greene who have no
24real organic disease it would simply mean a return of your youth. You
25must must do it. All the way I have been saying to my sister "Oh if
26Miss Molteno & Miss Greene were here." I shall be back in Hanover on
27Thurs Tuesday. Write & tell me whether I shall find you in Cape Town.
28
29 Olive
30
31
32