Letter from John Muir to [Margaret (Hay) Lunam], 1897 Oct 15.

Martinez, California Oct. 15, 1897My dear CousinI should have written you before. but I was away in the Rocky Mountains & Alaska. I hurried back earlier than usual & it was well I did so far our loved Mother Strentzel was very sick, & about two weeks after my return she died at the age of 76. How small our little family now seems you will know.I am much surprised to hear of the sudden death of Mr Dick. How different from that of my motherinlaw, who was an invalid more than 40 years.My Sister Mary is now with us. She has been here more than three months on a visit but is now about to start for her home in Nebraska. Maggie is quite poorly at times but is not now worse than02349https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmcl/25809/thumbnail.jp