Letter from Maggie [Margaret Muir Reid] to John Muir, 1883 Oct 29.

Creator

Maggie [Margaret Muir Reid]

Recipient

John Muir

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Transcription

Crete, Neb., Oct. 29, 1883.My dear brother John:You have been much in my mind for a day or two.I have been having one of my very nervous spells, was not much out of bed yesterday, and how I wished it were possible for me to come into that cosy little room upstairs for a wee while and have a pleasant talk with yourself and Louie and little Wanda. I am with you often in mind, and shall never forget the princely and tender kindness with which you and Louie and all in the house treated us while with you. Your pictures are all printed on my memory, but I expect wee Wanda changes some as she grows older and larger and I wonder if Louie has yet got her own and Wanda's picture taken.We have had sister Annie here with us about ten days now. She is in poor health. The journey here tired her greatly. She has been at Phillips the most of the summer for her health. She has had a cough for more than a year, and her throat has troubled her very much. The doctors back home thought that the bronchial difficulty was the worst, but brother Dan, after having examined her lungs, says no. He says the half of one lung is consolidated. He is giving her medicine, and she keeps him informed of how she is by writing every two days. She has been quite miserable since she left home, but is beginning to feel much better. She may go to Kansas City a while in the winter. Dan thinks if circumstances are favorable she will get well. We were all surprised. We did not know she was seriously sick. John has been back to Wis. amd she came back here with him, stopping a few days at Dan's on the way.Dan's folks are well, and I think his business is better. Annie says mother is very comfortable, living in part of a house. There is another family in the other part who have no children, so it is very quiet. She goes out to dinner and does not cook but for breakfast and supper, so she has an easy time and enjoys it greatly.I have not seen John for about a week. Foster and he are going to feed 4000 sheep next winter. They were shipped from Colorado to Beatrice, Neb. They are driving them from there. They started in the rain last Tuesday morning.' It has been cold, rainy and very muddy most of the time since, and part of it so frosty that the ice was about twice as thick as window gladd one morning. John took a cold in Wis. amd was not over it when he started (which was not quite a week after he god home from Wis.)John thinks David Galloway will soon move out here. Sarah thinks it hard to leave the old home, but is willing. D. is negotiating with two different parties who are anxious to buy his place, I think. Annie G. G. says she is not going to be left behind. I guess somebody is coming with her. I think William Reid and family will come too. I think mother had better come too with Sarah. Most of the family are out west, or will be when Sarah comes, and if she will keep house, Annie and she can have a little home close by. Then she would be near Sarah and Dan and us, and not far from Joanna, and nearer you too, although far away.I hope you are all well and that you are not working too hard. I expect you are in your great grape harvest and will be tempted to overdo. And now I must close. Annie M[uir] and Annie [Reid] send love. Jessie is teaching, and the rest attend school. With much love to yourself, Louie, and a kiss for Wanda, I am as ever,Affectionately,Maggie [Margaret Muir Reid] Give my love to grandpa and grandma. I hope to hear from you soon.

Location

Crete, Neb

Date Original

1883 Oct 29

Source

Original letter dimensions: 20.5 x 25 cm.

Resource Identifier

muir04_1118-trans.tif

File Identifier

Reel 04, Image 1118

Copyright Status

Copyright status unknown

Copyright Statement

Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Owning Institution

University of the Pacific Library Holt-Atherton Special Collections. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.

Page Number

Page 3