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HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, JOHANNESBURG
April: 21: 1902
My dearest Nan
I was delighted to get your last interesting letter. I hope you will have a good time in Paris. It's extremely kind of Uncle Willie to take you.
I am afraid this will be a short and dull letter, as I am very much oppressed with work. All last week I was engaged in negotiations, which I have written about in a letter to Uncle Willie this week. Today H.E.
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goes to the Cape. Yesterday, being the Sabbath & Day of Rest, I worked at the office from 10 till 3, and then with H.E. at the house from 4 till 7.30. This week I shall be hustled between Johannesburg and Pretoria, engaged in my favourite task of making bricks without straw, and trying to knock the maximum amount of work out of a pack of idiots.
H.E. broached the subject last night of my plans. I have settled to stay here till he goes, which I think will not be long - 18 months at
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the outside. He strongly urges me to give up the Bar & journalism. He said that he thought that I had administration talents of the highest order, and that if I decided to take up this work finally I had a great career before me. He also said that if I stayed till he left he would be able to help me a lot. He was extremely kind, and so I said that I would postpone my decision for another year to stay with him till he left. After that – whae kens?
Charlie Murray – from his remote house in the Zoutpansberg – has
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just sent me a letter from Lady Elibank about a son of the schoolmaster of Eddleston who is in the employment of the Town Council here.
I am living in state in the Residency in Pretoria just now with a kilted Gordon Highlander on guard outside my gate – a fine position for a humble-minded man.
With much love to all
Your affectionate brother
John
