I have & still suffer so much agony I am like a child I have longed so for a
letter I have seen one to Charlie1 with a few lines to me If I
could see one of my own folks I see in that letter you wrote of comeing I suppose dear brother that is asking too much. I dont suffer now, only my
hand,2 the fever is gone my head is clear my mind has not wandered only when I dozed
I sometimes think you have written. I have been twharted or refused so many things I did not like to tell mother3 but first Charlie was very ugly He would not get a nurse, dear brothe I find I am to weak to write. Dr Thayer4
loc.00679.002.jpg I believe thinks all
my thumb wont get well I feel very anxious about it. dear brother write to Dr
Saml B
Thayer & thank him first Charlie refused to go for him.
Saturday Nov 14. Dear broher I suffered dreadfully last night with my hand the Doctor did not come in
yesterday I was greatly frightened about my hand & Charlie scolded me till I
thought I should be thrown in a fever again I make very much trouble but I suffer too terribly to be scolded. I think I shall get
well if I dont get fever but will suffer much my hand is much more painful you know I cant even be roused in bed on account of rais
loc.00679.003.jpg raising my sick hand its hard to write Charlie last night brought me your letter to him I read it
many times its strange he did not tell you how I asked so much for letter. you speak dear
brother of knowing constanly about my illness. I know that Charlie wrote many times mornings without comeing in to see what kind of a night I had passed my strength fails. I cant say much but Charlie was kind to about about 2 or 3 days then after Doctor
scolded him if I am to be sick much longer I do so want one of my own that belongs
to me &
loc.00679.004.jpg feels
interested if I only could I dont suppose Mattie5 being sick dear Mother could
come and I am afraid it would be too hard for her I will ask Dr how long before I
can get just a little relief from pain if he ever comes Charlie has gone for him I
want you to write to him I have often spoken of you let dear brother of all things
in I beg you to not let Charlie know I have wrote to you I run a great risk risk,
write to me, at once perhaps I'll be better soon
be pleasant to Charlie while I am sick on my account6
I should suffer much if it was not for Ellen (Ellen)9
Dr just been in & has lanced my arm he says that is the trouble so perhaps I ll be better
Correspondent:
Hannah Louisa Whitman Heyde
(1823–1908) was the fourth child of Walter and Louisa Whitman and Walt
Whitman's youngest sister. Hannah was named for her paternal grandmother, Hannah
Brush Whitman (1753–1834), and her mother, Louisa Van Velsor Whitman
(1795–1873). Although Walt Whitman had a close relationship with his
younger brother Jeff Whitman, Hannah was his favorite, most beloved sibling.
Until she married, Hannah lived at home with her parents and her brothers.
Educated at the Hempstead Academy, Hannah taught school in rural Long Island. On
March 23, 1852, Hannah married Charles Louis Heyde (ca. 1820–1892), a
landscape painter. It is possible that Walt introduced Hannah to Charles. In
August 1852 the Heydes departed for Vermont. The first decade of their marriage
was marked by constant moving from boarding houses to hotels, mostly in rural
Vermont, as Heyde sought out vantage points for his landscape paintings. In 1864
the Heydes settled in Burlington, purchasing a house on Pearl Street. After
Hannah's marriage and relocation to Vermont, Mother Whitman became Hannah's
faithful correspondent; Walt also kept in touch, sending letters and editions of
Leaves of Grass after publication. Hannah faced
several health crises during her marriage, partly due to the ongoing trauma of
emotional, verbal, and physical intimate partner violence that she experienced.
In the 1880s and 1890s Heyde increasingly had difficulty earning enough to cover
household expenses; in addition, he may have become an alcoholic. He repeatedly
asked Whitman for funds to cover their expenses. Whitman sent both Heyde and
Hannah small amounts of money. After Heyde died in 1892, Hannah remained in
Burlington, living in their house on Pearl Street until her death in 1908. For
more information, 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).