The bearer of this is Horace Traubel,2 a young friend of mine in whom I have confidence—I want to have printed (stereotyped) a book of (probably) 160 to 200 pages3—may-be somewhat less—long primer—exactly same sized page as the "Specimen Days" you printed of mine six years ago—
Can you & would you like to do it for me?—Have you some good long primer? The copy is ready—it is all printed matter—(or nearly all)—is all plain sailing—you could commence next Monday—Sh'd want liberal proofs—
You can talk with Horace Traubel just the same as you w'd with me—I am almost entirely disabled ab't walking, or bodily locomotion—
Walt Whitman 328 Mickle Street Camden NJ loc_sf.00055.jpg loc_sf.00052.jpg loc_sf.00053.jpgCorrespondent:
Whitman had intended to have Mr.
Bennerman, a Philadelphia proprietor, print November
Boughs, but Bennerman lost the print job in part because, Whitman
claimed, "he never wanted me to go upstairs into the composing room" (Horace
Traubel, With Walt Whitman in Camden, Friday, May 25, 1888).