Richmond, Natal.

Sunday, 31st july, 1938

Dear Gelana,

Here comes the partng of the ways. We have had a very peaceful time, and we have told ourselves that we are thankful for the quiet rest we have had to gether. Now we are out in the field of the world to low into practise our ideals and day-dreams and to make ourselves fit to make our difficulties our laddess for success

Now you have three duties before you the one is to carry out the work we have just began to compile those notes and make them a book. This book should act as a study in "social hygiene" and 1 Home discipline in the schools of Natal. Get Mr. Malcolm to read it over and through the "Zulu Society" you may get them to publish it for you. I would suggest you go on meanwhile, with your Geography of Swaziland, and also get some information from books or narration about the manerisms and customs of the Swazis. If everything works well, we will make an effort next year to pay a visit to Swaziland and get as much information as is possible to compile another historical-geographical book on the Swazis. I am in the good books of the Swazis and the Paramount chief himsel would have no objection, if I came out to witness the "Ingcwala" and took notes on the ritual.

Your other duty will be to complete the novel part of "KUFA" and see that this is sent to me complete by the end of October, so that I could have it printed by the C/R/Press of Rosettenville, as a novel and have it criticised by Mrs. Hellmann or Mrs Ballinger. What I am very keen on, is to make this book open up an avenue for you in the literary and Library spheres which we are trying to open up in Joh,burg and other towns for the Non-Europe ans. Besides that I would like you to get into public life, like these ladies, so that you may be of some social help in the problems of the City, affecting Women. I do not think I have met a woman who understands the Woman, and her needs as you b e do; andif you could be employed in some social agencies of some sort in town I am sure you would do a lot of good. Fortunately for me Mr. Hardy of the Bantu Sports Club controls all charitable and social welfare agencies, and with Mr. Hofmeyr still in Barliament, there is every hope of you getting recognition from the Government for your services in this direction. You see, Gelana, I am having too many i eas in my head and you have to play a prominent part in getting these ideas brought to fruition. I will be the schemer of these openings and you have just to give me your sincerity that you will not lag behind and be busy with other things that mean very little. I am really giving you the chance of a life time anr if you will only take me seriously and start these things, you may be sure in us having a very wonderful and happy future together.

But Gelana, these things won't come just by talking about them or aiming at them by heart. They need organised thought, organised self-discipline and more than that fervency and painstaking endeavour from both of us. That is why it is superlatively important almost to imperative degree, that we two, must be well-organised in our relationship towards one another, even if we think, other affedtions have failed.In this field we meet purely as partners in thought and co-workers for a derrte end. Here we meet as two business people, one the Director and Financier, the other the Manager and Directing-Partner. We need not necessarily be lovers. It is immaterial in which way we take it, the fact is that we must be well-organised in our efforts, and simply reliable to the best of our ability. Hence my insistence, time and again, on you being quite sure of our trust and faith in each other, before you commit yourself to any business, friendly and other relations we have. I have spent money and time, just to come and strengthen this tie, and thus be sure that we are starting on a firm and unehekeable

valedictory Note

foundation.

Your third duty then, is to me as your lover and greetheart. I need not onlarge on this phase of our life as we have known suficiente well by now how much regard and concern we have about each other and that so far as we can humanly holy and resist , we

shall see that nothing mers and breeks the kind promises we have made to each other. I still, however, insist that if there is anything that tends to create friction between us, please do not hesitate and lat it be known and discussed at once before the rifbecomes too bad and irreconcilable. We are all suspepptible to temptations and that is why we need one another's confidence, so that we may guide each other, advise each other, and almost consolidate each other's ideas, ideals convictions, and principles. We have laid out our former experiences to each other and have found out that now it is the time for us to retrace our steps and make a fresh bid for a fuller, richer, and serviceable life to our many brothers and sisters who come after us, who may not be strong enough to stand the turmoils, troubles, and dificulties we have had to meet. Out of our dead selves, we must risa to higher things and make those who still have to share this world with us, find in us the wus sustenance and invigorat on they need.

