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I like it much—it is to me, for my intentions, indispensibleindispensable—the sun revolves about it,

But for me it is my necessity—it is all music—the clef of things—to discriminate—not so much to produce

.: "Nor have I: but the 'chaps,' as he calls them, often come and report me so—put words into my mouth

I said: "To my inquiry as to who wrote that fine piece there about you." W.: "Oh yes!

My address is the Daily News office.Truly yours,Francis M.

W. seemed to think my question amusing.

We are back home and I am busy about my farm work.

Honored Sir—and Dear Poet—I beg you to accept my appreciative thanks for your great kindness in sending

I put the letter in my pocket.

in the Brooklyn days—and even behind Brooklyn—I was to be an orator—to go about the country spouting my

pieces, proclaiming my faith.

Friday, March 4, 1892W. slept easily on my morning round (8:20 A.M.). Looked a trifle flushed.

I recovered my footing, and Mr.

My love to him—it's all I have of use.Mrs. B. & I talk of you & Mrs.

"Yes, to my sister" (and had enclosed money).

And to my negative he answered, "It is odd—you have heard from about everybody else."

On the bed were my proofs (Myrick had not given me any new ones today, but hopes to let me have all poems

W. then, "It is hardly to be dignified as 'work': it is simply a last drop, a leave-taking, my farewell—a

My custom was, in the old days, to listen sharply to the pronunciation, accent of the actors—then to

But he admitted: "I am more and more sensitive to the cold: my inanimate limbs."

W., after his laugh over my repetition of this, added: "I am not surprised: no doubt I should disfavor

If you can, go in to see him—give him my reiterated request for proofs—tell him I must on no account

No man has suffered worse than I have from editors who insist they can read my proofs better than I can

I should have done it long ago—I feel some embarrassment in my neglect—for it is a neglect."

cold still persists: my head is still much choked by it."

work finally makes on me—the response it meets with, in my own consciousness."

Still at times my thoughts all go back ["God knows, John!

I can't get back my ruminating habit.

Then: "After my meal, my dinner, I put up the sash—so—on all these milder days: today is debatable ground

I talked freely and calmly to him, then gave him Longaker's and my Philadelphia addresses—telling him

Now new samples of paper, out of which he readily settled upon the one I had told Ferguson was my own

two books bound together—mainly for my own use.

"Yes, I think I have—my name certainly gets about more—but what does it amount to?"

"No rally seems possible—it is my last run of fish." Had been down in the parlor today.

"I noticed it as I sat here—the dust flew up in a perfect cloud—I got my mouth full of it.

thoughts but the very opposite of my thoughts.

This was about the time of the Walt Whitman Club business that I put my foot down on.

"If it was to tip over, it would knock my neck badly out of joint.

"Over there on the box," he said, "is my red handkerchief: will you hand it to me?"

"I took nearly all that one bottle—it was good—yet it seemed to affect my bladder and I thought it best

If I am mistaken in him—if my experience of human nature leads me astray now, in a case of which I am

All my inclinations are to trust him. You fellows can get a shy: see how he measures up to you."

mock-despair: "I have had unwanted news today—bad news—almost startling news: the Century has rejected my

—"It comes with this note, which you might as well read"—handing to us a page and a half note—"My dear

All my poems require to be read again and again—three, four, five, six times,—before they enter into

"I want to go next door," he explained, "take my arm, Horace"—then going toilsomely on, step by step.

"No, not at all, not stronger in the legs: my strength does not come back to me."

W. responded: "It is a great joy—a great joy simply to get out of my cell."

This morning we went out even before my breakfast—took a trip around the block."

This in my invariable feeling.

my friends, the sky: thinking life away from, outside, all appetites."

W. said: "That all goes to corroborate my argument—it confirms my own experiences—my own excursions everywhere

That was exactly my case.

in my optimism, my democracy."

I am greedy—never satisfied: their house is an oasis in my domestic desert."

Adding—"If that should go up, my world would go up with it." Aldrich had a poem in the Century.

Though W. was on his bed, he was not asleep—got up instantly on my entrance, and after he had shaken

But I have not half examined it yet and must put off for another letter my dicta upon it.I am well but

Buxton Forman And W. volunteered his Forman note, which had to do with the dinner, and was in reply to my

"Just now it is my main labor simply to hold my head up. As for moving? No! No!"

Perhaps my objections are whimsical."

Harned had just been at my house, discussing affairs with me.I received today a note from Ingersoll,

always understood that I feel a never-ending gratefulness for those abroad who helped me, that time of my

Then they came forward, took my book, took me—and saved me.

Of course for me, from my person, the great moral, emotional, testimony the story bears is never to be

He took my hand. "I feel somehow as if you had consecrated yourself to me.

