Walt Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, 23–24 January [1872] a machine readable transcription Walt Whitman Kenneth M. Price Ed Folsom Transcription and encoding The Walt Whitman Archive Staff Center for Digital Research in the Humanities, University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Iowa National Historical Publications and Records Commission 2010 The Walt Whitman Archive
Center for Digital Research in the Humanities 319 Love Library University of Nebraska-Lincoln P.O. Box 884100 Lincoln, NE 68588-4100

Copyright © 2010 by Ed Folsom and Kenneth M. Price, all rights reserved. Items in the Archive may be shared in accordance with the Fair Use provisions of U.S. copyright law. Redistribution or republication on other terms, in any medium, requires express written consent from the editors and advance notification of the publisher, Center for Digital Research in the Humanities. Permission to reproduce the graphic images in this archive has been granted by the owners of the originals for this publication only.

 pml.00035 The following are responsible for particular readings or for changes to this file, as noted: Kenneth M. Price Ashley Lawson Elizabeth Lorang Zachary King Eric Conrad Walt WhitmanEdwin Haviland Miller The Correspondence New York New York University Press 1961–19772 156–157 Walt Whitman Walt Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, 23–24 January [1872] January 23–24, 1872 MA 918 The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York Walt Whitman Louisa Van Velsor Whitman added schematron declaration blessed Made Ken's correction checked encoded extracted transcription from Major Authors cd Tuesday evening—Jan 23—

Mother, I wrote yesterday in my letter that I had a bad cold—I felt quite disagreeable yesterday, but went to bed early, & had a good sleep—to-day, Tuesday, I have felt all right.

It has been snowing some here to-day—I have been out walking though—it is not cold—As I write this, I am sitting here in the office, (Treasury solicitor's) at 8 o'clock—have been reading & writing all by myself—

Mother, you get Mrs. Bruce to give you Gracie's address in Iowa—I have just got some nice copies of my Am. Institute piece from Boston, & I will send her one—let Mr. or Mrs. Bruce write the address on a slip of paper and you enclose it in your next—The last time I saw Arthur Price here he invited me to come down to the Navy yard here to visit his vessel, the Mahopac—so Saturday, after I left work, I went down—but found myself a day after the fair—the vessel had gone about an hour before I got there—I believe she has gone to NorfoldNorfolk.

Mother, on those envelopes you have you just cross out, draw a line over this way, when you send them, & leave the rest, (like you did your last)—and they will come safe—I got your letter this morning—it is too bad the letter Mat sent Christmas was lost—that was a real nice present of a barrel of flour—Poor Mat, I feel real blue to think of her condition—but perhaps she will come round yet—and may be live as long as any of us—

Well, mama dear, I will close for to-night & finish it to-morrow—

 Wednesday afternoon Jan. 24

Mother, I am feeling well to-day—I think my cold must have been a false alarm, or else I have got off very easy—The weather is bitter cold here to-day, but bright & clear—

What do you hear from George—I kind of hope he will not go to Milwaukee—should not wish to have him & Lou live so far away, unless the inducement is very great—

Nothing new in the office—I like this place just as well as the other—I have not a room to myself, it is true—We are pretty well crowded—they are mostly young men, & a good deal of noise & moving about—but I don't mind it, as it is only from 9 to 3—& my work is much easier—Has Eddy got well of his cold?

I shall probably be on hand to eat some of Mat's cake—Good bye for to-day, mother dear—

Walt.