The college boys of Cape Town beat the English Cricketers!

Kimberley Club,

Kimberley.

March 27th 1899

My dear Raymond and Joe.
your letters date March 3rd which ought to have arrived last Thursday, did not come. No, there were no letters from you last mail. I suppose something interfered and you missed the post. In a day or two you will be having your Easter Holiday. I hope you will enjoy them.
The college boys of Cape Town beat the English Cricketers! It is the first match they have lost on the tour. There will be no holding those college boys in the future. You may be sure they will put on an awful lot of side. The Englishmen could do nothing with the youngsters bowling; and the boys that is, a few of them collared the bowling of the English professionals and sent it to all parts of the field. There were no big scores, but the colleges beat Lord Hawkes team by three wickets.

In the match XI of South Africa against the English XI the south africans were no where. The western province men scored only ten runs. Kimberley did best. Powell and Shalders, made by far the best stand — both scored well — I forget the figures.

I send you by this mail, some photographs taken during a thunderstorm at night. You know the tower in the Compound? The photos were taken from there in a perfectly terrific storm. The big round splodges of light are the electric light on the haulage. Mr. Drew took the photos, and nearly caught his death of cold for his pains. He was very ill for days afterwards. He is all right again. Poor Mr. Dodds is still in the Hospital and is quite out of his mind. He will never recover; and the Dr. told me it will not be long, before he dies. He cannot speak — and at times has to be strapped down to his bed.

I hope you are both studying hard. Mr. Newdigate has again disappointed me about the Cape University Syllabus for the survey exam, Raymond. But I will send it for certain, next mail.

Gypsy is sick again, Joe, and I am having her looked after in the Compound Hospital. She is not so bad as she was once before — she eats and is cheerful — but her health is not at all good.

God bless you my dear boys.
Kind regards to Sir Edmund & Mr. Milne
Your loving father
Frank Mandy