Creator

Joanna [Muir Brown]

Recipient

Annie [L. Muir]

Transcription

Phillips Wis Dec. 5. ’81.

Dear Annie:-

I am indebted to you for several kind letters but your last gave me the most pleasure of all. An abiding trust in God, and peace which passeth knowledge in the heart is met truly the greatest good which it is possible for God to bestow upon mortal man; I am so glad you possess this gift. I have wished many times of late for a talk with you. We had hoped to spend the holiday at home and so have a good long visit with you all before we go south but I do not know whether it is possible or not

[Page 2]

I am half afraid I will not be strong enough to travel and then I am not sure that Walter will get back in time. But oh, Annie! I cannot bring my precious baby with me, we may bring the little body to lay in the Portage Cemetery but you can never see her in this world I did so want Mother and you all to see our darling little treasure than I had ever hoped to possess. I think all who saw her awake said she was the sweetest baby that ever came to Phillips. When you had these little verses put in the paper you did not know how much comfort they would give me, I repeat that last verse over and over again — “How strange to enter Paradise as she today

with not one tear in those sweet eyes to wipe away” Sometimes I cannot but rejoice that she is never to know [ever this?] sorrow and pain and sin, and yet at times it seems as though my heart would break I long so to feel her little soft cheek against mine and her tiny fingers clasp around my own as they used to do. Annie I hope you and mother pray for me often. Walter writes often and seems so far to be quite successful but his absence is very hard to bear. I have been down stairs twice and intend to go down today to dinner. Father is well and seems quite contented now. Please write often. Much love to Mother. Yours with sincerest sisterly love.

Joanna

Location

Phillips, Wisc.

Date Original

1881 Dec 5

Source

Original letter dimensions unknown.

Resource Identifier

muir04_0735-md-1.pdf

File Identifier

Reel 04, Image 0734

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

John Muir National Historic Site. 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

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