That entails something on my part: I feel somehow as if I was consecrated to you.

He took my face between his hands and drew me to him and kissed me. Nothing more was then said.

I went back to my chair and we sat in silence for some time.

November Boughs will be my good bye." Friday, May 25, 1888.

You can ask—make inquiries in my name.

The old fellow is not Dutch but Italian—has been there from my boyhood.

Ask her in my name—though I don't know if she ever knew me by name.

Keeps well—sat much as I found him all the time of my stay.

I should without hesitation adopt those words as my own. 'A gassy fizzle!' Yes, surely!

He started it "My dear comrade," and signed himself as having "the ardor of a regular—or irregular—dyed-in-the

Several times my voice almost betrayed me, and W.'

How my heart leaped into every action of others that went to the finer significance of the occasion.

At another time in the midst of things W. himself motioned to me across the hall and put into my hands

Out of all this, how deliberate the process of my content!

My God!

I first met him after my sickness, on coming north.

He was full-blooded, large, splendid—a real human being—full of unction—a man after my own heart: much

He called my attention to a remark of a Methodist minister at a recent conference: "I propose to discuss

My dear Traubel:I regret to say that it is impossible for me to be with you on the 31st of May, as I

streak of luck I come back in time, I shall certainly be with you on the occasion you speak of.Give my

Told him result of my quest of McKay, who is of course willing to take the book, will arrange imprint

My father had asked for the latter but I would not leave it with him, regardful of my promise to W.

Referred to it: "Yes—my piece appeared today—and today came the proof of the other piece, too—'Old Age's

It was indeed a striking piece of work, and on my remark that it was the best Century page for a long

The noble breadth of page seems to lend itself to my lines."

W. taking my repetition of this thus: "I feel it is true.

Clemens) for Walt Whitman.I write from my bed. Where's the book?SincerelyR. W.

This with reference to my promise yesterday (my suggestion, too) to see Wilson Eyre—have him go to Camden

I informed W. of my idea to buy the 328 house, to preserve and guard.

As to his mail (Warren had just been to the Post Office): "This whole week my mail has been small, and

Looking back over my own time—looking into the period starting with '61—'62—I have nothing to regret,

It is a vivid touch out of life—I see it as if physical phenomena, this moment before my eyes.

I demand that my whole emotional nature be powerfully stirred.

I never saw him—but in my early years, in Brooklyn, when I loafed a good part of my spare time on the

He passed slowly over to the chair, leaning the one side on the cane, the other on my arm.

"My father was always a Democrat—a Democrat of the old school." "Was he anti-slavery?"

He went on to say, however, anent my remark that nearly all Quakers were opposed to slavery: "My father

"They make quite a bulk: I gave them to my own people—my dear friends: some of them close, O so close

My relations with the boys there in Washington had fatherly, motherly, brotherly intimations— touched

Yet said in reply to my question: "I can say I am here—little else, nothing else."

Gets great pleasure out of my recital of average experiences—particularly street incidents: likes me

He asked me about my reading.

I can't see that it leads to anything worth while: but I 'mI'm not responsible for it: I wash my hands

I drifted into fuller details of my talk with Brinton.

Harned had said to me, "They shan't collect that money except over my body."

I gave my check for $1500 to Tom just now.

And to my, "Well, and Clifford likes it!" W. exclaimed, "That's best news!

I put in, "If there is no law why should I not rob my brother's house?"

With their admission of the fraud, I had them right in my fist and I made 'em squirm.

I sit in my room here—my den, my little corner—and wonder—wonder." I asked after his health.

the first two pages to me as a series: they have done it for Tennyson, for Swinburne, for others to my

"His 89 years are a marvel to me—excite my wonder.

His own speech is to me just the thing—his voice just the right pitch for my ears."

W. said now, upon my questioning if there could have been the least idea there of resenting the aid of

I said my explanation of it as only of general meaning—having rather to do with the abstract view of

No one can know it as I know it—not my nearest friends of the old days—not even William O'Connor, not

Kendal interview, over which, as Harned puts it: "Walt came up to my house and drank with me a glass

My experience is a peculiar one: something like this"—working his hand circularly—"it is as if things

Had not suffered any from the fall in temperature.We talked of my work—of my bookkeeping: how at times

He had been "put in charge of the Attorney General's letters: cases were put into my hands—small cases

to them all so passed some of them over to me to examine, report upon, sum up: which I did mainly by my

I had a copy of Harper's Bazar in my pocket.

After a bit he rose, sat on the edge of the bed, his back my way.

Asked me, "I'll get you, if you will, Horace, to untie this handkerchief about my neck.

Then after I had re-taken my seat he called me up again. "One good turn deserves another.

