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  Meltonsville Alabama Mr Walt Whitman—

It has vexed me that a letter I lately intended for you, was ad.​ on the outside to you or "nearest friend" at Washington. The answer was (as I take it) kind and romantic or poetical enough to be from the most "electric" and beneficent poet I have ever read after. ☛ A copy of the "Graphic" of Nov. /73, with engraving of that worshipful face, with some writer's estimation of your works, and the publisher's remarks—this much marked with pencil "laid up, lame and unfit   for work at Camden N.J."

This I suppose that "nearest friend" or yourself intended as answer to my inquiry whether you were reduced to "distress", (pecuniary,) as the paper "Hearth and Home" about last of July hinted, by discharge from government employment. I thought "is it possible that this wonderful and all-deserving man's profits from his literary work will not support him in comfort?"

Also I thought if your work was too great and good for a shallow world to appreciate and begin to pay for, I should ☛   "know the reason why".

Walt! I am a poor man; and myself, wife, and six children, live on an income of about three hundred rarely approaching 400 dollars a year, about half made by our labor in the cotton field, and pay one fifth for state and county Taxes; also I do not believe in "immortality" except for you, was once (by inheritance) a slaveholding youthful "patriarch", carried a gun in the Rebellion, and was promoted for the daring courage which conscious integrity gave, to the "stretcher" service, but if you—Walt—are   about to "go down", I say "by God" you shall not without an effort on my part to make it some easier. I have written a good deal of droll, amusing rhymes—not published. But "rhymers pass away" (as I want them to do)—I think I can sell books for you—giving you all the profits—as I am a most eloquent reader, and could "canvass well. But if your need is urgent, real, and immediate, I can spare you something of the small store of capital that is helping me in   my strangely premature decline.

I am 42, and "gray as a rat", but the WAR "toughened and hardened" me, (while reducing my inherited fortune from ten to three thousand,) and I do, and appear able to do more work than when I was 20 to 30 yrs

Thank you also for "blowing more grit" in me. (I forgot to send a stamp with my former). ☛ Whatever betides, let Walt, or give some good boy the gold dollar I send, to report occasionally whether my idol still lives and how he fares. Bulletins or cards.

 

Walt! Are you Orthodox or Universalist? I am Materialist of late.

Born 10 miles from here, and never a traveler.

I wish you knew me. I am going to get "Burroughs' Notes" and try to know you all I can you interest me—So much grand poetry nearly kills me with the pain of delight

I almost never correspond in writing with any relative or friend, but now I am bewitched if philosophy can ever "dream" of such

John Newton Johnson Sane, cold, and calculating Need I say always abstinent? I am 13 miles from the nearest village

Post-script My family Physician quite lately borrowed from me, all my money except 2 10 ct scrips, 1 gold dollar, and 8 silver quarters, which I bought to pay my (small) children for special and surprising industry in picking cotton last fall.