Letter from Margaret Rae Lunam to [John Muir], 1910 Aug 6.

WestfieldDunbarAugust 6th 1910Dear CousinJust a line to let you know that Mr & Mrs. Newton from Omaha have been in Dunbar about a week ago, they came from Edin[illegible] one morning for a few04843 hours, they were so nice & told us of visiting you last year & hope to go to California next year Mr Newton took a snapshot of the old Home House & of the barometer at the Old Harbour, their visit was a very refreshing whiffWe are having very unkindly weather this summer Mother is not getting out very much in her chair, she joins me in kindest loveBelieve meYours AffectyMargaret Rae Luna

Letter from Margaret Rae Lunam to [John Muir], 1913 Dec 23.

[1]Westfield Dunbar Decr 23d 1913My dear Cousin JohnI received your letter with enclosed order for 100 dollars yesterday. I will cash it & you may be sure it will brighten & cheer many a poor home & for my half of it do accept my heartfelt gratitude, many a grateful tear rolled down my dear Mother\u27s cheek when she used to get it & she wd say John Muir is good to me, when you are so kind I feel I must let you know what our little income is, it is a little over 2 pounds a week, it is the rise in the cost of living & now our leases reach 20 pounds a year that mkes it rather tremendous work to get the ends to meet So I think you will understand what a help 10 pounds is. You do not mention your daughers but I trust they & their dear little children are well & enjoying this Xmas time. I had kind letters from Mrs Galloway & Mrs Brown this mail. Annie Hay tells me she heard from you recently, I was glad to hear you were writing to them, James was 90 on the 15th of the month they were to have a cake & 90 little candles on it.05636 [2]Do you remember John Kelly at the Bank he has retired from work & gone to live in the South of England.I have enjoyed your Book and at present it is at Mrs Dick\u27s the widow of the school master whom you saw when you were home, Mr Anderson at Pinkerton, do you remember going out to his farm, will have to get a read of it next.I am glad to say I am keeping free from asthma this Winter I am taking care & hope I may escape.Wishing you many returns of the Season & with kindest love & thanksBelieve meYours AffectyMargaret Rae Lunam0563

Letter from M[argaret] Hay Lunam to [John Muir], 1903 Jan 23.

[4]I like to see all my friends, I am getting an old woman now, I have [illegible] my 80th year. I cannot expect many more years. [James May?] & family are all well, also Mrs Jeffrey our cousins:- Susan Gilroy. & Jane M[illegible] both well and busy at their school occupations Maggie joins me in much love to all our friends [illegible] [illegible].Believe me ever your affectionate cousinM. Hay Lunam [1]Jan. 23d 1903WESTFIELDDUNBAR[illegible]My dear Cousin JohnWe were very pleased to have you New Year\u27s letter with all your good wishes for the coming year, also with the enclosed money order for the poor people of Dunbar it is awfully good of you never forgetting them, and I am sure03147 2]they are all very grateful to you! We have had a very severe cold changeable winter and a great deal of sickness amongst us but I trust the spring may be better I am glad to say that Maggie is much better getting a little stronger week by week, though she has not yet venture out to take a walk I had a letter lately from Mr Murdock Edenburgh [3]I was very pleased to hear that you correspond with him, he sent us your paper on the Grand Canon! to read, which you sent him. We did enjoy reading it. the description was most wonderful, we are truly delighted to think you, may be in Scotland this year! and have a visit from you once more in [illegible] Dunba

Letter from Margaret Rae Lunam to John Muir, 1912 Aug 21.

[4]has been here for a few days. She always makes kind enquiries for you. Is your autobiography book not published yet. I am longing to see it.With our kindest love to self & all your peopleBelieve meYours affectyMargt Rae Lunam[1]Westfield DunbarAugust 21st 1912Dear CousinWe were so glad to hear that you had got safely home again. We got a Los Angeles paper form Mrs. Borland at the Manse & Mrs Galloway (Sarah) wrote telling us that you were home & 05257 [2]at Martinez & so busy with accumulated correspondence, we have always hoped we would be hearing from you. Mother is so feeble this summer she is not able to be downstairs since the end of April. She is now sitting up a little bit in the evening when it[3]is fine, she is so content & pleased with everything & I have as yet been able to attend to her for which I am thankful. We have not seen any of the Hays this summer. James is not able now to come to Scotland, we miss their visit. Susan Gilry

Letter from Maggie Rae Lunam to [John Muir], 1910 May 5.