Bucke's letter of 23rd answered my question: how had W. recently been writing him (in what spirit and

Give her my love—best wishes to you—wish I could spend a couple of weeks in your neighborhood.So long

Bring him over, of course only for my usual few minutes—but I will be glad to see him."

He spoke of Parnell, but I in fact take so little interest it all went by my ear.

He had noticed the snarling of the dog on my entrance down stairs, and remarked: "There are good dogs

I suppose it is in the line of my piece on Hicks?"

With my help went over to his chair, turning up the light, sitting down heavily: legs of little value

The War was on, I was strong in my strength—superb of body—I had much to give: there were thousands,

conviction against it, my contempt for it, grows stronger and stronger."

"I have been singularly fortunate in my doctors," he said: "I often think of Dr.

I spoke of my going to Germantown to hear Brinton lecture. W. inquired: "What will he speak about?"

I was on my way to Unity Church to hear Wande speak about King Lear.

"You know I never read my own poems." "Or recite?" "I don't recite because I don't know them.

And after a pause, I saying nothing between, "You are well enough aware that I don't sing my own songs

I must keep on my course, whatever turns up."

My dear Traubel:Your kind & welcome letter rec'd.

I am excessively busy—hence my scratches and scrawlses—and also my briefness.Heartily yoursBaker."

pointing to some papers that protruded from my pocket.

way, but because it is my way."

W. in his room, reading Scott—laying the volume face down, on my entrance.

I think Edward Emerson is constitutionally my enemy.

And to my yes, "What?"

And to my explanation what, "Let me predict, then, that it will be of no avail.

But then," he added—"for my sake too—for all our sakes!" Friday, November 8, 1889

And to save further signs of dissent W. objected: "No—that is not my view: I do not think that is settled

"It is my opinion that there will be a reaction: we will see"—here he paused: "It will be seen before

This is bound to come: I rest my faith in the final good sense of the nation.

Finally at my suggestion it was understood that I should take it with me in the morning.

He at once replied: "Yes: my reasons against it might be stated that way."

"I suppose I'll see some of the posters in my wanderings," he said.

I received following letter from Baker today:New York, Oct. 9, 1890 My dear Traubel:Enclosed find proof

these will ease my days here!"

group rose to leave, and W. said: "Hearing the little girl had come to see me, I put this big apple in my

My ground is a peculiar one: I know nothing on the other side of the question—the side of statistics,

I build up my conviction mainly on the idea of solidarity, democracy—on the dream of an America standing

I have kept quiet through practically my whole career—almost utter silence—and have never had occasion

and then upon my saying "yes": "Well—give him my love: tell him I know as little about that Herald author

I set up some of it myself: some call it my hand-work: it was not strictly that—there were about one

And before it passes out of my mind, Horace, let me ask you: Wallace says you report Pete Doyle in Baltimore

I want to have it done, for my own purposes. And if you will inquire, why, do so!

Curiously—at tea—Wallace said, "I read some of my notes to Mrs.

Johnston had advised Warrie to do this thing (not of course knowing of my labor).

Wallace seemed rather aghast by the extent of my accumulations.

work was to meet (the three of us) at Green's and arrange for finishing details, Baker leaving all in my

"The past 3 or 4 days," he said, "have not been my worst, I have not been in my worst condition: so that

Three or four days will tell the tale—I shall soon know my man.

He will have to learn the ways—my ways, the ways of the place, people. We'll see, we'll see!"

"Happily, I am spending one of my good periods now—until the man, any man—he or any other—gets into the

The Brown habitues were more to my taste.

he came to Brown's studio though not in my time.

If my friends would understand me— if the group of my friends wished to recognize the salient meanings—if

My own choice would have been hard to tell—I embrace, include, all.

my proof-desk.

s on my way home—5:45—but found he had just closed his blinds and meant to lie down.

"It is one of my resources." Harned had been in last night.

letters from the fellows there—from Johnston, Wallace—are mainly made up of thankfulness to me, to my

I felt to say to them, Diogenean-like, "All I ask is, that you keep out of my light."

It is my own feeling exactly.

The Emerson letters were brought out (I had them in my pocket) and read aloud—Frank Williams the 1855

On my way to Camden we debated whether to go to W.'s at all.

I am here with most of my duds off—have been taking a wash, bath. Now must take care myself."

Then suddenly looking over my way (I was hid by the round table, piled full, that was between us, and

I would like to look at it at my leisure and long." After which our good-byes.

All my boyhood dreams seemed to rise in reproach to the fact.

The water "falling like a veil before my (his) face," etc.I wrote W. in early morning, but no time or

To my remark, "I do not think Hawthorne could take Lincoln's measure," W. assented: "No indeed—it is