Letter from J. E. Mathewson to John Muir, 1894 Oct 20.

[letterhead]October 20th / 94.My dear friend MuirYour letter of the 14th Sept. has been forwarded to me here, having been unable to complete the arrangements for the proposed business trip to the States. The letter afforded me the greatest pleasure & satisfaction. I thought perhaps you might have long since forgotten me. My memory often fails me in matters not fixed by some sticking event,but I never lost sight, in the minds eye, of my old schoolfellow Muir. In fact I have mentioned you & the woollen works to friends hundreds of times--to my family in particular. I recognized the portrait in the Century Magazine at first sight. Was that from a recent photograph? If yes, you have not changed at all. I am often told, when I go back to the States, that I do not change, but look as young as ever. Temperance in living has done something for both of us in that direction. I have always remained a teetotaller & a non user of tobacco in any form, and for the past five years have not allowed myself to be classed with the flesh eating animals.--lions, tigers, panthers, bears, hyenas & wild cats, but rather with the animals who live on the fruits of the earth--the cow, horse, sheep & for instance. From what I have gleaned from your writings, I imagine that you must be somewhat inclined the same way. Scotsmen I believe live mainly upon Parritch & milk. My family are with me in this matter, otherwise it would have been a difficult scheme to carry out.01859https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmcl/26595/thumbnail.jp