How do you feel now.1 I wrote to Grandma2 yesterday evening Mama's3 death was very unexpected here the day was so pleasant that she asked Papa4 to take her out riding and Papa said he would so he brought up the buggy and lifted Mama in he then went to take the reins and just then Mama said. Now wait till I get my dress fixed and Papa waited loc_ad.00242_large.jpg and then she fell over & never spoke another word when I came home[no handwritten text supplied here]from school I found that[no handwritten text supplied here]Dear Mama was dying. when[no handwritten text supplied here]I left for school in the morning Mama said she felt better that she had the best nights sleep in a long while it was such a shock to me I had run about two blocks to see her I saw the buggy outside of the door and I felt so glad that I could see her before she went out but when I came in I saw her pale face and I did not know what to do
We had a very large funeral the office was closed so that all the commissioners came. loc_ad.00243_large.jpg Grandma must have felt very badly when she heard it Poor Dear Mama died ¼ of 8 on Wednesday evening we had a large number of friends here but no one could do her any good I think it is better for Mama that she is dead she suffered so much. Mr Lane5 came out he got here on saturday morning he would have been here on friday morning but he was left he just got to the depot to see the cars start
Every body is very kind out here but if one of you would only be here it would be so pleasant for Papa Dear Papa feels so badly I do not know how we can loc.02865.004_large.jpg hardly live without Dear Mama. You do not know how hard it was to see her die but she knew me when I got home though she could not speak to me.
It has been very cold here but it is quiet pleasant today. Jessie6 has gone to school so I am home all alone with the girls
If I only could see Dear Grandma I think I would be happy but as I cannot I suppose I shall have to go without seeing her
I have just got home from market but it is not of hardly any use to try to get Papa any thing to eat loc_ad.00245_large.jpg as he wont eat anything
Mama deceived me very much her face was so swolen that she looked so well and she never gave up I all ways thought that she would be in bed a few days before she died but she was not. She was dressed so nicely and neatly that she beautiful after she died but she did not look very natural the swelling went down and it altered her face very much indeed
Mrs. Flad7 has just been loc_ad.00246_large.jpg here. I am hardly ever alone now, we both sleep with Papa[no handwritten text supplied here]and that is so nice.[no handwritten text supplied here]When Papa telegraphed[no handwritten text supplied here]we did not receive an answer for about two days and a half so it kept us very anxious some one has been here all night ever since Mama died Papa was holding Mamas head and she would breath easy one breadth and the breath hard she continued this way for three hours and a half and then she drew her last breadth
The time flies very quickly I have some little things to do every day so that I am kept quiet busy We received grandmas loc_ad.00247_large.jpg letter but it was to late for Mama to ever read it I read it, it was such a nice letter that it was to bad that it did not come a day before
Mama would have been so glad to have read it We got some of Mama's pictures yesterday. Papa says he would send you one now but we have only two one large and one small so that he wants to keep them till he can get the rest and then he will send you all some Now Uncle Walt I am getting tired so
Good Bye Darling Uncle HattieP.S. They all sent love to you
loc_ad.00248_large.jpgDear Uncle Walt I will send you a flower that came off mamas coffin
Good bye
Correspondent:
Mannahatta Whitman
(1860–1886) was Walt Whitman's niece. She was the first
daughter born to the poet's brother, Thomas Jefferson "Jeff"
Whitman (1833–1890), and Jeff's wife Martha Mitchell "Mattie"
Whitman (1836–1873).