Creator

Betty Averell

Creator

Betty Averell

Recipient

John Muir

Transcription

[1]

[letterhead]

September 24th

Dear Mr Muir

It has been such a joy to hear of your visit in the Idaho Camp. Mother & Aunt Mary are still happy over your addition in all ways to the party. And just because I have tied myself up in this big art & New York world I missed you! And then you say I never write to you

05557

[2]

when all these long weeks I've been wondering why you didn't answer my last letter! How I wish you were going with Bill, & me today to motor all the way to Rochester. Our first stop is Arden, which is radiant now in autumn color.
Then we go into Indian Country, & spend the next night at Cooperstown That is our ancestral

[3]

[letterhead]

camping ground as the Averells were the third family to settle there. It's old & delightful & quite beautiful. The greatest surprise in the present day Averell family is that in November [Walter?] is going with a friend to Egypt for the winter. Bill, & I will keep house together in this big New York. So dont forget, if the Hetch Hetchy interests call you East that

05557



[4]

you must come & see us! In any event you cant escape me long I hope! Miss Bryant & I have designs on decorating some of the San Francisco Exposition buildings, and if we get the commissions we'll have to go out there, of course! I've really never been more thrilled over the interests of life than now the creative spirit is so beautiful that it is unbounded joy to help give
[5]

[letterhead]

it expression in art, & in all its [illegible].
The autumn days I'll enjoy out of doors now at home - my vacation - while [illegible] mountains this summer. Ive talked much with a man whose ideal is glorified on the mountain top. He appreciates the splendor & the meaning of the mountains so that I told him I was going to ask

05557

[6]

if you wouldnt put [up?] his name for the Sierra Club membership. I know he would appreciate it.
Isaac Harter, esq
Dongan Hills
Staten Island, NY
is his address
Now, dear Mr Muir, may I ask a favor of you.
Perhaps you will remember the dear little girl who went on our breakfast party when you were in Rochester? Grace Curtice was her name. She

[7]

[letterhead]

has just married a friend of mine of good Scotch birth Jesse Lindsay! He has climbed the Rockies often - & [in?] the Sierras he has camped. I want very much to give them as a wedding present your boyhood book. Your National Parks, Mountains of California & Stickeen-all handsomely bound. Now would you feel like writing just a line in those books. I would so appreciate it, & I know they

05557

[8]

would.
If you would get the book in San Francisco (& send me the bill!) & forward them to me here I will have them [illegible] in [illegible] here.
In any event write me please a dear long letter! I need a word of inspiration from you, as a spirit guide in my new venture It will help this child & glorify her days - each day.
Yes, I love you truly dear Mr Muir

devotedly

Betty Averell

Location

New York

Circa Date

[1913] Sep 27

Source

Original letter dimensions: 23.5 x 14.5 cm.

Resource Identifier

muir21_0816-let.tif

File Identifier

Reel 21, Image 0816

Collection Identifier

Online finding aid for the microform version of the John Muir Correspondence http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0w1031nc

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

5 pages

Keywords

Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters

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