2110-1-14-9

Governor's Office, Johannesburg.

May: 9: 1903

My poor melancholy Mother

I was very glad to get your last letter. Anna also wrote me a note from London – in very good spirits. I am glad to hear that the Bird is being restored to his original health & strength. But I am unhappy about what [?you say (overwritten 'Anna says')] of your own health. What frightful [twist?] has your constitution got in S. Africa? I cannot believe that it is ordinary malaria, & I think you ought to see a specialist. Perhaps you are only tired after the winter's work.

I am certainly coming home this autumn, but I do not suppose I shall know the date till just before. I fancy it will be about the end of July

arriving in England about the 3rd week of August. I hope you have done what I asked you & taken Altarstone. Hugh has taken Torloisk in Mull for August to October, so that will take him home sooner than he had intended.

Every one here is delighted with the success of the Loan, which has been far greater than we ever dreamed of – the whole applied for 10 times over. H.E. is quite in good spirits, and though we are only beginning to find out how big some of our problems are, yet the biggest & horridest of all has been settled. I have undertaken the task of organising all our district administration in the Indian model, a job which gives me many anxious

hours. I lead a healthy & regular life, up early & early to bed, with no "freevolities" in it at all.

I am surprised that you do not like my idea of going into a financial house. Of course it is still quite in the air, and there are many sentimental objections to it, but the more I think of it the surer I am that is what I ought to do. You see I am good at finance & a trained organiser. I would not go into any house unless one of the 2 or 3 biggest ones, & then only high up. But what Lord M. says is self-evident. I have no money. I shall not make a fortune in journalism, and, though I might at the Bar, I would be too old by the time it was made. I am sure Providence meant me to be

a politician, and to be a free and honest & effective politician, one must be independent of office. Besides I have my own schemes, which could only be realised with a fortune. If therefore a good chance (and it would have to be a very good chance) offered of making a fortune in 10 years, (which is the limit H.E. lays down), don't you think I would be right to take it? However all this requires "careful & prayerful consideration" and there is no need to decide till I come home.

With much love to all

Your affectionate son

John

I shall send some more photographs shortly.