The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-05-09

Poe's First Lsye Affair.
BETWEEN the years 1925 Edgar
Poe was a scholar in q well-known
Richmond academy. The adopted son
and reputed heir of wealthy Scotch
man, the lad-during this period being
between thirteen and sixteen years Of
age, and already well grounded in gen.
eral education from several years. tut
ton in England-was enabled to make
no mean figure among his fellow stu
dents. His memory is still cherished
by some of them for his classical at
tainments, his athletic feats, and for
certain magnetic, rather than sympa-
thetic, influence which he exercised up
on them. Foremost among those,
however, who fell more completely un-
der the spell of his nobler qualities was
little maiden but year or two young
er than himself. Elmira Registers pa
rents lived opposite to the Allans in
Richmond, and in the usual course
of events she made the acquaint-
ance of their adopted son. Edgar, she
says, twas q beautiful boy; he was
not very talkative, and his general
manner was sad, but when he did talk
his conversation was very pleasant.
He was devoted to the first Mrs. Allan,
and she to him. Of his own parents he
never spoke. l have seen his brother
Henry, who was in the navy. He
had very few associates, but he was
very intimate with Ebenezer Berling,
| q widows son of about the same age as
himself. Berling was an interesting,
intelligent young man, but somewhat
visit our house together very frequent
ly." 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
impulsive. He had strong prejudices,
and hated everything coarse and unre-
fined. can still remember him say
ing to me, when an acquaintance made
an unladylike remark, am surprised
you SHOULD associate with any one who
could make such remark!'
He was very generous. He drew
beautifully, and drew a pencil likeness
of me in few minutes. He was pas
sionately fond of music. It
distresses me greatly when l see any,
thing scurrilous written about him.
DO not believe tenth part of what is
said. 1t is chiefly produced by jeal-
ousy and envy. l have the greatest re.
spect for his memory. Our ac-
quaintance was kept up until he left to
60 to the University, and during the
time he was at the University he wrote
to me frequently. But my father in
tercepted the letters because we were
too young-fo for no other reason. Twas
between fifteen and sixteen when we
were engaged. was not aware that
he had written to me from the UNIVERSE
| ty until after l was married, when
was seventeen, to Mr.. Shelton.''
Many years passed by; MIR. Shelton
died and left his widow wealthy. Of
Poe she 10 st sight for years. At last,
in the summer of 1849, he returned to
the scenes of his childhood and, again
in Richmond, called upon his boyhood' $
love. Mrs. Shelton thus describes the
| meeting:
Il was ready to 60 to church, when
servant entered and told me that a
gentleman in the parlor wished to see
me. l went down and was amazed at
seeing him Il. e., Poe), but knew him
instantly. He came up to me in the
most enthusiastic manner, and said,
oh! Elaira, is it you?' l told him
was going to church, that l never let
anything interfere with that, and that
he must call again. When he
did call again he renewed his ad-
dresses. I laughed; he looked away
serious, and said he was in earnest,
and had been thinking about it for a
long time. When 1 found out that he
SO, 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 cheer
full. He came to visit me freqnent.
ly. went with him to the
Exchange Concert-Room,' and heard
him read. When he was go.
ing away he begged me to marry HIM,
and promised he would be everything
l 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, at the same time, that he had q
/ hn oh
any more. was not engaged
to him, but there was a partial under.
standing. He was a gentle.
man in every sense of the word. He
was one of the most fascinating and re.
fined men I ever knew. never saw
him under the influence of wine.
admired him more than any man ]
ever knew"
Nothing can be added to this history
of the poets first and his last love,
which the gracious kindness of the lady
concerned permits us to use. A week
after parting from Mrs. Shelton, Edgar
Poe was found unconscious and dying
in the streets of Baltimore.-AppLetOn
Journal for May.
Thrilling Experience or Hunter In
the Adirondack Mountains.
JACK FEArHERLY lived in q log cabin
\ at the base of one of the mountain
ranges of the AdirOndacks. He had
been brought up in the woods from
infancy, and the rocks, trees and flow.
ing water were his lesson books, for in
that desolate region schools were out OF
the question. He was tho son Of a
guilds who conducted hunters and
pleasure parties over tho lakes and
through the woods VI the Shnttagec
region. and by tho time he was seven
tom years vi age the hoy was able Ia
not M n guide himself. Ills eyes were
M keen that he could toll At glance.
by tho traces upon tho dry leaves.
whether Y hear. deer ar panther had
passed by. Tho forest was his home
aud he could Ito down miles from homo
and sleep IN xwcctly upon his couch Of