Creator
John Muir
Recipient
Louie [Strentzel Muir]
Transcription
Sissons Station,
Wednesday. [Aug.12, 1885]
3 P.M.
Dear Louie,
Here is snowy Shasta once more and how fresh and inspiring and immortal it seems. Not even my first view impressed me so much. I saw its icy sculptured summit looming above the sugarpine woods this morning at half past four, just before reaching Sissons. We reached Delta at 7:40, and took the stage at 8 o'clock and bumped and rumbled all night. Yet I stood the trip well and had but little pain of any kind. [I went] to bed and get a half hour's sleep; could not sleep longer on account of strange noises. [I] mean to sleep tonight, get up at half past three tomorrow morning to take the stage for Oregon. The one day's rest and sleep seemed absolutely necessary, as I was used up by sheer fatigue.
The house is full of guests. Sissons [were] all glad to see me, and quite a number of the guests knew and welcomed me. How green are the meadows and cool and deep the streams, and how boundless the wealth of woods; and the vast icy cone, how impressively it charms and draws. Never while I live will this mountain love die. I suppose it will only bring reproach to confess that though on the way to see my aged mother and father and sisters and brothers and old friends and neighbors, I still feel a strong draw[ing] to the wilderness impelling me to leave all and linger here. But I will not -- putting away the temptation as a drunkard would whiskey, and I shall make all the haste I can, both away and back. If [I] should seem to move slowly you may be sure that I cannot help it, as this excitement of travel makes me weaker than I seemed at home, though I am much better today than I expected.
Take particular care of yourself and the baby, and that will be so much off my mind. Several people asked me if I had a photograph of Wanda and seemed very curious to see what manner of girl she was. I hope grandma is getting better and that the Doctor will not allow the affairs of the ranch that I have left [to] worry or fatigue him.
I left the city with about $225. and I am afraid this may be too little. So Sisson will let me have $50, more, and I want you to send him fifty by Wells Fargo, charges paid. His address is:
J. H. Sisson,
Sisson's Station,
Berryvale,
Siskiyou Co.
You of course understand this fifty dollars is to be sent to Mr. Sisson, not to me, as I will be away.
I saw Fitch and all the Bulletin folks before I left. They want some letters, but I'm too sleepy today for anything. Mr. Gregory's brother is here for his health. He enquired kindly for grandma and the Doctor. No particular hurry about that money for Sisson, but send it within a day or two of your receipt of this, and if you want more out of the bank send me a few blank checks.
Ever yours truly,
JOHN MUIR
Location
Sissons Station, [Calif]
Circa Date
[1885 Aug 12]
Source
Original letter dimensions: 33 x 21.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Muir, John, "Letter from John Muir to Louie [Strentzel Muir], [1885 Aug 12]." (1885). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 1615.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/1615
Resource Identifier
muir05_0348-trans.tif
File Identifier
Reel 05, Image 0348
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
Copyrighted
Copyright Statement
The unpublished works of John Muir are copyrighted by the Muir-Hanna Trust. To purchase copies of images and/or obtain permission to publish or exhibit them, see http://www.pacific.edu/Library/Find/Holt-Atherton-Special-Collections/Fees-and-Forms-.html
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.
Copyright Holder
Muir-Hanna Trust
Copyright Date
1984
Pages
1 page
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
