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Original letter returned To Mrs. Anna R. Dickey Martinez, Oct 12, 1902 Dear Mrs. Dickey: I was glad to get your letter.
It so vividly recalled our memorable ramble, merry and nobly elevating, and solemn in the solemn aboriginal woods and gardens
of the great mountains, common-place, sublime and divine. I seemed to hear your voice in your letter, and see you. gliding,
drifting, scrambling along the trails with all the gay good company, or seated around our many campfires in the grand illuminated
groves, etc., etc., etc.- altogether a good trip in which everybody was a happy scholar at the feet of Nature, and all learned
something direct from earth and sky, bird and beast, trees, flowers, and chanting winds and waters; hints, suggestions, little-great
lessons of God's infinite power and glory and goodness. No wonder your youth is renewed and Donald goes to his studies right
heartily. To talk plants to those who love them must ever be easy and delightful. By the way, that little fairy, airy, white
flowered plant which covers sandy dry ground on the mountains like a mist, which I told you was a near relative of Eriogonum,
but whose name I could never recall, is Oxytheca spergulina. There is another rather common species in the region we traveled,
but this is the finest and most abundant. I'm glad you found the Mountain Hemlock, the loveliest of conifers, You will find
it described in both my books. It is abundant in Kings River Canyons, but not beside the trails. The heather you mention is
no doubt bryanthus or Cassiope. Next year you and Donald should make collections of at least the most interesting plants.
A plant press, tell Donald, is lighter and better than a gun. So is a camera, and good photographs of trees and shrubs are
much to be desired. I have heard from all the girls. Their enthusiasm is still fresh and they are already planning and plotting
for next year's outing in the Yosemite, Tuolumne, and Mono regions...Gannett stayed two days with us, and is now, I suppose,
at home. I was hoping you might have a day or two for a visit to our little valley. Next time you come to the city try to
stop off at Muir Station on the Santa Fe. We are only an hour and a half from the city. I should greatly enjoy a visit at
your Ojai home, as you well know, but when fate and work will let me I dinna ken... You should see Marian's photographs. They
are fine and tell our Kern Kaweah story nobly. Give my sincere regard to Donald. Ever faithfully yours, JOHN MUIR Envelope
addressed Mrs. Ernest M. Dickey, Nordhoff, Cal. This is the Mrs. Anna R. Dickey of later correspondence 03074