Charles L. Heyde to Walt Whitman, 27 December 1889

 duk.00417.001_large.jpg U.A WOODBURY PROP. Van Ness and American Hotels L.S. DREW H.N. CLARK MANAGERS Burlington Vt. Van Ness House The Van Ness House has a Safety Hydraulic Passenger Elevator Fire Escape and the Grinell Automatic Sprinkler 
  Fine Views of the Lakes and Mountains from all parts of the House. Burlington Vt. Dec 27 1889 Bro Walt.

I think that we have mastered the disease—Han1 recuperates [a] little—weather changed to colder—hard last night. house comfortable, but for the boisterous wind—

Was handed a paper from a neighbour to day—"Every Week"—contained an illustrated notice of yourself—gratified Han very much——

Times hard after Christmas,  duk.00417.002_large.jpg money scarce—I have just 75 cents remaining after purchasing coal and a few sundries for our table———Interest paid until Nov next—ton of coal on hand—50 cents milk tickets——cash is demanded for provisions—no probability of selling a painting now makes me apprehensive—a dollar occasionally would help—have put up 100 feet of new fence (parts) against my neighbour—compelled to do so—paid 65 dollars this fall for street flagging—taxes 25 35/100 paid, until next September: several good paintings on hand—remember us, when you can—dare not, must not ask for credit—our house—our home!

Gratefully yours, Charlie

Han has enough—she says—Send money to me——

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Notes

• 1. Hannah Louisa (Whitman) Heyde (1823–1908), youngest sister of Walt Whitman, married Charles Louis Heyde (1822–1890), a French-born landscape painter. For more, see Paula K. Garrett, "Whitman (Heyde), Hannah Louisa (d. 1908)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]