Creator
Louie [Strentzel Muir]
Recipient
John Muir
Transcription
[4]
flowers as she desired. Sarah Young came this morning to thank me, and she talked with so much tender feeling about her mother. She is a gentle lovely girl I think Yesterday good old Parson Yager came to see us: the one who preached at my little brother's funeral 31 years ago. How vividly that sorrowful time was brought back to our minds. Oh the weary pioneer days that were talked of! Mr. Yager told how his wife died of cholera in the Indian Territory, leaving a helpless baby. Soon afterward with his seven motherless children he went on his way over the deserts to
[1]
Martinez, Calif.
July 8, 1889.
Dear John,
We are all very well, and enjoying a most comfortable climate, but have been quite unsettled in location. Miss Kendall cannot come till tomorrow or next day. Old Mrs. Bush has her son's family from Sacramento for a week. Cousin Fannie went to the city Friday, & returned Sunday evening but is making a dress for Grandma and so must stay over there consequently the children and I stay at home during the day but go to
[5]
California! Think of it all, and the years that followed!
I wish that R. U. Johnson could have heard. O if someone of quick insight and also of all-compelling sympathy would wander over this western land, what heart-thrilling store of life records might he gather together.
But instead, lo, the snake-man abroad in the land of gold!
[in margin: 859]
[2]
Grandpa's at night. If this keeps on maybe I'll become a cood comfortable traveler by and by. But it is not pleasant now, and besides that stubborn animal "Kittie" objects every time we drive away from home in the evening. I do hope Miss Kendall will come tomorrow, then we can stay at home. Of course I did not start any "poison oak bonfire" on the Fourth, also the Chinamen seem not to fancy either poison oak or greater oak grubbing & so have been resting all the time. You will think this is queer handwriting but I am trying to make Helen go
[3]
to sleep beside me, and she wants to play with my hand! The mosquitos are again so bad, in spite of the cold. winds that the children can not play much in the garden, so it keeps me busy trying to entertain Helen in the house. We went to Mrs. Pruett's Sunday afternoon. J. P. says he wants you to come home & talk to him, Mrs. P. in exuberant spirits! but we did not see Mr. & Mrs. Parkhurst: they were off on some excursion all the afternoon. Poor Mrs. Young was released from that awful suffering Wednesday evening her coffin was covered with
01356
[6] 01356
Whatever have you been doing that so awful a fate should come about you!! For mercy's sake try to conquer that Examiner editor himself or else flee beyond his reach, to the highest cool green redwoods. "Head hot, and feel cold." If it were not for Helen, I would leave all and carry you away from so dangerous a place. Helen is awake and sends many kisses to dear papa.
Lovingly, Louie
Location
Martinez, Cal
Date Original
1889 Jul 8
Source
Original letter dimensions: 20.5 x 25.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Muir, Louie Strentzel, "Letter from Louie [Strentzel Muir] to John Muir, 1889 Jul 8." (1889). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 1834.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/1834
Resource Identifier
muir06_0135-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 06, Image 0135
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
4 pages
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
