LETTER XLIII

ANNE GILCHRIST TO WALT WHITMAN

_112 Madison Ave. New York Jan. 5, '79._

MY DEAREST FRIEND:

Herby has told you of our difficulties in getting comfortable quarters here--and also that we seem now to have succeeded--not indeed in the way I most wished & hoped we had--in 19th St., taking rooms & boarding ourselves--so that we could have a friend with us when & as we pleased. It seems as if that were not practicable unless we were to furnish for ourselves. Certainly our experiences there of using another's kitchen were discouraging--it was so dirty and uncomfortable that we were glad to take refuge in a regular boarding house again before one week was out. It seems to me more difficult to get anything of a medium kind in New York than elsewhere I have been--if it isn't the best, it is very uninviting indeed. Herby is enjoying his work and companionship at the League very much. We stand the cold well--how does it suit you? Is your arm free from rheumatic pains? When you come to Mr. J. H. Johnstons, which will be very soon I hope, we shall be quite handy, and have a pretty, sunny room--a sitting room by day!--with a handsome piece of furniture which is metamorphosed into a bed at night--and a large dressing closet with hot & cold water adjoining--all very comfortable. O how wistfully do I think of one evening in Philadelphia, last winter. I shan't begin really to like New York till you come and we have had some chats together. I have news from England which makes me rather anxious. The Blaenavon Co., to which Per. is chemist, has gone into liquidation--& I don't know whether it will continue to exist--or how soon in these dull times he may find a good opening elsewhere. Should things go badly for him, either Giddy and I will return to England to share [our] home with him there, or else I want him to take into serious consideration coming out here, instead of our going back. Of course it would be a risky thing for him to do with wife & child, in these times, unless some definite opening presented itself, but I cannot help thinking that, being an expert in his profession, with first rate training & experience, and iron work & metallurgy promising here to have such enormous developments, he would be sure to do well in the end; and meanwhile we could rub on together somehow. However, we shall see. I have laid the matter before him, he & his dear little wife wrote me a very brave, cheery letter when they told me the bad news--& I shall have an answer to mine, I suppose, by the end of the month. Kate Hillard read an amusing paper on Swinburne at a meeting of the Woman's Club in Brooklyn--& we had some fine music too. For the rest, I have not yet presented any introductions here.

Have had some beautiful glimpses of the North & East River effects of the shipping at sunset, &c.--Have subscribed to the Mercantile library,--& are beginning to feel at home. Herby & Giddy had been to hear Mr. Frothingham this morning, & were much interested. Bee missed us sorely at first--but writes--when she does write, which is but seldom--pretty cheerily. Friendly remembrance to your brother & sister. I wonder where Hattie & Jessie are spending their holidays. Love from us all. Good-bye, dear friend.

A. GILCHRIST.

Had a letter from Mr. Marvin--all well--he is doing the Washington letter of a N. Eng. paper. Hopes & trusts you are really going to Washington.