Han1 just recieved your letter, with kind enclosure of 1 dollar
for herself. Success of your book abroad gives great satisfaction. She is not very
strong, but does her best, and very much. I am embarressed at times greatly to
procure necessaries for house—coal etc—Weather has been very unusually cold—is
warmer now— Mrs Tyler2 made duk.00413.002_large.jpg us a visit—saw your
card/postal, and was surprised at the vigor of your handwriting. I thought Mr
Bucke3 might purchase a picture of Canada Chute, could he
see one, for his enthusiasm and enduring regard for you (to help us) but I did not
write—one grows desperate under difficulties you know, and my apprehension
about our home and home has made me despondent. I now carry a painting out, and get what I can
for it—bad business regarding prices.
Correspondent:
Charles Louis Heyde (ca.
1820–1892), a French-born landscape painter, married Hannah Louisa Whitman
(1823–1908), Walt Whitman's sister, and they lived in Burlington, Vermont.
Charles Heyde was infamous among the Whitmans for his offensive letters and poor
treatment of Hannah. For more information about Heyde, see Steven Schroeder,
"Heyde, Charles Louis (1822–1892)," Walt
Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New
York: Garland Publishing, 1998).