
I wrote to you last evening, & after a short letter to Traubel spent the rest of the evening in chatting with Mr & Mrs Rome—about old memories of you, the changes in Brooklyn, persons & places in Annan, Scotland &c.
This morning we had breakfast a little after 7, & Mr Rome & son went to business. I followed them
shortly after to see if there was
any letter there for me. I was glad at heart when Andrew Rome gave me a letter from you. Tom Rome came up
at the same time & Andrew introduced us. After a very brief talk I opened your letter & read it aloud to them both. How
wonderfully it fitted in! How could it have been better? Through me you addressed a message of grateful & affectionate memories
& love to them both—& there I received it in their actual presence, & without knowing its contents read it aloud to them
both! You should have seen the look that came into
their faces—as of a tender veil of mist over silent granite rocks. And before I came away Andrew Rome said he would try to come
with me to Camden when I come—coming in the morning, returning at evening.
He came out with me & took me to Cranberry St—to the old office where you printed the Leaves. (Room now occupied by a bookbinder.) I stood a little in front of the window where you set the type—& in the corner where you used to sit to read the "Tribune" when you called in each morning.
Then he went back to business & I went down to the Fulton Ferry. I crossed & came back again—reading your poem again, &
observing & absorbing all I could. I find that your friend, John Baulson
has given up work as
pilot—"gave it up a month ago of his own accord," the man said.
I walked across the Bridge & spent a little time in New York & then came back to dinner as promised. Am now writing letters, & by the time I have done Rome will come back here for a walk in Brooklyn with me.
Then I propose to go to Huntington, Long Island, for the week end—to visit West Hills &c. Will perhaps come back Sunday night or Monday morning—but should like to stay till Monday night, & may perhaps do so. Then another day or so in N.Y. before coming on—but will write to you again.
A. H. R told me at dinner that he met Ex-mayor Stryker this morning. They spoke about you, & R. said he hoped to see you soon, & S. commissioned him to convey his regards.
Love to you always from my heart of hearts J.W. Wallace
