Creator
Sarah [Muir] Galloway
Recipient
John Muir
Transcription
[1]
Portage, Wis.
March 28./93.
Dear brother John
Your letter and order was received in due time and you will probably hear from Joanna before you receive this. The past year has been an exceedingly trying one for her, Walter has been so discouraged about his business affairs, and especially so, for the last few months, but the old proverb has proved true in her case. “that it is always darkest just befor daylight” Walter feels that now he has succeeded, and will now be able to supply her with all she requires
01647 [2]
after he draws his first months salary, indeed he has always sent her a little as he could, but it was very little, and sometimes much needed before it came. As soon as Joanna let us know how matters stood both Mother and I, let her have some money until she could be supplied, then your generous order came to help her through the hard place, and so altogether the cloud has lifted, the more so as she now expects to move to Philidelphia in a few months and so the family will be united again and that is the best of all as the separation has been long and [weary?]. I am ashamed to see how long it is since I received
[3]
that good, kind, letter from you, I see it is dated Jan 13 and is full of Kind words, and wishes, and it also brings to my mind that I have never thanked you for your christmas remembrance, You are always doing so many kind things. I wonder if I shall ever be able to do other, then to thank you with words “though the Lord knows they are heartfelt. It will be a glad day for me when the Kansas land increases in value and can be sold so that I can repay you as far as money goes, but your kind thought for us all and your loving, ready help in the dark days can never be repaid. We have all got along very well the past year and
01647 [4]
have been [buntifully?] supplied with all we need. Your kindness supplied us to begin with, then John Reid has sent his order regularly and while the girls have been in the store they also have helped right along so there has been no lack. I have also got my usual supply of wood, to last most of the year and it is paid for, also my rent is paid as I go along, and I have a little put away besides. so you see I have much to be thankful for, and if I only had a little more strength I would get along very well. The sketch of your life has not appeared in the Century Magazine
[3?] [5]
yet, perhaps it will be coming later. The little poem you wrote off for me I thank you for, it is very comprehensive, how many thoughts and facts are packed into those few lines, the writer seems to be well acquainted with your writings and able to appreciate them. When I received that last letter from you it took me back in thought to the time when you were traveling about among the mountains and taking care of sheep, it was written on a small sheet of paper, packed close and full, looking like dozens of those I have laid away, telling of the hills, and flowers, and the thoughts that came to you
01647 [6]
as you looked upon that wonderful scenery all so new to you, before you had written for the press or that “first book.” do you remember that I have the old quill you wrote it with, you gave it to me to keep as a memento. The snow is nearly gone now, just a patch here and there, the winter has been long and severe but perhaps we will enjoy the beautiful spring days the more with the sunshine and flowers. There is certainly far less sickness now than after the milder winters. Give my love to Louie and tell her I have been wondering if she is coming to the worlds fair and so we may have a visit with her and perhaps some of the others of the family, also love to the children and grandma – and yourself John
Affectionately Sarah.
Location
Portage, Wis
Date Original
1893 Mar 28
Source
Original letter dimensions: 20 x 12.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Galloway, Sarah Muir, "Letter from Sarah [Muir] Galloway to John Muir, 1893 Mar 28." (1893). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 260.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/260
Resource Identifier
muir07_0898-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 07, Image 0898
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
