John Burroughs to Walt Whitman, 23 May 1881

 tex_ao.00014_large.jpg 15 Esopus N.Y. May 23d 1881 Dear Walt:

I tried to intercept you on your return from Boston in April. I was in N.Y. three or four days from April 18, but found you did not stop. I was greatly pleased over the success of the Boston affair, & over your account of it in the Critic. I am  tex_ao.00015a_large.jpg thinking about running down to see you, & would like to know if I will find you at Camden for the next week or two. Ursula came home from the Hospital early in April in a very bad way—worse than when she went there. We went out to Roxbury & stayed there 3 or 4 weeks We are now back home for part of the summer at least. She is much better now—in fact seems better than she has done  tex_ao.00015b_large.jpg for a year or two. Julian is well & grows finely. It has been my plan to have you up here for the summer if I could pursuade you to come, But things do not work right. I have saved & partly furnished a large room for you in the other house, but the woman in the other part whom I depended on to look after you has been sick for two months & we begin to fear she will not get well. What are your  tex_ao.00016_large.jpg plans for the summer, & could you come if things take a favorable turn? I receive papers from you frequently. I sent you a copy of "Pepacton" which no doubt you recd R.H. Stoddard in the "Evening Maid" (Myron Benton says it is he) vents his speen upon it—takes nearly a column to condemn it & all that kind of literature. But little do I care. I have always had my opinion of him.

With much love John Burroughs