Letter from Harvey Reid to John Muir, 1904 Jul 13.

[letterhead]Maquoketa, Iowa, JUL 13 1904 190Dr. John MuirMartinez Cal.My Dear Sir:-I was very glad to receive your greeting a few days ago. I really think that I can recall the handwriting from the days of the old North Dormitory. I congratulate you on the world trip that you made - a gallant undertaking at your age. I believe that I would be unable to endure it. Your long absence makes me suspect that you did not see the Outlook for Nov. 28. 1903, and as I wrote the article which appeared in it mainly for your eye, I will enclose a clipped reprint from one of our local papers. With the letter which I wrote home describing your clocks I had enclosed a drawing of the scythe clock made by Will Fuller. I found the old letter and a pin in it which had held the drawing, but the card was gone - when and where I dont know. Was very sorry to have lost it as the Outlook people would have been glad to make an engraving of it no doubt.It is a little singular that in all these03404 [letterhead] ?]Maquoketa, Iowa,..........................19043 years I have never met one of the fellows that attended the university that term (spring of 1861) that I did. Aaron H. CcCracken and Jotham Scudder were in the same regiment with me during the war but I have not seen either of them since. John Spooner roomed in the same hall with me although I cannot say that I really got acquainted with him. He was a freshman - one class farther advanced. I think his recent portraits look very much as he did when a boy. James L. High has kept well in public view as a Judge in Chicago and law book author. Faslin [Q.?] Ball, a senior of that year is also a Chicago judge. I met him in the army, too, where he was Major of the 31st Wis. Charlie Vilas a Chicago surgeon, has borrowed some luster from his brother, Wm. A. [Thab?]. I think with my roommates, Will Fuller, a Dr. in Grand Rapids, Mich. and John E. Goldsworthy, a lawyer in Rhode Island completes the list of those whom I know anything about. I would very much like to know what became of03404 [letterhead]3Maquoketa, Iowa,..............................190Wallace, the bright young orator (he had a defective eye) Then there were the room mates, Holt, a genial red head, and Black, [tall?] and s[illegible]thy who loved dramatic declamation and the two young mischiefs, Dr Butler\u27s son, and Dr. Carr\u27s son; and there was Mat[illegible]son, another mathematical f[illegible] who tried to live more economically than even we did. Do you remember you and Will Fuller buying a barrel of crackers together?As to myself, I enlisted in August 1862 in the 22d. Wisconsin under Col. Wm. L. Utley of Racine, who was gov. Randall\u27s a[illegible]ntant general, and served full term of three years. My people moved to Iowa during the war and this county has been my home ever since. Have followed a commercial life with only moderate success, but have never felt it congenial. Have attempted more in the way of study during the last few years since03404 [letterhead]4Maquoketa, Iowa,...............................190I have shifted most of the burden of business on the young shoulders of my son-in-law than ever before. But I have never tired writing except in the way of helping to preserve local history. I will send you a few specimens in a newspaper Souvenir No. recently issued.I want to make a trip to the Coast - but not this year - and shall certainly try to see you if I do.Sincerely yoursHarvey Reid0340