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Walt Whitman to Ellen M. O'Connor, 6–7 May [1874]

Yours rec'd​ , & welcomed. Have been to the doctor's to-day2—troubles of breast & left side getting steadier & more severe—in fact in addition to other troubles ugly gastric & catarrhal ones—Am still out & around some, however, & shan't give up yet—

May 7—2 p.m. Nothing new or different—have had a long good call from a friend from Minnesota this forenoon—& a letter & papers from Denmark3

W. W.

Notes

  • 1.

    This letter's envelope bears the address, "Mrs. E. M. O'Connor | 1015 O st—near 11th N. W. | Washington, D.C." It is postmarked: "Camden | (?)| 7(?)| N.J."

    This and Whitman's May 8 letter to Peter Doyle can be assigned to 1874 because of the particularized descriptions of Whitman's physical symptoms, which are elaborated upon in Whitman's May 1 letter to Ellen O'Connor and his May 15 letter to Peter Doyle, both of which can definitely be assigned to 1874.

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  • 2. See Whitman's June 5, 1874 letter to John Burroughs. [back]
  • 3. Whitman probably refers here to a lost letter from Rudolf Schmidt. [back]
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