The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1878-03-14
EDGAR A. POE.

Mrs. Susan Archer Weiss has an article in
ScribRers Monthly, for March, ON "The Last
DAYS of Poe" from which We make the follow
ing extracts:
ing "Tbe Raven" Poe observed that he had
never heard it correctly delivered by even the
best readers-that is, not as he desired that IL
should be read. That evening, number OF
visitors being present, he was requested to re-
cite the poem, and complied HIS Impressive
delivery held the company spell-bound, but IN
the midst of it, I, happening to glance toward
the open window above the level roof OF the
green house, beheld Q group of sable faces, the
whites of whose eyes shone IN strong reiiei against
the surrounding darkness. These were mum,
Der of onr family servants, who having heard
much talk about "Mr. Poe, the poet" and hav-
ing but vn imperfect IDEA of what poet was,
had requested permission of my brother to wit
ness the recital As the speaker became more
impassioned and excited, more conspicuous grew
turned suddenly toward the window, and extend
ing his arm, cried, with awful vehemence:
Get thee back into the tempest and the nights Pluto
nian shore"
there was sudden disappearance of the sable
visages, q scuttling of feet, aud the gallery au'
dience was gone. Ludicrous as was Tue ! .,a |.
dent, the final touch was given when at that
moment Miss Poe, who was an extraordinary
character in her way, sleepily entered the room,
and With a dull and drowsy deliberation seated
herself on her brothers knee. He had subsidized
from his excitement into gloomy despair, and
now, fixing hisey upon his sister, he concluded
And the raven. fitting still is sitting still is
On the psd bust Of Paas just above chamber door
And eyes have all the seeming OF demon that Is
dreaming@
The effect was irresistible; and as the final
"nevermore" was solemnly uttered, the half sup
pressed litter of two very young persons IN O
corner was responded to by general laugh. Poe
1r,l ,saflx hate IN
public lecture, he would stake Rose along, to
act the part of the raven, in which she seemed
born to excel"
PoE's "STYLUs.n-Among other things, Poe
spoke to me freely of his future plans and pros
poets. He was at this time absorbed in his cher
ished scheme Of establishing his projected jour-
nal the .Stylus." Nearly all his old friends in
Virginia had promised to aid him with the neces-
sary funds, and he was sanguine of success he
intended to spare no pains, no ofort to establish
this as the leading literary journal Of the country
The plan of it, which be explained in detail, but
of which retain little recollection, was to be
something entirely original and the highest
"geuus, distinctive from talent" OF the country
was to be represented in its pages. To secure
this result, he would offer more liberal price
for contributions than any other publisher. This
would, of course, demand capital to begin with
which was all that be required, and of that be
had the promise. To establish this journal had
been, he said, the cherished dream of his life
and now at last ne IeiG dSsuTcu Vi sucCcsS. huu
in thus speaking, he held his head erect, and his
ewes glowed with enthusiasm. 81 must and will
succeed p he said.
PoE's ExEcUToR.-In the course of the even
ing, he showed me letter just received from
his "friend, DR.. Giiswold," in reply to one but
recently written by Poe, wherein the latter had
requested DR.. Griswold, in case of his sudden
death, to become his literery executor. In thi,
reply, DR.. Griswold accepted the proposal, ex
pressing himself as much fattered thereby, and
writing in terms of friendly warmth and inter
est. 1t will be observed that this incident is 6
contradiction of his. statment that, previous te
Poe's death, he had had no intimation of the lat
ter's intention of appointing him his literary ex
ecut0r.