I do hope my dearest brother you are feeling a good deal better to day I do want you to be. so much. my greatest comfort is thinking about your being pretty well, comfortable.
You never complain ar always patient Walt dear & an example for us all.
You are more than kind to write me such a long letter when you are not strong. been so sick, (and I do feel so sorry) all the rest in the letter every word is good to know.
I think of you always my dear brother as I always like to tell you indeed Walt I dont loc_tb.00207.jpg think I could live without thinking about you.—I mean you are so good to me, and it is so good to have you to think of.
Walt dear if I could only write something cheerfull if I only could do anything for you.—could see you
Everyone I know asks after you Mrs Tyler2 always & all her children & Mrs Griswold3 never fails.
I do feel your sending me this money Walt, you have sent me so much before of course I should not have so many things my cloak for instance I must tell you again Walt you are first first
loc_tb.00208.jpgI have been working around this morning getting dinner & so on wanted to write anyway a line or two.
I am going to think you are better yet to day your letter was written two days ago. I thank you very much for writing. I had not heard you was sick my dear brother
It is right pretty to hear about those wild flowers.—
Walt dear I send love with all my heart.
HanLove to Lou4 & George5 and Eddy6
loc_tb.00205.jpgCorrespondent:
Hannah Louisa Whitman Heyde
(1823–1908) was the fourth child of Walter and Louisa Whitman and Walt
Whitman's youngest sister. Hannah was named for her paternal grandmother, Hannah
Brush Whitman (1753–1834), and her mother, Louisa Van Velsor Whitman
(1795–1873). Although Walt Whitman had a close relationship with his
younger brother Jeff Whitman, Hannah was his favorite, most beloved sibling.
Until she married, Hannah lived at home with her parents and her brothers.
Educated at the Hempstead Academy, Hannah taught school in rural Long Island. On
March 23, 1852, Hannah married Charles Louis Heyde (ca. 1820–1892), a
landscape painter. It is possible that Walt introduced Hannah to Charles. In
August 1852 the Heydes departed for Vermont. The first decade of their marriage
was marked by constant moving from boarding houses to hotels, mostly in rural
Vermont, as Heyde sought out vantage points for his landscape paintings. In 1864
the Heydes settled in Burlington, purchasing a house on Pearl Street. After
Hannah's marriage and relocation to Vermont, Mother Whitman became Hannah's
faithful correspondent; Walt also kept in touch, sending letters and editions of
Leaves of Grass after publication. Hannah faced
several health crises during her marriage, partly due to the ongoing trauma of
emotional, verbal, and physical intimate partner violence that she experienced.
In the 1880s and 1890s Heyde increasingly had difficulty earning enough to cover
household expenses; in addition, he may have become an alcoholic. He repeatedly
asked Whitman for funds to cover their expenses. Whitman sent both Heyde and
Hannah small amounts of money. After Heyde died in 1892, Hannah remained in
Burlington, living in their house on Pearl Street until her death in 1908. For
more information, 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).