The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Walt Whitman to Beatrice Gilchrist, 21 September [1877]
Date: September 21, 1877
Whitman Archive ID: hyb.00006
Source: Walt Whitman Collection, 1842–1957, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Pennsylvania; The Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Transcribed from digital images or a microfilm reproduction of the original item. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
Notes for this letter were derived from Walt Whitman, The Correspondence, ed. Edwin Haviland Miller, 6 vols. (New York: New York University Press, 1961–1977), and supplemented, updated, or created by Whitman Archive staff as appropriate.
Contributors to digital file: Alicia Bones, Anthony Dreesen, Eder Jaramillo, Kevin McMullen, Nicole Gray, and Kirsten Clawson
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Camden
Friday
afternoon Sept 211
Dear Bee
Your letter came an hour ago, & we have all read it with deepest interest—praying that all will go well with your dearest mother—& having no doubt it will—Hattie has been quite unwell for two nights, & yesterday—a sort of Cholera morbus & fever—but is pretty well to-day,—is dress'd & down stairs again—the rest all well—
—I rec'd a letter from Herby—he said he had written to you all, at the same time with mine—He had arrived at Esopus, & was having good times—
—As I was down by the market here three hours ago I met Mr Stafford, & have had a talk & a short ride with him—he came up with a load of cabbages, which he sold, & has just started for home—All are well, (although Mrs S is hardly so, either, I think overworked & too much tasked & nervous)2
—I have rec'd I think from Edw'd Carpenter the Daily News (London) with a long very fine resumé-article on Thiers—which I will bring or send you, for yourself & (by & by) your mother's reading—
—I am feeling comfortable—go out some hours every day, enjoying the fine Sept: weather—
Affectionately
W.W.
Notes:
1. The envelope for this letter bears the address: Miss Beatrice Gilchrist | 1929 North 22d Street | Philadelphia. It is postmarked: Camden | Sep | 21 | N.J.; Philad'a, Pa. | Sep | 21 | 9 PM | Rec'd. [back]
2. On the same day Whitman recorded in his Commonplace Book: "Saw Geo Staf[ford] at the market, (sent the little dinner basket to Ruth—Geo: wanted me to go down with him)" (Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.). [back]