Creator
Jeanne C. Carr
Recipient
[John and Louisiana] Strentzel
Transcription
[4]
we know intimably in Wisconsin I saw him off with his regiment in ’62: his wife was probably one of the most beautiful women in the land. When he married, she was reputed the most beautiful, her mother, Mrs Norton had been the most famous beauty of Ohio. The Col. [afterwards?] Judge [Laracher?] was a man of versatile talents, his wifes sudden death had quite broken his heart & hopes, but he found some comfort in gardening & was resolved to get us out to Craften where he had his home of old age. And there was no way to identify his poor [dust?] but by the filling of a [tooth?]! When we got the news, Dr Carr sat down aghast, and the tears rolled down his cheeks as I never saw them before. “Poor [Larabee?]” poor old boy: was all he could say, And he was, with many weaknesses
[1]
Pasadena Feb 1st 83
Dear Doctor & Mrs Strentzel,
We are shrivering with cold and after having our tender things frozen have put them into blankets – it seems too cold to snow. For two months it was hot and dry, now it is cold and drier, & not a bud or bloom upon the oranges yet. Plenty of fruit which registers the drought of last year to some extent, and is acid. [Aixson?] [illegible] me that he is paying as high as five dollars a box for the choicest Wash. [Naval?] of Riverside. I have been waiting for a soaking rain to send up some
06380
[5]
a man who had kept a childs heart. Mrs Downey was [deleted: as] much like Mrs Strentzel in temperament (and not unlike in expression) a Spanish lady, loving everything beautiful. She had complemented her early disadvantages, by letting all lovely things and thoughts into her soul. On many accounts it was a black day, long to be remembered. It is kind of you to ask me to choose some cuttings, if it ever rains I may have [courage?] to do so. I have orders for more than half of mine conditioned upon the rain. Gary asks $30 per [M?] for Saltana cuttings from Fresno; and $12 for Muscats. I hope yours are profitable. With no end of love to
[Page 2]
[2]
Cherokee roses, or cuttings. I thought they would be more likely to [illegible] after a rain. And so you have not moved yet, Neither have we, our castle looms up beautifully but has neither doors nor windows. And Dr Carr having set his heart in a dear old fashioned garret, lo we have one nearly as large as yours, but not as high, well floored with space enough to dry some tons of fruit. And of Verandah – almost as much as of floors. Windows many, not expensive in quality of glass or finish, and no paint except on the exterior, We have not laid our real floors yet, put down rough floors, and when all the plasting & other work is completed, the real floors, of nice selected pine will be the last
[3]
work. And I want you all to come & make it dear to us, as soon as the beds are made and the muss cleared away. “That Wanda” – yes I see her “bonny now” & violet eyes. I can fancy how the little busy feet will patter about in the coming summer days. I think there is light enough in that little star to brighten two homes. And how does John Swett like it as far as he has got? And is the anti Granger getting restless with the notion of spring in his trunk and limbs? We were horrified when the [Tehachipa?] disaster swallowed up our two first California friends – Mrs Downey & Col L[illegible]. The Downeys have been especially kind to my husband since his first winter here in ’68: and La[illegible]
[6]
Louie & John, and that wee sprite Wanda
Yours ever gratefully Jeannel. Carr.
841
06380
Location
Pasadena [Calif.]
Date Original
1883 Feb 1
Source
Original letter dimensions: 20 x 25 cm.
Recommended Citation
Carr, Jeanne C., "Letter from Jeanne C. Carr to [John and Louisiana] Strentzel, 1883 Feb 1." (1883). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 743.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/743
Resource Identifier
muir04_1015-md-1.pdf
File Identifier
Reel 04, Image 1014
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
