The Yazoo Democrat., 1854-09-20
The Csrlve al Poe.

Poe:
al had read and heard that Poe had many
times been in the hospital, on account of ill
ness brought on by dissipation, and | resolv-
ed to go there first, and learn exactly where
his grave was. l found the experimenting
physician most cordial and pleasant man,
and Immediately asked him if he remem
bered Edgar A. Poe. % yes said he, and
his eye frightened, though his face grew sad;
and then he told me the sad story. After
the death of Poe's lovely wife, the Lost Lee
nore," his character was changed for the
| worse. He became melancholy, almost
moonstruck, and then, goaded on by poverty
and sensitiveness and false pride, he had re-
course to stimulants for relief. He became
drunkard. 'Often,' said the doctor, have 1
followed him late at night, when the streets
were desolate, and heard him talking to the
moon and the stars, and the "Lost Lenore, !"
in such strain of high pathos as made me
weep At other times, when the demon of
evil had entrapped him, the good doctor
would pick him, all ragged from the gutter
and carry him to the hospital to be cured
There 1 saw the very bed where Poe lay, his
great eyes sunken and lack-lustre his noble
brow pale with woe and pain, his raven hair
all matted. There he would toss about for
long days, till nature again triumphed, and
he could rise up, and being clothed in his
right mind, could take his pen in hand to
write for bread The doctor showed me some
of his writing, as neat and smooth as the
prettiest Italian hand, each letter formed ex-
actly, each dotted and crossed.
After I had seen all the relics of the poet,
l asked where he was buried, and was told
that his grave was in the Cemetery. So /
went there and asked the keeper where /
could find the grave of Edgar A. Poe. He
said he did not recolect the name (such is
fame) but he would examine the books. |
was sure that he died in December, l849,
but to make sure we looked over the list of
interments of 1913, 1s49, and 1850, but
Poe's name was not among them. lie was
not buried there. l then recollected that Poe
had once been insane, and confined for a time
in the Asylum; SO the next step of my sad
pilgrimage was to that establishment. The
Superintendent received me most politely,
and showed me through the great building
] was told that Poe was one of the most ter
ribly uncomfortable patients they had ever
had in the Insane Asylum, and well he might
have BEEN When mind like his fell, it
was ike the fall of Lucifer.
I told the Superintendent thaat was scar
ching for the grave of Poe, but could not find
lit. He said that I had been misinformed:
sCome here said he, leading me to the win
dow, Poe was buried in the corner of that
Potter's Fieldp / could not believe it, and
hurried away in painful doubt. But in the
afternoon I met an old resident of Baltimore,
who assured me my informant was correct.
It is sad to think of it, 'and a reproach to
my native city, but it is nevertheless true
that our poet is buried in an obscure corner
of the Potters Field.
The coffin containing his remains was
brought out of the Aims House, and placed
in the public hearse, and solitary carriage
completed the funeral array In silence and
sadness the little party performed the sad of
fees, and the tenement of clay which once
enshrined noble soul was left to moulder
without mark to point out its last resting
place."
The writer adds
II have read Poe's life; / knew he was un-
fortunate and dissipated, but I little that his
being buried in the city of Baltimore, meant
that he was thrust under the earth in
Potter's Field. 1t seems as ii, IN the 'Monu-
mental City, little slab, at least, might be
raised, inscribed with the poets name. 1t
would speak to many hearts"
an err m nnes