Transcription:
July 28,1888. Dear Papa, Your delightful letters from Victoria to Wanda and all, came last night and comforted our anxious
hearts: for the Shasta and Tacoma notes made us fear that you were really but very little better. But Oh John, you ought not
to have left the Driard until you had grown much stronger. Anyway, after returning from Vancouver and the Fraser river why
not stay awhile at that hotel of comfort dining deliciously and growing round and fair to see Surely you could write out your
notes, elaborate a daintily refreshing Picturesque leader that even Dewing and Oge might recognize as more satisfactory because
of the downy digestion concerned therewith. How thankful we have been that you escaped from our miserable siege of hot winds
and dust and oh such ferocious mosquitoes Poor little Helen suffered so from their bites, though we did our best with camphor
and linen leggings and veils to shield her. After sitting up hunting mosquitoes for three nights I got your room cleared of
them and then kept the children up there as much as possible night and day. I could not decide that it would be best to move,
until day before yesterday when we all came over to Grandpa's and Annie came up from San Francisco for the last night. We
made everything as pleasant as could be for Annie. The chicken-pie dinner was extra nice, the great red ripe peaches were
beauties, and we packed a lot of them with many other good things, in a large basket for lunch on the way. Grandma gave her
a gold thimble, I gave an opera-glass, and Grandpa gave a 20 dollar gold piece to buy herself a present with. I went with
her to Port Costa and saw her all right on the train, where the Burlington Ex. Agent met her, as she made all the arrangements
for going that way, while in the city, because Mrs. Parry's friend had again postponed her return East, and Annie did not
hear of anyone else she could go with soon. I do hope that she will be comfortable all the way home. I sent a beautiful card-case
for a wedding present to Carrie Muir Owen. Helen Swett went with Annie to Monterey and Santa Cruz. They were at two grand
hotels, admired lawns and flowers, gathered pebbles and shells on the beach, spent a day among the Redwoods, enjoyed everything
exceedingly, and Annie felt and looked very much better after it all, and says she will write description. Louie Muir
Another copy, only slightly different, of letter dated July 2 , 1888