"In despair, weary of roving, contact Harkness and Marx" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box3/Fold3/1904/55 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | Wednesday 7 December 1904 |
| Address From | Hanover, Northern 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 date has been written on this letter in an unknown hand. The name of the addressee is indicated by salutation and content.
|
1
Hanover
2 Wednesday night
3
4 My dear Friend
5
6 My heart goes out with such a longing towards you tonight that though
7I’m very tired I must write you a few lines before I go to bed.
8
9 You don’t know & I doubt whether you & Miss Greene could quite
10understand how much you have meant to me, because even you don’t
11know what my need of your love & fellowship have been to me.
12
13 Tomorrow the funeral train with President Kruger passes Hanover Rd. I
14am going out with Cron & my little Kaffir boy in a cart tomorrow to
15meet it. Many are going but its curious how indifferent many are: they
16absolutely refused to contribute anything to the wreath – asked what
17Kruger & the Transvaal had ever done for them, &c. I will write
18tomorrow evening & tell you about the day. Cron is not going to
19Pretoria for the funeral as his cricket concert comes off on the 14th.
20I leave next Tuesday for Pretoria & get there on Wednesday.
21
22 My little Kaffir boy is so delighted at the thought of my taking him
23to the station. It is only the second time in his life he has been in
24a cart. He is singing away joyfully in the kitchen tod by himself now
25as he washes the supper things.
26
27 Good night now, I will add more tomorrow. Love to Miss Greene.
28
29 If I write a little account of my journey to Pretoria & what happens
30there would you perhaps see if the Manchester Guardian or some paper
31would publish it, they might give something for it which would help to
32pay the expense of the journey. You know I think life is going to wake
33up quickly in the Transvaal & Free State now.
34
35 Olive
36
37 Friday afternoon. We went over to the station siding. It There were
38about 1,500 people there. I shook hands with Botha & Malan & Eloff,
39who were in the train I will write you an account of it tomorrow. Our
40General Malan is here in Hanover today. They have sold the farm. He is
41going up to farm in the Free State near Wynberg His aunt is down at
42the sea side just now. If well enough I am going to see his parents at
43Laanglaagte when I go up to the funeral. He & Squire’s were here
44last night
45
46^I am feeling wonderfully stronger just now. The cold cutting winds
47have left off at last & for a couple of months we shall have warmth I
48got such a beautiful post yesterday. A long letter from Miss Greene &
49one from you, & one from some Finnish young girl who wants to
50translate dreams, & a note from Adela. Her little baby is going to be
51born in January. If its a girl she’ll call it "Olive," & if its a
52boy "Waldo." I wish you could see her before you leave England I know
53you would love her. ^
54
55 Olive
56
57
2 Wednesday night
3
4 My dear Friend
5
6 My heart goes out with such a longing towards you tonight that though
7I’m very tired I must write you a few lines before I go to bed.
8
9 You don’t know & I doubt whether you & Miss Greene could quite
10understand how much you have meant to me, because even you don’t
11know what my need of your love & fellowship have been to me.
12
13 Tomorrow the funeral train with President Kruger passes Hanover Rd. I
14am going out with Cron & my little Kaffir boy in a cart tomorrow to
15meet it. Many are going but its curious how indifferent many are: they
16absolutely refused to contribute anything to the wreath – asked what
17Kruger & the Transvaal had ever done for them, &c. I will write
18tomorrow evening & tell you about the day. Cron is not going to
19Pretoria for the funeral as his cricket concert comes off on the 14th.
20I leave next Tuesday for Pretoria & get there on Wednesday.
21
22 My little Kaffir boy is so delighted at the thought of my taking him
23to the station. It is only the second time in his life he has been in
24a cart. He is singing away joyfully in the kitchen tod by himself now
25as he washes the supper things.
26
27 Good night now, I will add more tomorrow. Love to Miss Greene.
28
29 If I write a little account of my journey to Pretoria & what happens
30there would you perhaps see if the Manchester Guardian or some paper
31would publish it, they might give something for it which would help to
32pay the expense of the journey. You know I think life is going to wake
33up quickly in the Transvaal & Free State now.
34
35 Olive
36
37 Friday afternoon. We went over to the station siding. It There were
38about 1,500 people there. I shook hands with Botha & Malan & Eloff,
39who were in the train I will write you an account of it tomorrow. Our
40General Malan is here in Hanover today. They have sold the farm. He is
41going up to farm in the Free State near Wynberg His aunt is down at
42the sea side just now. If well enough I am going to see his parents at
43Laanglaagte when I go up to the funeral. He & Squire’s were here
44last night
45
46^I am feeling wonderfully stronger just now. The cold cutting winds
47have left off at last & for a couple of months we shall have warmth I
48got such a beautiful post yesterday. A long letter from Miss Greene &
49one from you, & one from some Finnish young girl who wants to
50translate dreams, & a note from Adela. Her little baby is going to be
51born in January. If its a girl she’ll call it "Olive," & if its a
52boy "Waldo." I wish you could see her before you leave England I know
53you would love her. ^
54
55 Olive
56
57