Walt Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, [28–29 December 1871?]

About This Item

Title: Walt Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, [28–29 December 1871?]
Date: December 28–29, 1871
Creator(s): Walt Whitman
Whitman Archive ID: pml.00034
Source: The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. The transcription presented here is derived from Walt Whitman, The Correspondence, ed. Edwin Haviland Miller (New York: New York University Press, 1961–1977), 147. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "Walt Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, [28–29 December 1871?]." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 19 April 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
Source File: pml.00034.xml (TEI)

Department of Justice Washington. 187
Thursday night—½ past 81 Dearest mama,

I will write you a line, to begin my letter, before I leave the office—I have been sitting here alone for a couple of hours, having a good time, all by myself, nobody in the building besides me, but the watchman—Mama dear, I suppose you got the order in my last—I have also sent you the old Franklin Almanac—write if it arrived safe. There is nothing new or special—I am well, & only hope your cold is better—I sometimes think a bad cold is about as aggravating as any thing one can have—

I saw Grant to-day on the avenue walking by himself—(I always salute him, & he does the same to me.)

Friday forenoon ½ past 11

I have been hard at work all the forenoon—it is a cloudy day here, threatening rain—Mama dear, I don't seem to think of any thing to write about this morning—Love to you—& to George & Lou if they are there.

Walt.

I send you a couple of Washington papers.

Notes

1. Walt Whitman wrote to his mother three times during this week, and George and Louisa Whitman were in Brooklyn at the time (see Walt Whitman's January 1, 1872 letter to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman). [back]