Walt Whitman to Edwin Stafford, 19 April [1876]

About This Item

Title: Walt Whitman to Edwin Stafford, 19 April [1876]
Date: April 19, 1876
Creator(s): Walt Whitman
Whitman Archive ID: loc.02832
Source: The Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. The transcription presented here is derived from Walt Whitman, The Correspondence, ed. Edwin Haviland Miller (New York: New York University Press, 1961–1977), 41. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
Contributors to digital file: Kenneth M. Price Elizabeth Lorang Kathryn Kruger Zachary King Eric Conrad
Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "Walt Whitman to Edwin Stafford, 19 April [1876]." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 18 April 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
Source File: loc.02832.xml (TEI)

431 Stevens st
Camden
April 191 Dear Ed:

I send the little book I promised you.2 The little box of papetrie is for Debbie. My love to mother, father, & all the children.

Walt Whitman

I want Harry to come up Friday, & stay over till Sunday with me3—I will not be down Saturday with you this week.

1.
The year is established by the fact that this draft was written on the verso of Whitman's April 23, 1876 letter to C. P. Somerby. Harry's brother, Edwin, was born on May 6, 1856, and died in 1906.

Draft letter.
[back]
2. Undoubtedly Memoranda During the War. [back]
3. In her letter of May 1, 1876, Susan Stafford was concerned about Harry's instability and, specifically, his lack of employment. She thought that it was "better still for him to be with you but I fear he is to much trouble to you all ready. I do not think it right to impose on the good nature of our friends. I hope Harry will ever be Greatfull to you fore your kindness to him." [back]