Letter from Louie Muir to [John Muir], 1880 Aug 23.

• Main Author: Muir, Louie
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Scholarly Commons 1880
• Subjects: Environmentalist; naturalist; travel; conservation; national parks; John Muir; history; correspondence; letters; Arctic
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/577; https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/context/muir-correspondence/article/1576/viewcontent/muir04_0286_md_1.pdf

Alhambra, August 23, 1880.My beloved husband,Day after day I have waited hoping to be able to write you the "lovely letter" I promised, but even now these poor pencilings are all that I can send for thought of you. I am not in [a] doleful mood to-day, being so much better that I hope in just a little while to be really my own self again -and there seems to be no reason for fearing that any harm has been done. I have been miserably ill, but after many sleepless nights of strange shadows and wild wandering phantoms, the fever cooled away yesterday at daybreak, leaving me free from pain, hopeful and strong of heart. The whole week after you left, there was almost continual pain, but nothing more. Then the fever began; still for several mornings I was able to rise at seven and go slowly about the garden for half an hour in the warm sunshine, and train the smilax, etc. After the lightest of breakfasts, oatmeal and boiled fruit juice, I rested in bed until nearly sunset when the fever cooled, and I dressed and then spent an hour or so with mother and the visitors who "came to keep her from lonesomeness."But all this failed to bring quiet sleep at night until at last my dizzy brain seemed on fire, burning - Oh, my love, do not be troubled because of this; for now I trust that the strange weakness and unstrung nerves and foolish fancies have all been burned away through these fierce days - and that hereafter I shall not fail you when your heart has need of me. My darling, my darling, I longed so for the touch of your hand, to see you and hear your voice, if only for one moment this side the unfathomable depths of arctic mists. You seemed so utterly beyond my reach or call - but yesterday in the Sabbath stillness, you came to me and I was comforted.Now I know that neither time nor space can ever separate us and that wherever you be, here or there, I am with you truly so long as my soul is faithful to you.Dear heart, when you come home to me again I shall know better how to be good to you and then, please God, our own ...