The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Sarah E. [Bownes?] to Walt Whitman, 6 April 1877
Date: April 6, 1877
Whitman Archive ID: loc.05965
Source: Photocopy held at 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: Alex Kinnaman and Nicole Gray
 image 1 |
Woodside
April 6 1877
Dear Friend
Your paper was received yesterday and was very much pleased with the Contents and also with your kindness in sending it. I saw in the paper the death of Mrs Johnson. I was very much surprised to see it and felt very sad about it although a stranger to me I never met one so lady like and pleasing as she was and made the remark several times what an entertaining hostess she was I thought she must have made your visit very pleasant for you while there. I am glad that your health is better than it has been. Our little Walter has been very sick since I saw you we were afraid we would lose him but is just well now all the rest are well, send there love to you hoping to see you soon.
I remain yours
Sarah1
PS Ma desires me to say do not forget us Woodsiders this summer.
Notes:
1. In an entry in his Commonplace Book on September 2, 1878, Whitman wrote the following note: "Mrs Sarah E Brown ?Bowen | Woodside L I | N Y | (infant little Walter)" (Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.). It seems likely, however, considering Whitman's uncertainty about the last name in this entry, that the sender of this letter was the same Mrs. Walter Bownes who sent a letter to Whitman dated June 7, [1876?]. [back]