Creator
Geo[rge] Hansen
Recipient
[John Muir]
Transcription
GEO. HANSEN
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
2705 HEARST AVENUE, BERKELEY, CAL.
ADVISORY ARCHITECT TO PARK COMMISSIONS,
MUNICIPALITIES AND CEMETERY ASSOCIATIONS
June 3d, 1904.
Friend of our Home,
"Blessed are the poor in heart, for they shall see God"Thus ran By lesson for the day that I had just finished on the verands under the shade of a few belated Wistaria flowers and vines. I came in figuring yet how much house[Illegible] there was to do, when I got a full and, fair glimpse of the Goodness of the Allmighty in the letter, that you sent to this roof. We are not worthy of a continuation of such, but while yet under the dew of the eyes we send our souls' inspired greeting. How easy it is for some other one to hurt us to the quick with eve, a small offering and you, you who never saw us, you can spread your opening hand and shower over us, you who never saw a elimpse any of us, and we bow under such weight in meekness. The biggets dish on our burdened atble is "not meat alone", and as the manna always reaches to lip, and heart, we shall add your" Gold of Ophir to the boys fund (that-according to his wish-someday- shall furnish him either a college education or a trip like your last one) together first the coin that a good friend slipped "for good luck"into the pocket of his first pair of pants.
I thank you for the good word of your daughter that had special warmness for the brave wife. Her example is the vision that leads me to follow the Star in the Host, her words are the breeze that keep me awake, her silence the depth that I build my faith on. There was a time when I, as boy, disgruntedly eyed the new suit and neckties that Santa Claus brought. "I would have had to have that anyhow" was the nasty youngster's idea. But when the mother came home from down-town the other day-with a coconut for the boy, and a bundle of two new shirts, a cake of Pears1 unscented soap and a pineapple for the old man: I wetted her hard hands with the crystal fluid of adoration. For had not this purchase been made with savings from the paltry rent? And is not this woman actually
03370
pu tyding over the vacation with whet coin she must have dimed away for months? Is not this rent all and every bit of what she covers the expense of the entire household with, even light, fire and telephone and daily papers? This very morning she unpinned the stretched curtains " for the last time". "Linda, I said, isnt that a pair we still had at the Station?"Yes, she answered smiling, That were our best, thay are almost 15 years old". It took her about three quaters of an hour last night to mend ere she wetted them, but this morning they are "as good as new". And ifher soul had clefts like a grand Canyon - Christ would look at the threads she put in last night and say to her "Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise". In the fifteen years of our wedlock, it is only the last few months that every now and then she had not found the tine to change her dress in the afternoons. But, as Mrs. Moody says, she looks a queen in her plainest garb.
I had put away the coin that I took in for the [Illegible] book of nine that I sold, till a worthy opportunity should arrive to apply such. It has come. When but a tot. I was sent to an aunt to an aunt to [Illegible] the" then had left us) and there I saw the first "mountains" and red cows, and these had bells on. I sent the coin to the [moatmaste ?] " and asked him to buy 'me one of those bells. It shall be the bell of "Faith" in my chimes. The others, "Love" shall be she one of the old [confessed to milk ?] when setting up housekeeping, and charity is the one sent by our good neighbors, the Moodys, on their [Illegible] bought it off a goats' heck while at Chamounix. The chimes hang in my "chapel" in a big plant, and hen Roland rings the [Illegible] for me, I shall [Illegible] Zion in the evening [skye ?].
For now one year I have slowly and steadily o improved. And when in throes of despair, I say the loudest: I am going to be well.
In the last number of "Sunset" they give the tunes of the meadowlark. They forgot to put the words with it. I learned then this spring, and you know then too; "God gave me a song to sing". -The call of the quail I heard only once in the U.C. grounds this year: too many stray cats. And the biggest Change in Berkeley? Do you care to mournfully know about it With me ? - The redtailed hawk came to look at their brooding [groland ?] of last year, but they refused to nest. And so, too, have the dear [Illegible]left for good. There is too much memorial building going on.
"Joy is the grace we say to God [Illegible]. You added a smiling field it to our devotion. It extends from here "Contra Costa".
[Illegible]
Location
Berkeley, Calif.
Date Original
1904 Jun 03
Source
Original letter dimensions: 28 x 21.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Hansen, George, "Letter from Geo[rge] Hansen to [John Muir], 1904 Jun 3." (1904). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 2780.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/2780
Resource Identifier
muir14_0192-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 14, Image 0192
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