[4]very well we will hope to see James & Mrs Hay this summerWe will be so pleased to have a few lines from you Mother & I often talk about youMother joins me in kindest loveBelieve meyours affectyMaggie Rae Lunam[1]AnsweredWestfieldDunbarMay 5th 1910Dear CousinWhat a pleasure it gave us to receive the fine large photos last week of your self & friends, they are beautifully taken & it is so good of you in them both, we do prize them04757 [2]Mother is very feeble just now since the middle of March she has not been downstairs, gets up a bit in the evenings but I do hope when warmer weather comes she will get a bit stronger, I am so thankful I have kept well this last winter, by[3]staying indoors I managed to keep free of cold.What a great tour your ex President is having & so royally received I saw he was invited to Dunfermline Carnegie\u27s town but cannot accept to go. The Hays are al

Letter from M[argaret] Hay Lunam to John Muir, 1904 Nov 8.

[4]also Jane Mather, she teaches music, remember me very [illegible] to Mrs Reid and Mrs Galloway, also your brothers. I often sit at the fireside and think of the days when we were all young, and you all coming [over?] to see grandfather and Gre[illegible]! I have not an old acquaintance living in [Dunbar?] now! but I have many home comforts, and Maggie looks well to my every comfort she sends her warmest love to you. We often speaks about you, ever your loving [cousin?]M Hay Lunam [1]do write soonWestfield,Dunbar.November Tuesday 8th 1904My dear Cousin JohnWe were both of us truly delighted on Saturday when Mr Murdock came and spent a few hours with us and told us all about your lovely home and the great kindness you had all shown him, and the glorious sunshine in Martinez California03468 [2]Maggie and I both thank you very much for the Photo you sent us of your two Ba[illegible]ns, they are [young?] ladies [now &?] we are pleased to [have?] your [house?] with you all standing at the door we thank Mrs Muir for sending the beautiful piece of sowed work done by the [illegible]es in Ph[illegible]ens Island I could not believe they could sew such beautiful work, they beat Scotland at that sort of work[3]We are both very well after our long holiday in Berwickshire, we had our house let for two months, when are you coming to Dunbar again you should bring your girls to see Dunbar and [illegible] I would like very much to see you again I am 81 years now, James May, your cousin, is also 81. [illegible] month. Susan Gelroy is well always visiting amongst her friends she often asks for you

Letter from Margaret Rae Lunam to [John Muir], 1909 Nov 11.

[4]How is your dear Helen & when do you hope to have her at home with you, how are Professor & Mrs. Kellog have you seen them this yearMother joins me in kindest loveYours AffectyMargaret Rae Lunam[1]WestfieldDunbarNovr 11th 1909Dear CousinIt seems a very long time since we heard from you but we heard from your sister Mrs Galloway that you were well & going about this summer then our Local told us04630 [2]that you had been in the Yosemite Valley with President Taft Our Minister Mr Borland who had got a loan of your \u27Mountains of California I enjoyed it much, asked it for a friend a Revd Dr Paul parish minister of the Grange Edinburgh who sent it back to him with the enclosed[3]letter I thought it might interest you to see this letter (dont send it back). I saw Paul had been lecturing on Botany at Ty[illegible] [home?] the other week, Mother is well but very feeble but was able to get out in her chair in the Summer but it is too cold for that no

Letter from M[argaret] H[ay] Lunam to John Muir, 1894 Apr 9.

