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To Mrs. Anna R. Dickey Martinez, May 1 1912. Dear cheery, exhilarating Mrs. Dickey: Your fine lost letter has reached
me at last. I found it in the big talus heap awaiting me here. The bright, shining, faithful, hopeful way you bear your crushing
burdens is purely divine, out of darkness cheering everybody else with noble God-like sympathy, I'm so glad you have a home
with the birds in the evergreen oaks - the feathered folk singing for you and every leaf shining reflecting God's love, Donald,
too, is so brave and happy. With youth on his side and joyful work he is sure to grow stronger and under every disadvantage
do more as a naturalist than thousands of others with every resource of health and wealth and special training. I'm in my
old library den, the house desolate, nobody living in it save a hungry mouse or two. The girls, to whom it was left by my
wife, were trying to sell it to a stranger, so I bought it myself for the sake of the dearly cherished memories about it and
the fine garden grounds full of trees and bushes and flowers that my wife and father-in-law and I planted fine things from
every land. But there's no good bread hereabouts and no housekeeper, so I may never be able to make it a home, fated, perhaps,
to wander until sundown. Anyhow I've had a glorious life, and I'll never have the heart to complain. The roses now are overrunning
all bounds in glory of full bloom, and the Lebanon and Himalaya cedars, and the palms and Australian trees and shrubs, and
the oaks on the valley hills seem happier and more exuberant than ever. The Chelan trip would be according to my own heart,
but whether or no I can go I dinna ken. Only lots of hard pen work seems certain. Anywhere, anyhow, with love to Donald, I
am, Ever faithfully, affectionately yours, JOHN MUIR Envelope addressed Mrs. Anna R. Dickey, Box 70, Pasadena, California