Walt Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, [19 February 1873]

About This Item

Title: Walt Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, [19 February 1873]
Date: February 19, 1873
Creator(s): Walt Whitman
Whitman Archive ID: nyp.00307
Source: The Oscar Lion Papers, New York Public Library. The transcription presented here is derived from Walt Whitman, The Correspondence, ed. Edwin Haviland Miller (New York: New York University Press, 1961–1977), 199. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "Walt Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, [19 February 1873]." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 24 April 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
Source File: nyp.00307.xml (TEI)

535 Fifteenth st. Wednesdady afternoon
3 o'clock.

Mother dear, I suppose you got a letter from me telling you that I had been down stairs & out on Monday—it was more exertion than I could bear, and I have not been so well since. I got two letters from Jeff to-day, the last one dated the 16th1—Matt had rested well the night before— poor, poor Mat, I am ready to hear to her departure any day—it seems terrible—

Things are going on as well as could be expected with me, but slowly— I overdid the matter day before yesterday, and am now waiting— I am sitting up by the stove alone writing this. Love [to] you, dearest Mother, and to all—

Walt.

Notes

1. Jeff's letter to Walt Whitman is not known. Writing to his mother on February 15 and 16, 1873, he begged her to travel to St. Louis: "It seems to be the one desire of [Martha's] life to have you come and see her" (Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.). [back]