The Vault at Pfaff'sIn a letter to William D. O’Connor, Whitman writes that he has found a publisher for his new edition of Leaves and that his Drum-Taps have sold better than expected. Whitman is enjoying New York and spending much time with his family, particularly his mother, who has recently moved.
ADDRESS: William D. O'Connor|Light House Board
-Treasury Depart-|ment|Washington|D.C.
POSTMARK: New York|Aug|26
279 East 55th st. New York.|Sunday morning, Aug. 26.
Dear friend,
Your letter came safe, & was indeed welcome. I will leave out "orgies" since you dislike it so much. I have been much delayed in the printing-but I believe they have now fairly got to work, & will go on expeditiously. I found a printer, Chapin, 24 Beekman St., who was getting new type of the kind I wanted, & I waited for him-He engages to have the composition & presswork done in from two to three weeks. It will be typographically about the same as Drum-Taps, only about five times as thick--Upon calling on Huntington & Son, I found that Drum- Taps has sold somewhat better than I anticipated-I was treated very courteously, & they promised to advertise D.T. & push it this fall-I did not say any thing about the coming new Leaves-but may propose to Messrs. H. to be the agents before I return-I shall probably return about the 12th of September-
When I arrived here, I found my mother & the reSt lately moved (again) in a large old house out in Brooklyn suburbs, & in a good deal of confusion &C.-Mother was not well, & seemed generally fagged out- But since then things have come round somewhat-Mother has improved a good deal-yesterday felt quite like herself again-I spend three or four hours there every day-Jeff is very well, & George pretty well-in the latter I can see that campaigning & Danville prison have left their mark-I am stopping at Mrs. Price's, am most pleasantly situated in personal comforts, &c.-Mrs. P. has asked much about you-hopes to see you yet-The weather here is really perfect-I have been to the Central Park, had a long ride & foot ramble-the place is probably looking its best just now-I go out on Broadway occasionally & take a walk, or a ride on the omnibus-I am received by the drivers with renewed rapture-it is more marked than ever.
I havn't learned any thing worth mentioning about literary persons or doings here. I doubt whether the article will be accepted in the Galaxy-don't know who edits it-I send my love to John Burroughs- Also the same to Charles Eldridge-I hope to be able to write to Nelly- I wish you when you write to say I send my love to her. And now for a while, my dear friend, Farewell.
Walt.