Letter from David Gilrye Muir to John Muir, 1867 May 24

[4]a good botanist &e &e, also that your poorest spot was as a linguist (I believe he is a brag linguist) He said further that he agreed with you in principles upon every -thing except religion & drinking beer.I hope your eye has got so well that it will not interfere with you business nor hinder your success. I would like very much to see you. Come & see us why dont you? Do you ever hear from Dan. I dont want you to write any about me or my country to the girls I dont know but you talk from experience when you say that sublimity & poetry comes to mankind at pairing times write soon I remain D [illegible] Muir [illegible]00414 [1] Portage City Wis May 24/67Dear Brother John I write you at this time principally to inform of the death of our Aunt Blakely she died on Tuesday May 21st at 2 A.M. I suppose she died of old age. the doctors could do nothing for her she was 74 years of age she had not been considered sick more than two weeks and then not dangerous until a day or two before she died so that none of our folks were present Father & myself went down yesterday and followed her remains to the grave. The funeral was [2]farge for a country place some 20 teamsWe are all well at present as are also the old folks Maggie is improving in health very fast this summer she hopes to come home in about six weeks as well as she ever was Business has been pretty dull this spring but we are all right and doing well enough for boys. Perhaps I have already told you that we have started a store in company with two other gentlemen at Bangor Wis near La-Cross[3]the names of the said firm is Parry Rebb Smead & CoDid I tell you that Viebahn called upon me last fall He spoke of you as the hero of the university he said they spoke of you their just as we are wont to do of Samson Xerxes Alexander Jack Robison & c. they have traditions about you I also saw a man from Indianapolis named Nichols who knows you well said he boarded with you sometime had a great many disputes arguments & discussions with you. He said also that you was a smart bo