Alex K. Reamer to Walt Whitman, 31 July 1885

 loc.03553.001_large.jpg R Bedford Penna​ July 31st 85 My Dear Mr Whitman

I am here in these mountains and all around me nature in all her lovliness​ stands forth. The far distant woods, the singing birds, the many different noted birds and the sparkling dew on the grass and shrubbery all tell to me the same tale A tale of peacefulness and isolation from the busy, busy, striving Cities To me every thing is as the picture of a dream—a pleasant dream—from which I shall soon awake—Time flys​ by me on winged wheels and the length of my stay is being brought to an end.

Behind me rise high and vapory  loc.03553.002_large.jpg blue a lone Mountain to whose heights I aspire to climb and on its top to place an American flag—Such has been the custom here so to do for many many years. I will follow in the footsteps of my parents as in their young days they did the very same thing.

Having been told so many times at my mothers knee of how she did these things when she was young. It will be poetry now to me to do so myself Poetry is in the Soul and from the Soul and it delights my Soul to do these things over again as my parents did them. I see many friends and many who were friends of my Father and Mother. It has been 12 years since last I was here and to many I am a "regular suprise  loc.03553.003_large.jpg party" Hearing them talk of long ago makes me feel as if I were a living monument on the road of Time. A Zeus with compelling arm pointing backwards making man and woman alike review the past. Or an ordinary "finger post" marked, so many miles to Then. I have walked a great deal since I arrived here and enjoyed them very much. The climate is beginning to affect me now as it does all new comers. It makes one very drowzy and sleepy but in that it is very beneficial as it rests one and makes them fat—It is a case of sleep and grow fat instead of laugh  loc.03553.004_large.jpg and grow fat. It takes several days to recover from the feeling and get acclimated but after that has been done one is ready for any thing—I am sorry to hear of your having been overcome by the heat and hope you have sustained no serious injury, I myself am well and now close with much love to you

I am yours ever truly Alex K. Reamer Bedford Bedford Co.​ Penna​

P.S. I leave here Monday eve​

Alex