The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Susan Stafford to Walt Whitman, 24 October 1888
Date: October 24, 1888
Whitman Archive ID: loc.03870
Source: 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.
Contributors to digital file: Jeannette Schollaert, Alex Ashland, Ian Faith, Caterina Bernardini, and Stephanie Blalock
 image 1 |  image 2 |  image 3 |  image 4 |
Woodstown N J
O 24/88
Dear old friend
I came here a week ago to day have had A nice time roaming About the medows & Creek Mont1 & Josie are well Mont looks much better than when I last saw him & he seems to be in much better spirits. there is to be A great Republican parade here tomorrow night great aluminating the House & such things the people are half[ witted?] over it. I think it all very foolish but I suppose they must do something. I intended to come to see you on my way here I had only time to make the train so could not see so will call on my way Home are you better or do you still keep the same I hoped when the weather got cooler you would be much better the weather keep so gloomy we have so much rain
it was quite cloudy & rainy yesterday but to day is lovely I thought I would go for another strole round the Creek if its not too wet this is A Beautiful place how much I enjoy being here I never go to the creek but what I think of you Dear friend how much you would enjoy it I shall go home monday & will try to come to see you if its agreeable for you to have me
with much love I will say good by
Susan Stafford
Correspondent:
Susan M. Lamb Stafford
(1833–1910) was the mother of Harry Stafford (1858–1918), who, in
1876, became a close friend of Whitman while working at the printing office of
the Camden New Republic. Whitman regularly visited the
Staffords at their family farm near Kirkwood, New Jersey. Whitman enjoyed the
atmosphere and tranquility that the farm provided and would often stay for weeks
at a time (see David G. Miller, "Stafford, George and Susan M.," Walt Whitman: An
Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings [New York:
Garland Publishing, 1998], 685).
Notes:
1. "Mont" is Montgomery Stafford (1862–1925); he was the son of Susan Stafford and her husband George. He was the brother of Whitman's close friend Harry Stafford. [back]