Walt Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, 19 February 1867

Attorney General's Office, Washington. Tuesday noon, 
  Feb. 19, 1867. Dearest mother,

Well, mother, Jeff has been to see me at last—he left yesterday morning—I wish he could have staid a few days longer—He seemed to be well pleased with his visit, & I am sure it was a great comfort to me—

I rather like my new quarters—at any rate they are better than where I was previously—they are very good on some accounts, & not so good on others—but one must not expect perfection. When you write tell me how Jeff got home—We are having pleasant weather here now—the ice & snow are all gone—Mother, do you see the papers much? I can send papers to you, only they would be rather old by the time you get them.

Well, mother, I left my letter awhile, & have been out taking a walk, & now return & finish my letter—It is quite like summer—I looked for an Almanac but couldn't find any to suit me—I am going out to Georgetown, & will find one there—I will send it to-morrow1—The O'Connors are much pleased with Jeff—Mrs. O'Connor has taken a real liking to him—2

I hope this will find you relieved of your rheumatism—I send my love to Matty & George & all.3

Walt.

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Notes

• 1. In his February 26, 1867 letter to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, Walt Whitman wrote that he had sent two almanacs to his mother, though both were calibrated for the Washington, D.C., area and not for New York. [back]
• 2. According to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman's letter of February 21, 1867, "Jeff is pleased with his visit to washington he likes the Oconors very much says he spent a very agreable evening there. . . ." [back]
• 3. Walt Whitman enclosed $5 in this letter for his mother, who wrote on February 21, 1867: "i feel Walt sometimes as if you was too liberall​ with me but its all i have except sometimes 15 or 20 cents . . . ." [back]