Walt Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, 21 March [1873]

March 21, Friday noon. Dearest mother,

I am still feeling on the gain to-day—I go out a little every day, & think I shall try to make a beginning at work in the office Monday or Tuesday—beginning by degrees—I got a letter from Jeff yesterday,1 very good—they seem to like Mr. & Mrs. Buckley's—Jeff has some extra work, making plans for new water works for Kansas City, Mo.—it is all the better—Mother, I suppose you got the letters I wrote Monday & Wednesday,2 this week—

It was dark and rainy here yesterday, but is pleasant to-day—I am going out a little this afternoon—I send you some more papers, to-day—mother, do you get the papers I send. Already you can see the grass looking green here, on the south side of buildings, & the willow trees are budding out slightly—Spring will soon be upon us—It is now noon, & I am sitting here in the room—Mrs. O'Connor has come in, first time in three days—Mammy dear, I hope you will have a pleasant Sundays—Love to you and Georgie & Lou & all.

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Notes

• 1. Whitman summarized in the next few lines the contents of Jeff's letter of March 16, 1873. [back]
• 2. In her reply on March 21, 1873, to the missing letter of March 19, 1873, Louisa Van Velsor Whitman complained of her lot: "i have many little things to put up with but we all have our annoyances, some one way and some another. george is good enough to me but he thinks and its all right he should that every thing Lou does is all right. . . . george is a good man but i dont think i ever saw any one so changed. he used to be so generous and free but now he is very saving, never goes out any where. so we go walter dear" (The Trent Collection of Whitmaniana, Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library). [back]