, 1878-06-28
POe's First and Last Love.

P0e's Flrst and Last Love.
Between rne year 1922 -25, says Apple,
tons Journal, Edgar Poe was scholar in
a weil-kuown Richmond academy. The
adopted son and reputed heir of a
wealthy Scotchman, the lad-during this
period being between 13 and 16 years Of
age, and already we'll grounded in gen
eral education from several years tuition
in Eogland-was euabled to make no
mean figure among his fellow. students.
His mem ,ry is still cherished by some cf
them for his classical attainments, his
athletic feats, and for n certain magnetic,
rather than sympathetic, influence which
he exercised upon them. Foremost among
those, however, who fell more COM
pletely under the spell of his nobler
qualities was little maiden but year
or two younger than himself. EImira
Registers parents lived oppotite to the
Allans in Richmond, and in the usual
course of events she made the acquaint-
ance of their adopted sou. Edgar" she
says, twas a beautiful boy; he was not
very talkativc, and his general manner
was sad, but when he did talk his con-
versation was very pleasant. He was
devoted to the first Mrs. Allan, and she
to him. OF his own parents he never
spoke. have seen his brother Henry,who
was in the navy. He had very few as
gociates, but he was very intimate with
Ebenezer Berling, widows son Of
about the same age as himself. Berling
was an interesting, intelligent young man,
but somewhat incliped to dissipation.
They used to visit our house together
very frequently" Berling, it may be
mentioned, was to have accompanied Poe
when he started for Europe, to offer his
services to the Greek insurgents, but died
before the departure of the poet, who had
to journey to Europe alone,
Edgar" continues the lady, "was
warm and Jealous in any cause he was
interested in, being enthusiastic and i'm
pulSive. He had strong prejudices, ard
hated everything coarse and unrefined.
l can still remember his saying to me-,
when an acquaintance made an unlady-
like remark, Il am surprised you should
associate with any one who could make
such a remarkl
"He was very generous. He drew
beautifully, and drew pencil likeness
of me i'll few minutes. He was pas
slonately fond of music. 1t dis
tresses me greatly when l see anything
scurrilous written about him. Do not
believe tenth part of what is said. 1t
is chiefly produced by jealousy and envy.
have the greatest respect for his mem
Dry, Our acquaintance was kept
up until he left to go to the university,
and during the time he was at the uni
versity ho wrote to me frequently. But
my father intercepted the letters because
we were too young-for no other reason.
! was between Is and 10 when we were
engaged. was not aware that he had
written to me from the university until
after was married, when was II, to
Nr. Shelton I F
Many years passed by; Mr.. Shelton
died and left his widow wealthy. OF
Poe she lost sight for years. At last, in
tho summer Of 1S49, he returned to the
scenes of his childhood, and, again in
Richmond, called upon his boyhood's love.
Mrs. Shelton thus describes the meeting
II was ready to go to church, when a
servant entered and told me that gen.
tleman in the parlor wished to see me. l
went down and was amazed at seeing
him G.. e. Poe, but knew him instantly.
He came up to me 10 tho most enthusi-
asiic manner, and said, 'Oh Elaird, is
it your l told him | was going to
church, that never let anything inter-
fere with that, and that he must call
again. :. When he did call again
he renewed his addresses. laughed
he looked away serious, and said he was
in earnest, and had been thinking about
it for long time. When I found out
tha; be was very serious, / became se-
rious also, and told him that if he would
not take positive denial, he must give
me time to consider. He answered,
"A love that hesitated was not love for
him. But he stayed long time,
and was very pleasant and cheerful. He
came to visit me frequently.
went with him to the Exchange concert
room,' and heard him read. When
he was going away he begged me to
marry him, and promised he would be
everything could desire. He said, when
he left, that he was going to New York
to wind up some business matters, and
that he would return to Richmond as
soon as he had accomplished it, although
he said, al the same time, that he had a
presentiment that he should never sec me
any more. was not engaged
to him, but there was partial under
standing. He was gentleman
in every sense of the word. He was one
of the most fascinating and refined men
I ever knew. never saw him under
the influence of wine. l admired him
more than any man l ever knew"
Nothing can be added to this history
Of the poets first and last love, which
the gracious kindness of the lsdy con-
cerned permits us to use. A week after
parting from Mrs. Shelton, Edgar Poe
was found unconscious and dying in the
streets Of Baltimore.