Creator
Janet Douglass [Moores]
Recipient
John Muir
Transcription
[4]
With much love & the kindest of wishes, I am your friend, Janet Douglass
[in margin: 914]
00873
[1]
Indianapolis Indiana December 15th, 1879. 232 [N.?] Ala.
My Dear Mr. Muir,
My letter is on the same errand as Katie’s to introduce to you our friends Prof. Jordan and Charles Gilbert. Katie has perhaps given you an enthusiastic description of Prof. Jordan, at whose shrine we worship. A long time ago, when we were children, a certain young Scotchman one of the few who remain young, John Muir by name filled the place that is kept for heroes in little girls’ hearts. But John Muir went away and as ten years passed by, a great fellow, with a big heart and a big beard unconsciously worked his way
[Page 2]
[2]
almost into John Muir’s place. It would never do to say, quite. Long the girls had waited for the return of their early friend. At length, “He cometh not,” they said and opened their doors to the Professor. Now will you open the doors of your valley or of your home wherever it is and take in our friends. Mr. Gilbert is a class mate of mine, a member of ’79, a wide-awake, pleasant boy, who doesn’t wish to be called a young gentleman. I said to “me of the boys” not long ago, “Mr. Gilbert has good luck,” “Well, he deserves it” was the reply. I think you will find him after your own heart, for like you, his friends are birds and flowers as well as people. We read of your being in Alaska. Cannot you find as interesting
[3]
places on the Atlantic Coast? I know you can find as inter- esting, or perhaps I should say as interested people. We have been happy this last week to shake hands with Pres. Grant a Julia Ward Howe, but I think if John Muir were to return, he would find, if not a inder welcome, a warmer one Mamma has not been well this fall, but is better now. She sends her love. The rest of us are as usual; Charles, a strapping fellow, a school-teacher, no longer the little “Prince Charley”, whom you once knew, Merrill a famous law student & as much of a Scamp as ever – As for Janet – she is a “jack of all trades & master of none.”
Location
Indianapolis, Indiana
Date Original
1879 Dec 15
Source
Original letter dimensions: 20.5 x 25 cm.
Recommended Citation
Moores, Janet Douglass, "Letter from Janet Douglass [Moores] to John Muir, 1879 Dec 15." (1879). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 509.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/509
Resource Identifier
muir03_1185-md-1.pdf
File Identifier
Reel 03, Image 1184
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
