Luthje’s Langham Hotel
Johannesburg
(Wednesday) 4 September 1912
My darling Sweetheart
Every thing in the garden is lovely & life is worth living. I am having a most enjoyable time & feel glad I am alive. How I wish you could be here to help me enjoy it & incidentally get me to bed early. The hours I am keeping are simply disgusting. To start at the beginning. Friday night I went to the Empire (Music hall) & saw a rattling good show. I conversed with a man I was sitting next to & at half time when we went to buy a dog(?) he told me I ought to go up to Rhodesia as business was in a really healthy condition. We talked it over & I got a lot of firms from him & I there & then practically decided to go provided the firm were agreeable. Before cabling them I thought matters over very closely, as is my custom before taking a decisive step. I weighed up the pros & cons & the pros had it easily but for one big factor & I couldn’t settle it off hand, so I thought I would leave it till Monday before I cabled. After watching the show I came straight home at 11.45 & went to bed.
Saturday morning I had a fearful job to get a sample room & at the finish I could only get a very small one which does not do justice to my set. After settling that I walked down to the station & arranged to have my samples sent up. In the afternoon I laid them all out & worked like a Trojan till 6.45. Then I dined & at eight o’clock I commenced my business letter & made up my orders. At 10.45 I went across & copied them in my sample room & went to bed.
Sunday I explored the town & found the addresses of the men I had to see & after lunch I slept for a couple of hours & read till dinner. After dinner I had two hours at the piano & got to bed at 10.30 more or less. Monday I was up with the lark & went round to see my men & had an awful reception. I made one appointment. In the afternoon it was the same exactly. I telephoned Miss Millar & arranged to see her at night & we went to the Empire & had a great time. It is one of the best variety shows I have ever seen. We came out at 11.30 before it was finished & I took her home. Tuesday I went round making other appointments – at least trying to do & again I was disgusted with things. I received a letter from some friends (whom I had written from Maritzburg) saying they would call round & see me in the afternoon. They did & we had a nice long chat & at night went to the Orpheum, another music hall cum bioscope. I got home at 12.45
Wednesday I went round making other appointments & was annoyed again. The total number of appointments I have made is six out of about 42 customers. Isn’t it enough to make you swear. In the afternoon I saw Miss Millar & the four kiddies & we took the tram to the zoo & had a most enjoyable time. The animals live as near as possible in their natural conditions & it was really fine to watch those kiddies. They were up to all sorts of pranks & wanted watching most carefully. I am afraid sweetest of sweet girls you will be feeling rather jealous but I think I know you as well as anyone & that you will not be annoyed with me. In any case you know my dearest there is no one to touch you in my sight & never will be again if I thought you would be annoyed. I could easily tell you such a beautiful fairy tale & you wouldn’t be any the wiser would you. In spite of all this I would like to have your assurance that you still trust me. I shall see Miss Millar Wednesday Thursday & Saturday night & possibly Monday if I have to stay Tuesday. I had no idea it was so late & the dinner gong has gone so will resume it later.
To conciliate you a little I am sending you to your private address a lucky bangle brooch. It is rather nervy(?) & seems like taking the bull by the horns, but if the family know about the other brooch they will soon find out about this & it is far better to play a straight game. I spotted another bangle today so put it in.
Wednesday night Uncle Jim (the kiddies uncle) gave us two seats for Macbeth so we went & saw a rattling good performance. I arrived home 12.45. Thursday morning I had a man in & after a great deal of persuasion he ordered a few pieces. When I went for my letters I spied the kiddies in the distance so I run behind & hoisted Betty & Topsy onto my shoulders & they were so astonished they didn’t recognise me for a moment. When they had recovered from the shock they suggested it would be nice to go & see my samples again (They had already paid me a visit on Tuesday morning). I said "no" but took them to the "Mogel Daiary(??)" instead where we had "nice pink cakes with violets on & big ‘lass of milk".
In the afternoon I also had a man in & he promised to order later which he did. At night Miss M & I went to see Trilby. Have you ever seen it? It is a most weird play & fairly gives you the creeps. It made a big impression on me & it will be a long time before I forget it. After supper I took Miss M home & got home myself at 12.30 & then discussed general affairs with a chap till 1.15 am. Friday I fooled round trying to get business but had no success & the same in the afternoon. About 5.30 I met Mr Jane (the people I saw on Tuesday afternoon) & he took me home with him where I had tea – later he took his wife & me down a gold mine. It was awfully interesting but frightfully hot although we only went down about 2,800 feet. I picked up some stones that has gold in & you shall see them when I get home. I saw the whole process right from the beginning & I opened my eyes somewhat. This morning I didn’t get up until late – about 10-0 o’clock & then I saw another customer & went to see Dobson – the general manager of the tramway system – who came over on the same boat. We conversed for a short time but as he was awfully busy we arranged to have lunch together on Monday. This afternoon I intended working but owing to a telephonic message I went out with Miss M & the kiddies to some gardens about 4 miles out & had tea & a general romp around. Tonight I am taking her to a military tattoo. I shall have to work all tomorrow now as I went out this afternoon.
Your letter was highly interesting. I liked your description of the fancy dress & look forward to receiving a photo. I am awfully sorry about the photo you received from me. I asked specially for it to be marked "personal". Yet at the same time I laughed for hours afterwards at the office staff opening it. It really is funny. I do hope you had a splendid dearest at Anglesey & that it has bucked you up & made you fit again.
Now I have something serious to write about. I received a letter from my brother Bert by this mail & he wants to borrow 30 guineas to go in for a course of wireless telegraphy. The place he wants to go to is in Fallowfield & from what he says they guarantee to find him a job afterwards.
As I cannot make any enquiries on this side do you mind letting me know what you think about the place. I have confidence in Bert but at the same time I don’t want to chuck 30 guineas away. He promises to pay me back the first year he works. Will you please give me your idea of the whole proposal. By the same mail I had a letter from Rothwell & he described the garden party. How I laughed at the jokes he had. I can’t give you the letter but will let you see it when I get home. He remarks "how my fingers trembled when Angela (bless her) was threading the needle" & also the after results.
He tells me Billy Brown is going travelling to Cuba not for JFS. It is a most astounding piece of news & I can hardly credit it. I was enjoined to keep strict silence about it so please don’t give me away. Have you heard anything about it?
I hope you will like the bangles. They are supposed to keep evil spirits away & bring the wearer good luck.
Now I must close sweetheart mine.
With my whole love dearest & lots of kisses
Yours most affectionately
Harry
I won’t keep you in suspense any longer. I have definitely decided not to go to Rhodesia this trip & have not cabled the firm because they would say "yes certainly". I only made up my mind this morning so have taken 9 days to decide & you fixed it. Nothing else did.
Please send your next letters to Australia. I shall have a big rush to catch the boat on 2nd Oct but I am trying for all I am worth. If men will not see me here I have to stop until they will otherwise I should get into trouble & I must avoid that at all costs. Also please let me have Uncle Alfred’s address as I don’t think your mother’s letter will catch me in Capetown. I do wish you were with me sweetheart. I want you so badly.
H