Letter from John Muir to [C. Hart] Marriam, 1914 Feb 11.

[illegible]Martinez, Cal.,Feb.ll,19l4Dear Dr. Merriam:I was very glad to hear from you once more last month for, as you say, I haven\u27t heard from you for an age. I fully intended to grope my way to Lagunitas in the fall before last but it is such ancient history that I have only very dim recollections of the difficulty that hindered me from making the trip. I hope, however, to have better luck next spring for I am really anxious to see you all once more.I congratulate Dorothy on her engagement to marry Henry Abbott. If he is at all like his blessed old grandfather he must prove a glorious prize in life\u27s lottery. I have been intimately acquainted with General Abbott ever since we camped together for months on the Forestry Commission, towards the end of President Cleveland\u27s second administration.Wanda, her husband, and three boys are quite well, living on the ranch here, in the old adobe, while I am living alone in the big house on the hill.After living a year or two in Los Angeles, Helen with her twofine boys and her husband returned to the alfalfa ranch on the edge ofthe Mojave Desert near Daggett, on the Santa Fe Railway. They areall in fine health and will be glad to get word from you.Our winter here has been one of the stormiest and foggiest Ihave ever experienced, and unfortunately I caught the grippe. The lasttwo weeks, however, the weather has been quite bright and sunny and Ihope soon to be as well as ever and get to work again.That a few ruthless ambitious politicians should have been able to run a tunnel lined with all sorts of untruthful bewildering statements through both houses of Congress for Hetch Hetchy is wonderful, but that the President should have signed the Raker Bill is most wonderful of all. As you say, it is a monumental mistake, but it is more, it is a monumental crime.I have not heard a word yet from the Baileys. Hoping that they ere well and looking forward with pleasure to seeing you allsoon in California, I am as ever Faithfully yours, JOHN MUIR0570