Creator
Robin Linda & George Hansen
Recipient
John Muir
Transcription
GEO. HANSEN
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
2705 HEARST AVENUE, BERKELEY, CAL.
ADVISORY ARCHITECT TO PARK COMMISSIONS,
MUNICIPALITIES AND CEMETERY ASSOCIATIONS
May 2d., 1904.
Dear and good man,
Cent (reposing in his private car): who are you making for today? Shack or upstairs?
Wells-Fargo driver: It is for you today.
Gent (as before); Oh, I guess not.
Driver, "as "he" passes: Yes it is.
Voice of gent's soul: John Muir, sure; but what can he send?
Some hammering went on in the backyard, and then the triumphant hurrah of Young Roland told the story: Papa, Oranges, big ones. Now he is at my side with a golden orb under each armpit. "Shall we eat 'em , me in Junge? Asks the father -" Shall we? " replies the boy (who has never yet used the" words "no" and "yes").- Here comes the mother, too. Mama, tumbles out the choking voice, people are good to us" - Too good, I think "" says thinly the voice the sender of which surveys the silvery x-pand of the Bay before our eyes.-"Let us thank' god for it".
Meanwhile the little chap has busied himself. He knows the value of gold,-he passes it on. Every one in the home (and are nt we all of one Mine? to be in-the-family?) has been provided by him with the biggest he can get his fingers -around and the good Mother peals one for the generous giver himself.
Two days later a lady Calls on an errand, and finding my wife's hair down in a switch, and her face haggard and worn , she guesses the tale, and her daughter comes around sometime Hater, and has a loaf of fresh-baked bread in a napkin. She got it filled with four oranges, oranges from John Muir's growing when she went back, one for each in their home - Later in the same' day (it is Sunday now) a former neighbor, now of Mill Valley, calls with the sweetness of the canyon all in one bouquet . The two woman were closeted for a short
03354
while , and as the friend leaves, and presses her lips on my forehead, her angelic voice says to me: Martha will he over tomorrow".
And here is Martha, and the result of her presence is that I sit at my typewriter filled in good old fashion with a "square meal" and as I look out of the window, I see, under an umbrella, the good mother and her boy in the depth of our "wild oat" patch (matorial, not spiritual). Martha used to be a student here, years ago, and lived in the "shack". And she is happy to be back, and get in in familiar and unconventional style, She is all smiles, and Poland did not hide under the tablecloth either, but wants her "right now, to come with my mother together under the "Schirm" out in the grass. - I remain back here, and only watch them now and then as I write to you. Musnt you be a happy man? What pleasure it must have been to fill that box and know what blessing such golden nuggets, are, to procure!; "Give and it shall be given unto you, full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over shall men give into your bossom". I cannot fancy that any man be richer than I, but you must be my full brother-in-gld. Yet, why? Why shall people give to me,? That is the riddle for me. And as I close, I but repeat my prayer silently, for you, as it shall be audible to him who always listens to them. The sun of love, the dew of peace and the result is the first fruit that we hand out over the altars of -Him to our fellow-brother.
Spread the breath of my soul over your grassy-flowering slopes and tell the hills that one more nan is new-born for their, heights.
Take of the water of Life freely - this the fond wish of
[ILLEGIBLE]
Location
Berkeley, Calif.
Date Original
1904 May 02
Source
Original letter dimensions: 28 x 21.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Linda, Robin and Hansen, George, "Letter from Robin Linda & George Hansen to John Muir, 1904 May 2." (1904). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 2768.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/2768
Resource Identifier
muir14_0136-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 14, Image 0136
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
2 pages
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
