Charles L. Heyde to Walt Whitman, 28 August 1890

 duk.00450.001_large.jpg Studio Aug 28, 1890 Dear Bro Walt,

Lou1 and Jessie2 came here yesterday—I assure you I was gratefull​ . They took hold immediately with an energy that has advanced household comfort, in one day, than I could have accomplished perhaps all winter—brought a woman in the house with mop and pail, and scoured the floor, alleviating all that stale, dusty, musty atmosphere—drew out a carpet kept in reserve, and we put it down—Lou engineering—to a line—then she went away and returned having purchased a new carpet for Han's3 sleeping room, and had a stove for winters use set up—bought an arm chair, a pair of shades, and had the old  duk.00450.002_large.jpg old lounge or sofa taken away to be repaird​ in the best possible manner; bot a matrass​ for me, cotton and stuff—better perhaps than I had. The stove was put in place in our best room—a good heater. The women worked, and so did I, until the best shirt I had was ript​ , in rags. I told Lou that I had no other—true. She told Han that she had intended to have given her some money but could not—she had none left.

I wished that she had left 25 dollars for the taxes—but alas—numerous persons have contributed, a dollar occasionaly​ , to keep us up—beside your kind remittances. Oh! good friend Walt. Han is pretty well.

Yours gratefully— Charlie

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Notes

• 1. Louisa Orr Haslam Whitman (1842–1892), called "Loo" or "Lou," married Whitman's brother George Whitman on April 14, 1871. Their son, Walter Orr Whitman, was born in 1875 but died the following year. A second son was stillborn. Whitman lived in Camden, New Jersey, with George and Louisa from 1873 until 1884, when George and Louisa moved to a farm outside of Camden and Whitman decided to stay in the city. Louisa and Whitman had a warm relationship during the poet's final decades. For more, see Karen Wolfe, "Whitman, Louisa Orr Haslam (Mrs. George) (1842–1892)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]
• 2. Jessie Louisa Whitman (1863–1957) was the second and youngest daughter of Whitman's brother Thomas Jefferson "Jeff" Whitman (1833–1890) and Jeff's wife Martha Mitchell Whitman (1836–1873). [back]
• 3. Hannah Louisa (Whitman) Heyde (1823–1908), youngest sister of Walt Whitman, married Charles Louis Heyde (ca. 1820–1892), a Pennsylvania-born landscape painter. Charles Heyde was infamous among the Whitmans for his offensive letters and poor treatment of Hannah. Hannah and Charles Heyde lived in Burlington, Vermont. For more, see Paula K. Garrett, "Whitman (Heyde), Hannah Louisa (d. 1908)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]