The Wilmingtonian., 1884-10-18
POE.
The Craven" Still Lives.

"SiiJ nan oei'uiy thie VI hlle mOSI lnu
fatigable wol kers in the field of Art an
Literature in Philadelphia, m ost pleasant
and ccurteolsly entertained a representativ
Of The WILMlNGToNIAN last Saturday /
personal "reminiscences Of Edgar Allen Poe
Poe was spoken of as being hcsitating an
modest in his intercourse with his fellow
men, aud only once was he known 10 speal
Of the post mOrtem virtues of his works an,
that was in reference to the "Raven." |
will be remembered that the Raven" aa
written in sections as it were, and it wa
wiitten before the poem was completed
Shortly after ,hc completion of the Rayei
MIR. Poe read it to MIR. Satain and the poe
| ioyously remarked that ''the Raven wa
the one thing he had written would that liv,
and it has lived and it will continue to liv,
when the marble which marks the Poet.
grave shall have crumbled into dust.
Edglr Allan Poe was born in Boston, Feb
ruary 10, 1909, and died in Baltimore,
October Z, 1S40. Left an orphan at an
early age, he was adopted by Mr.. Allan OF
Virginia. He was finely educated, and, ON
expires sing wish to join the army, was
appointed a cadet at the military academy
at West Point. His misconduct, however,
finally caused him to be expelled, and
shortly after he commenced his career as
author and journalist, and from 1888 until
his death in 1S49, was connected with var
ious periodicals. He possessed Brilliant
intellect, but was of dissipated habits.
Mr.. Sartan thus reeounted his last
strange experience with Poe:-
"TIow well recollect that afternoon,
nearly forty years ago." said he, ''when
Poe, apparently in a high state of excite
ment, his hair tossed about his forehead, and
wild look in his eyes, burst into my work
room, then ON the first floor
8 ''Sartain, he said i could tell tale
that you AMI the nineteenth century would
refuse to believe. | have fed from those
who want to murder ne! | heard them
plotting OH the train from New York.
They sat in the seat back of me, and
hatched the whole scheme. To kill me, yes,
to kill me! They got off at BorI
and must hide"
why was it necessary that they should
aIight aG Bordentown ?'' / asked min.
'He gave no heed to the question, but
remained in a distracted frame of mind;
saying, where could he hide from the con
spirators, and frantically urging his deadly
with me as long as lie wished, and tried to
quiet him BY making light of his fears. But
no, they were still on his track, and he
begged me piteousy for razor Or some
laudanum, pleading in an incoherent way,
that he must instantly shave off his NOUS
tache as an extra precaution. OF course it
would have been folly to have offered him
stimulant-even coffee was too powerful
beverage for Poe-and as ! did not shave,
there was fortunately goud reason for not
entrusting him with razor. But he
became so violent that at last | led him
upstairs into the bathroom, and took off
the moustache, myself, with pair of scis-
ing out, and as | needed exercise, l willingly
agreed to accompany him, but an obstacle
presented itself in the shape of his trodden-
down shoes, which were chatting his feet
painfully. AS | had no spare pair for him,
he was forced to put on my slippers, and SO
we started forth. This was before the day
of railroads or street cars, and we boarded
one of the Callowhill line of buses for Fair
mount. Arriving there, we sauntercd along
the river bank, | Keeping carefully on the
outside with my arm through his, until at
the foot of the water-works, which we
assembled and took seats at the top. had
hoped for repetition of the beautiful NOON
light we had had the evening before, but
heavy clouds gathered in the sky, anil we
were soon in inky darkness. Then, while
the Schuylkill below us rolled over the
falls, with solemn, booming accompani-
ment, Poe talked like a madman. The one
theme which still possessed his fanciful
mind was the terrible conspiracy un foot to
| destroy him, aud the swift words poured
forth with an indescrbable eloquence.
"'They have placed me in prison, said he,
| 'on lying charge of theft-theft of $50
bill, aud swear to you that | was wholly
innocent
''lIe had indeed been incarcerated in Moy-
amensing, over night | afterwards learned,
but it was for drunkenness, not theft; and
when he was brought before the magistrate
next morning, that astouudcd official
exclaimed, why, it's Poe, the poet!' and
forthwith ordered his discharge. But as we
sat there on the glooming summit of Fair.
mount, his over excited Imagination wovt
nothing but the strangest conceits.
"'IIerel he said, 4 stood in my cell
gazing through the iron bars, while tn,
| mnnn came ont in a silrerv ,rlnru aud IL.