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Dearest mother, I suppose you got my letter Monday 12th (written Sunday.)
1873, Louisa Van Velsor Whitman explained that her "nervous system is very much out of order . . . my
My dear friend I am having quite a good spell to-day, (if it only lasts)—I wish you, in conjunction with
Peter Doyle, would go over to my room at Dr.
White's, & unlock the big trunk, (the one that is strapped) and take out My gray suit , coat, vest, &
My black overcoat , quite heavy—it is the one in the trunk— Black felt hat, (there are two black hats
I will write promptly if there is any marked change in my condition.
mother dear, I am certainly getting well again—I have made a great improvement the last three days, & my
head feels clear & good nearly all the time—& that, the doctor says, will bring my leg all right in
showers here nights—too much rain indeed—still spring is very fine here, & it looks beautiful from my
windows—I am writing this in my room— I am feeling just now well as usual in my general health—part
just as well as ever—but of course I expect a few set–backs before I get well entirely, & supple in my
it over & over again —it is very, very good—so much about your dear mother , it brought the tears to my
eyes, & I had to stop many times—my dear, dear Sister Martha , she must have suffered so much, & to
got just well enough to go out, in a carriage, but, dear Hattie, I am in a miserable condition, as to my
power of moving—The doctor says I shall get well, but it is very, very slow and irksome—my mind is clear
Louis are addressed wrong)—My right address is Walt Whitman Solicitor's office Treasury, Washington,
June 29 My dear friends John and 'Sula Burroughs, I am here again in Camden, stopping awhile, with the
there—staid about a couple of weeks—obtained two months leave of absence, & (after almost making up my
been for about two weeks—(I think comparatively better the last two days)—occupying the rooms in which my
in life & heart left by the death of my mother is what will never to me be filled— I am comfortably
hour or two every day, while I am in this condition—The last nine or ten days in Washington, I left my
I have had a slight stroke of paralysis, on my left side, and especially the leg—occurred Thursday night
last, & I have been laid up since—I am writing this in my room, 535 15th st as I am not able to get
out at present—but the Doctor gives me good hopes of being out and at my work in a few days—He says it
days, but am to-day eating better—I wrote to Mat early last week— Later —I have been sitting up eating my
way we talked of, (& I have no doubt we shall,) & satisfaction is felt on both sides, it is certainly my
Whitman observed to Horace Traubel in 1889: "What a sweat I used to be in all the time . . . over getting my
sit up several times during the day now, for a few minutes at a time—am gradually gaining the use of my
as I am lying here—I have not written to Han since I had the paralysis—Mother, you might send one of my
letters to her, Han , when you next write—(this one, or any)—Say I sent my love, & will be up before
are both very helpful to me—one comes day time, & one evening—I had a good night's sleep last night—My
mind is just as clear as ever—& has been all the time—(I have not been at all down hearted either)—(My
it—I shall be getting well soon—am on a fair way to it now— latest ½ past 4 I have just set up & had my
I rec'd your letter, dear mother—you may rest assured that I write the exact facts about my sickness—I
window looking out on the river & scenery—it is beautiful weather now—they have sent over & paid me my
to-day—I feel so bad about Mat—I am still improving—but slowly though I realize some improvement every day—my
I am still anchored here in my bed—I am sitting up now on the side—Mrs.
long—to-day I have been sadly pestered with visitors—every thing goes well with me, except the slowness of my
feeble, and have distress in the head—these are the worst features—but am gradually regaining the use of my
written a short letter to Hannah , & also one to Jeff —which they must have rec'd by this time— I keep up my
letter Tuesday—I am about the same—I have not gone over to the office to-day, & am writing this in my
room—mother, I send only $15 in this—will send the other 5 in my next—Write and send me word, soon as
ups and downs—but steadily advance, quite certain, though very slowly—I seem to have a bad cold in my
about the 1st of next month—I am getting along favorably, they all say, but have frequent distress in my
head, & my leg is clumsy as ever—I am writing this in the office at my desk—I send some papers to-day
May 9, 1873, Louisa Van Velsor Whitman said: "walter dontdon't send any more papers as i cant read. my
quite good spells—but am not feeling well just now—have got over to the office, & am now sitting at my
hear of many cases, some good, some unfavorable— As to myself, I do not lose faith for a moment, in my
—I am feeling better—my head is some easier—Love to you, dear mama, & all— Walt.