In short, Dear Gelana, we have made a mess of our lives, and the only thing left for us to do, is to do no other but dedicate our lives in the service of our People. We will have to forget our own conveniences and expediencies, and reckon it all as nothing compared with our ultimate goal - to serve others and make them live a world a bit better than ours. We have taken unto ourselves already the responsibility to look after young boys, young girls, old Grannies and others; and this fesponsibility to be sincere will demand sacrifice of self-interest, sacrifice of monetary pleasures, and sacrifice of other needs we may feel justified to aspire for. Without a firm grip together and a charming realisation that we have each other's confidence, we cannot meet all these liabilities with a smile and a fortitude par excellent.

Therefore I do not think I'll be asking too much from you when I pray thee, most penitently to treat my love, as your secret, as your coveted treasure, and as respectable as you treat your own person. Nothing will hurt me more than to know and hear and feel that you have failed me in this direction. I could forgive you all your short-comings in life, but will curse the day when I realise and discover that I have "Put all my eggs in one basket and that basket carelessly mutilated". Do not think I am too severe and too harsh in my repetition of this same tune. The fact is that I cannot over-emphasize myself. I am at best very selfish, as a lover, and also feverishly jealous. I am not at all as cheerful and as forgiving in this particular phase of my life, as I am in other things. You should therefore make it a point to let me kave your change of heart very soon when it does come before it comes to me as a shock.

wn, of course, not anticipating any tronble. In fact, I'm sure you will have so much enjoyment out of the partnership that you will never have a single moment of monotony and tediousness. If we lose ourselves in the service of our people, our family troubles will sail off easily and you will be surprised what a comfortable heart you will have for any difficulty that may come your way. This is not philosophy. This is not camouflage. This is experience and life and it comes from one who has seen life from all angles. Be cheerful, therefore, Gelana, my dear in your heart. For you are now in company with a man, who understands - a man who does not require over-exertion to please - and one who meets you on equal terms. fou have the opportunity of still sharing many more dreams of your youth with me, for I am very appreciative and very observant. Let me not sound my own trumpet. For Goodness Sake, get rid of your self-pity stunts - your beliefs in tbe inferiority of women - your fears about fate and other pre-concieved family-mishaps.

Valedictory Note

Your life at 30, my life at 33 - us two, will leave this world steady, go ! at 66 perhaps a better place for posterity to live in. Now get ready

Remember all these ambitions of ours require Cash and Firm Purse-Strings. It is thereforåmperative for you to lose your sleep in dreaming and building schemes of thrift, more earning capacity, and more economic living. U have a taste for good wear. You like to look with admiration at yourself ina mirror. Yes, you have your little vanities about your home, your comfort, and your food. You will therefore be called upon to exercise the greatest thrift you can possibly imagine. The first step is to get a sayings- account open. You will have to send me 20/- per month for this fund. Then you have to increase your earning capacity by writing "books", "sending articles to me on any question affecting "women " for the Woman's Forum" - a paper that will certainly give you much more for your articles than any of the Bantu Papers. If possible you may correspond with Mr. P/J/Bennet - of "Umteteli" Box 809, Johannesburg, enclosing an article, and asking him to give you a regular page, for a xeXXI regular monthly article-scale at a quoted fee. One stigma about this is that your Brother Temba may try to discourage the idea, but you may write direct to him, merely as a bluff, and ask him to push you through. Get the same conditions from the "Bantu World". Write to . Mr. G. Paver, 3 Polly Street or to Mr. R/V/ Selope-Thema. I know the "Bantu World" will sooner make you an "agent for sales" than pay you for your articles. There is little hope here from the Bantu Papers, but you may try. I am sure the "European Papers" would jump at an article on the "Manners of the AmaKhuze Tribe in bringing up their womenfolk" and they would pay you handsomely for it. Y

Your other earning capacity, would be best invested in trying to finish your notes on the "Zulu Stories" Swaziland" and the "Idioms and manners of the Amakhuze in Zulu" for Natal. You may send some of your writings to Dr. Brookes, for suggestions on publications. I do not think he can do much though in this line. The fact, however, that he is a parliamentarian, may induce him at least to give you more opportunities for historical and Native Custom research on the lines of the revelations he will find in your papers. Please do not do these things anyhow, for you have to win a lot of prejudice from other native men and women, who may find from you, their own chances to excel in what you have paved for them. Do not act until the opportunity avails itself.

"Kufa" once published I'm sure will bring in a lot of money and there will be a clamour for more novels of the type. Therefore the commercial value of "Kufa" is in the care, diligence, and preciseness you can give to the narrative. Once this is done, there is no telling what treasures you will reap. I am now talking economics only.