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My heart's best gratitude to you beloved Master & Friend for your magnificent Letter of march 30th & 31st which reached me on Sunday last (Ap 11th) & wh I at once sent on to J.W.W. as you desired.

What can we say to you or do for you in return for this overpowering proof of your affectionate regard for us?

We find ourselves constantly marvelling at your unstinted generosity and   loving-kindness toward us & we have of late been almost daily congratulating ourselves upon our good fortune in being favoured with so many communications from you; but that you should take the trouble of writing such a long & interesting letter to us not only fills us with wonder mixed with pride but affects us very deeply indeed.

Thanks, & again thanks to you for it generous hearted Benefactor!

Your letter was especially welcome because of the   real good news it contained about you. For it is gladsome tiding for us to know that you are "getting along fairly, considering" that you "have no vehement pain night or day that you make acc't of" that you can get 5 or 6 hours sleep & that your most distressing symptoms are now so much relieved

The cheeriness which pervades your letter gladdens our hearts & inspires us with the hope that thanks to your originally superb physique & your noble &   indomitable fortitude & "pluck" you will yet weather this storm as you have done so many before

After your long & tedious seclusion you must be longing for the fresh air, the sunshine & the sense of freedom which out-of-doors influences inspire.

What a joy it will be for you to awake from your hibernation & to get out side once more! How I wish that I could be privileged to accompany you & Warry upon your first excursion down to the wharf   to participate with you in the pleasures of the delicious air, the sunshine upon the River, the groups of little children, the workmen, the teamsters, the ceaseless movements to & fro of the ferry boats & all the exhilirating​ exhilarating​ sights & sounds of Camden Ferry!

As I write this my mind reverts to that inexpressibly happy July evening of last year when I sat by your side, facing the golden sunset, drinking in the varied delights of the place, enjoying your tenderly sweet companionship & listening   to the sound of your "valved voice"; and I seem to live over again those two red letter—nay rather epoch-making—days of my life which I spent with you, my dear, old Camerado & Elder Brother.

Would that I were with you now! But alas! We are separated by 3000 miles of sea. But we shall surely meet again!

I am glad that you like Dr Longaker & "his doings" & I thank you for kindly favouring me with his address. I am writing a short letter to him   by this mail

Wed April 15th

We had another Whitman gathering at The College last night (April 14th) Some of the friends came to my house & J.W.W. read your "Lincoln" Lecture and "When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed" in his best style!

We wondered under what circumstances you were reading the Lecture as we felt persuaded that you would not allow the day to pass without keeping up your hitherto annual custom in some fashion

By this mail we are sending you the Review of   Reviews which contains several items which will interest you see pp 321—on which you are seen dancing hand in hand with Amelie Rives—366 & 378.

By the way I am sending a copy of yr last letter to Symonds.

I also send you a copy of this weeks issue of Great Thoughts containing portrait of & article on Charles Berry—a Lancashire man stationed for sometime in Bolton, who had the courage to refuse the succession to your Henry Ward Beecher in Brooklyn.

I had got this far with my letter (3.20 PM) when the postman brought me a long & most interesting letter about you from "Warry," which   confirms the previous good news about your improved condition. He says that Dr Longaker seems to have done you a great deal of good & that he hopes before long to be able to take you down to the wharf—where I took your photograph & had such a good time with you & him & the first place that he intends taking you to—

He also says that Dr Bucke intends paying you a visit, if he can, on your birthday. That   will do you good I am sure & I hope you will be able to stand the inevitable excitement of that event.

I took Warry's letter to J.W.W.'s office. Fortunately I found him in & upon reading the letter he exclaimed:—"Warry is a trump!"—and so say all of us. He is a trump. His letter is full of his characteristic cheeriness bonhommie & warm-hearted friendliness, and we are glad   to know that you are attended by such a sincere & unaffectedly good young fellow as your "Sailor-boy"—bless him!

But I must close as I have other duties awaiting my attention.

Will you please kindly convey my warmest thanks to Warry for his kind letter & tell him that I will write to him shortly?

With kindest regards   to H.L.T. & to all the members of your household & with best heart-love to yourself

I remain Yours affectionately J.Johnston. To Walt Whitman   see note July 5 1891