Westfield, Dunbar,April 9th, \u2794.My dear Cousin John:It does seem a long time since we heard from each other, but do not think we are in the least forgetting you. We are constantly talking about you, and wondering how you are progressing with your editorship of Picturesque California. It was very kind of you sending us the January no. We did enjoy reading it, also the views. Mrs. Kelly has a reading of it. She showed it to the Minister of Prestonkirk, who thought much of it. We also had in due time the very large paper of 64 pages, containing a description of the Midwinter Fair in San Francisco, with all other accounts of beautiful California. I gave Mr. and Mrs. Comb a reading of it, so you see I keep your Dunbar friends well posted up about you, as far as we know. Mr. Dick is watching for your article about Alaska appearing in the Century. Susan Gilroy is also looking out for it, to send us the Century no. It is not yet in the April no. I should have written you before this time, but I have often had colds and rheumatics, which make me very lazy. I do trust both you and your dear family have kept well this winter. We have had some fearful bad weather, and great gales of wind. Maggie has had a busy winter looking after the old houses in Dunbar that were tumbled down with the great November gale. They are all cleared away now, not an old stone left upon another. All is changed, but I try not to murmur. They served their time, upwards of 200 years old, some parts of the buildings.The fine summer days will soon be here, and we will hope to get a good let for the house, so that we may get a fine holiday somewhere, and forget all about the cold dark wintry days.I had a newspaper lately from your mother, which lets us know she is well, When I see her handwriting. I send her a courier occasionally. They have had a very severe winter in Portage, indeed I think all over the northern states. We will be very happy to have a letter from you at your convenience. Maggie joins me in kindly love to you.In the beginnong of March Susan Gilroy came and saw us for a week. Miss MeKie gave her a few days holidays. She asked very kindly after you and said how she would like to get a letter from you, as the one you mentioned having written to her must have been lost on its journey as it never reached Moat House, Dumfries. When she had left us Mrs.. James Hay and wee Peggie, from Birkenhead, came and stayed ten days. We had a delightful time together. Gilbert Hay, Glasgow, her nephew, came and saw us also when his aunt was here, the same young gentleman you saw at Birkenhead. They all spoke much about you. Mrs. Hay had the photo of your two dear girls with her. She showed us them. We were delighted to see their bonnie faces again. I could not help envying her having them to look at, but I am sure you will be sending us their photos when you have any to spare. Mrs. Kelly would also like very much to have their photo. I am afraid you will think us very troublesome, always reminding you of their likenesses, but you must forgive me.Believe me,Your affectionate cousin, M[argaret] H[ay] Luna

Letter from M[argaret] Rae Lunam to [John Muir], 1914 May 23.

Westfield DunbarMay 23d 1914Dear Cousin JohnIt seems a long time since I heard anything of you, not this year, I am glad we have now got into the long Bonnie Days as Hardie Hay used to say I have felt it a very very long winter & spring I hope you have kept very well & you will now be enjoying the sunny days. I have not heard very recently from the Hays but when I did they were all about their usual & James Hay was down stairs every day, he is now in his 91st year. I am hoping to let this House this summer, I have put it on the House agents list but there are so very many to let now-a-days I am not very [illegible]ine but will hope for the best, I have not bee from Home for 8 or 9 years I trust your Wanda & Helen with all their little ones are very well. Your book is giving much pleasure to all who read it. The Newton family of Omaha are going to travel in Europe for more than a year they tell me I expect they will be in Scotland some of the time05749 With best wishesBelieve me yours affectlyM Rae LunamP.S. I may tell you that all expenses connected with my dear mother\u27s death are now settled

Letter from M[argaret] Hay Lunam to [John Muir], 1895 Feb 1.

Westfield, Dunbar,Feb. 1st, \u2795.My dear Cousin John:I am sure you will be very pleased to hear that we have at last received all the numbers of Picturesque California -- 32 in all, about ten days ago. They have indeed come at a very opportune time to enliven us in the midst of a very severe snowstorm. It has lasted more than a week, and no signs of it abating. All the fields around us are full of snow 6 inches deep. We have not had such quantities of snow luing since 1881.We take a lesson to ourselves every day from some of the numbers of P. California. They are very fine illustrations and delightful reading in them. I have sent some of the numbers in to Mrs. Kelly to enliven her in this bleak weather. Mr. Kelly called the other day and thanked me for letting them see them -- also to enquire for you.Our Liverpoor friends, the Hays, had a sister died a fortnight past!--Mrs. Robson, at Carlington. She was 78,younger than Hardie. Cousin Susan [Gilroy] is leaving her situation at Moat House on the 1st of March. She has been 16 years companion to Miss McKie. I do hope for her own sake that she gets another comfortable situation. We wish her to come to us for a little time when she leaves Moat House.I had a letter some time ago from your mother. She says she is now feeling the infirmities of old age. She and I are getting aged pilgrims in the journey of life. I do trust all your dear friends around you are well.With many thanks for your kindness in sending us so much nice literature. Maggie sends you very kindly remembrances. Believe me,Your affectionate cousin,M[argaret] Hay Luna