Dearest Mother , I am sitting in my room waiting for the doctor—Mother, you are in my mind most of the
what has kept me up, & is bringing me through—I think I am still on the gain, though it is very slow—my
it—& settle up there—he does better there—but he was doing well enough here, & was very comfortable—My
head troubles me to-day, but I am over here at my desk, at office—Mother, if convenient write me a line
About May 17, 1873, Louisa wrote: "my dearly beloved walter thank god i feel better this morning" (The
my dear beloved walter."
"On taking my seat among them, I noticed a curious thumping at intervals that made the floor vibrate
beneath my feet.
I was so absorbed in my own grief that at first I was hardly conscious of it.
nerves) they say it must not be applied, for it will do more harm than good, might cause convulsions—My
I wrote to Jeff yesterday—I send you Harper's Weekly , mother, it is quite interesting—I still hold my
mind about getting a house here & shall certainly do so —At present my great hope is to get well, to
get so I can walk, & have some use of my limbs—I can write, pretty well, and my mind is clear, but I
cannot walk a block, & have no power to do any thing, in lifting or moving any thing in my room, or
Later a board of inquiry attributed the disaster to dereliction of duty on the part of the captain.
Dear Charley, All continues to go well with my health &c.
My leg is not much different, & I still have an occasional spell with the head—but I am much better .
'73 Friday morning—9 o'clock Dearest mother, The sun shines out bright & cheerful this morning—& in my
first sick) —I think I am feeling better to-day, & more like myself—I have been in the habit of soaking my
cold—so I have stopt stopped it, & I have a notion I feel better from stopping it— —I have just had my
here, rooms enough to live in for you & Ed and me —I realize it more, far more now, than ever—even for my
with a shed kichen with no fireplace in the house except in the kichen. . . . what do you think of my
Dear Friend Abby, and all my friends, Helen & Emmy & Mr.
Arnold, I will write a line only—My paralysis still leaves me extremely feeble—& with great distress
I have lost my dear, dear sister Martha, in St.
present I can hardly move ten steps without feeling sick—I am sitting here now in the rocking chair in my
writing this—most of the time alone which suits me best—it is paralysis of left side—Love to all— Walt (My
it goes, it will be all right—the little Philadelphia paper piece was about the right statement of my
My brother Jeff has come on from St.
excursion, a week on a yacht voyage—I told him to call on you, if possible—& he will if he can work it—My
her I rec'd received her letter & thank her for it—I have not felt to write to her, or any one but my
I have had—but unspeakable —my physical sickness, bad as it is, is nothing to it— The following are
May 23 d my inexpressibly beloved mother died in Camden.
Though my plans depend on yet uncertain results, my intention, as far as any thing, is, on getting stronger
My post office address continues there, (Solicitor's Office Treasury.)
I send my love to Percy, & all your dear children.
The enclosed ring I have just taken from my finger & send you with my love.
August 12, 1873, Gilchrist, moved by newspaper reports of his continued illness, addressed him as "My
98–101) she wrote about her children; and on December 18, 1873, she said of his health: "Perhaps if my
I turn my face to the westward sky and before I lie down to sleep, deep & steadfast within me the silent
March 19, 1873 Walt Whitman Dear friend, By my sister Nell's request I send you today by mail the best
copy I could find of my Medical Electricity.
more pretentious books, published by medical electricilians electricians in this country who have made my
I wrote to my sister my haunting fear that you might use electricity prematurely & incautiously & I rejoiced
I for one have felt my indebtedness to you for great thoughts & words more than ever before.
Walter Whitman My Dear Friend: After the laps lapse of over 8 years, & to let you know that your memory
is yet fresh in my mind; I am mooved moved to write you this letter—I Came to this state after being
My health is not good & has not been since I was in the army—My family is well, & children going to school
A.MS. draft.loc.00248xxx.00236[(Returning to my pages front once]between 1873-1876poetryhandwritten1
[(Returning to my pages front once]
Portions of this manuscript contributed to Some Personal and Old-Age Jottings, Good-Bye My Fancy (1891