Creator
[Jeanne C. Carr]
Recipient
John Muir
Transcription
Oakland. Dec. 31st, [1671]
Dear John.
I have been a victim to the worst weather I have ever known in Cal. - neuralgic pains got hold of my face, but all the more time have I lying around good for nothing to think 'why don't he write’. I sent you a box in October, and sent you Yelverton's papers in the magazines*and book soon after, and have written, and you must be dead and the Lord has buried you. I would write you if there was a feeling uppermost that you would receive my letters. I do not think it strange because we are cut off from nearer places. How wonderful things must be in these stormy days with you. The only really enjoyable day I have had in a month was one with Prof. Bolander on the Berkeley hills -- and that was cold enough to freeze one's marrow. No letters from the east beyond Chicago -- all is at a deadlock. Mr. Stone comes in now and then, McChesney is as good, genial and industrious as ever, means to go a bugging in Japan one day. LeConte is cogitating the Cosmos. The Libbys I rarely see. That Mrs. Hoyt who was with them is Dr. Kellogg's friend. I expect that blessed old soul has been washed off from his eyrie on Jones St. -- a queer place it was in dry weather. "Harry" [illegible] Edwards and his wife spent last Sunday with us. Prof. Marsh made us a flying visit. This is all the news I know.
Akin to the scenes in which you were bred the winter glory, the flowers of the snow, are but a great exaltation of what was familiar and dear. I seem to see nothing very familiar or dear. I have been shut in the house so long that everything is very stale to me. I really meant to spend the holidays oh the Summit just for the glory and uplifting. Then this storm came. I never knew such a mean looking and feeling storm. It sounds like money falling on the roof. Thanksgiving day I went over into Sunol Valley to see John. Found him ploughing -- cheeks red, eyes so_blue. He did not expect me. "How do you do, Ole Carson?" (His hair is so light he looks just like a Norwegian). The smile that broke over his face was the pleasantest thing I have seen this winter.
The Geological Survey is in rather a dubious position before the Legislature. Have you seen the bills for Forest Master, and the Yosemite road bill. How glad I shall be when a narrow gauge road is built into the Valley (think of my beginning that word with a little v! —almost as bad as the Wisconsin lawyer who began the greatest of monosyllables with a little j) for that will bring you out of it. A good old Wisconsin 'nature feller' has just settled in Seattle; [he] says the wildernesses boyond are unexplored save by Indians -- there be also waterfalls. I have been lying, I find, on these back pages -- all owing to this infernal weather.
[Jeanne Carr]
[Probably has reference to Overland of Nov., 1871]
459
Location
Oakland, [Calif]
Circa Date
[1871] Dec 31
Source
Original letter dimensions: 33 x 21.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Carr, Jeanne C., "Letter from [Jeanne C. Carr] to John Muir, [1871] Dec 31." (1871). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 1412.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/1412
Resource Identifier
muir02_0625-trans.tif
File Identifier
Reel 02, Image 0625
Collection Identifier
Online finding aid for the microform version of the John Muir Correspondence http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0w1031nc
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
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Pages
1 page
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
