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Correspondence
Letter from Thomas Jefferson Whitman to Jessie Louisa Whitman, 26 January 1888
St. Louis, Mo.,
Jan. 26th, 1888
My dear Jessie
My darling girl, I enclose you a check for $50, hoping it will reach you before you leave Burlington 1
I got home from Ark yesterday, after a pretty hard time—I had to abandon my Texas trip for the reason that I had some bids here to be opened on Monday I did not get here till Wednesday—but that was owing to the weather and the Rail Roads I shall go out to the cemetery on Sunday and leave Sunday night for Texas. I suppose I shall be gone about a week Mr Smith 2 of Leavenworth was at my office on Monday last and came for the express purpose of carrying me off to New York all expenses paid—but of course I could not go—much as I wanted to—No I must make the best of what is wanted now—I presume I shall have lots of time after awhile—
Well my dear girl I wish you would go and do just what gives you the most fun—and I do hope you will make fast friends of the New York and Hartford people—they are good folk to know
I shall write Horace 3 that you are at Worthens 4 after the 1st for ten days—I think he will call and ask you to go to his place—and if he does I would like to have you go
Nothing new with me—I am feeling fairly well—except I have my old terrible cough—it is pulling me down some—but I shall get out all right when the spring comes
Wish you would go and see Walt as often as you can
Love to all
affectionately Papa
About the Text
The text presented here is derived from Dennis Berthold and Kenneth Price, eds., Dear Brother Walt: The Letters of Thomas Jefferson Whitman (Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 1984). For a detailed description of discrepancies between this electronic edition and the print source, see our statement of editorial policy .
The manuscript of this letter, dated January 26, 1888, is held at the Missouri Historical Society.
For more information on the letters of Thomas Jefferson Whitman, see Dennis Berthold and Kenneth Price's introduction to the print edition.
Notes
1. Jessie had probably been visiting George and Louisa Whitman at their farmhouse in Burlington, New Jersey. (Back)
2. Unidentified. (Back)
3. Horace Tarr (see Letter from Thomas Jefferson Whitman to Walt Whitman, 9 May 1863 and Letter from Thomas Jefferson Whitman to Walt Whitman, 11 September 1885). (Back)
4. See Letter from Thomas Jefferson Whitman to Walt Whitman, 15 December 1863. (Back)
Whitman Archive ID
mhs.00001