The record-union., 1891-03-22
POI, THE POET.
His Life in Fordham, as Recalled
by an Old Resident.
Memories Awakened by the Recent
Death of Father Doucet, Poe's Inti-
mate Friend-The Poe Cottage and
'sAnnabel Lee.''
From the New York Times.

intimately during the latter's two years
sojourn in that pretty little suburb. And
to lovers and admirers of that much
slandered poet it will ever be matter for
regret that the Rev. Father Doucet Ito
whose death we have referreD did not
leave us some authentic written or verbal
testimony as to the personality of the poet
whose friendship he is said to have en-
joyed to an unusual degree at a period
perhaps the most interesting in Poe's
varied and eventful life. From what
little can be gathered now it would seem
probable that this intimacy revealed to
the reverend father many of those deli
cate traits of naturally reticent char
acter which have not been credited here
tofore in the publics estimation of Edgar
Poe.
SYMPATHY.
Although Poe was by no means Jesuit
or Catholic, he would naturally find,
with that broad-mindedt tolerance peculiar
to literary people, much that was congen-
lal and even inspiring in an intercourse
with the refined and intelligent Jesuit
fathers of ST. Johns College, an institu-
ton which was founded, it may be noted,
about ten years before he himself made
his home at Fordham.
In an interview with Father Scully,
President of st. Johns, L was told that
Poe frequently visited the college, gener-
ally in the afternoon or evening, when the
faculty were Mt leisure to entertain him.
lie was often on these occasions depressed
IN spirits, this was at the time of or after
his wife's DEATH, and, seeming to crave
sympathy, would usually go away feeling
brighter and happier for a few hours un-
restrained conversation.
PoE's MELANCHOLY.
Sometimes, however, he would linger
on as though dreading to return to his
death-stricken home, and the hospitable
fathers would provide him with bed,
and the grateful poet would spend the
night with them. 1t was seldom enough
that Poe could meet congenial spirits, and
those afternoons and evenings spent at
the college must have been a beneficial
intellectual relief to his speculative mind,
sympathetic listener being always a de-
light to one possessing his brilliant con-
VerSational powers.
Lacking any personal recollection of
the poet himself Father Scully showed
Inc brief notice of him that appeared
some years ago in the college paper, from
which l take the following description:
SKETCH.
''Poe was a familiar figure at the col
lege forty years ago. OF retiring dispo-
sition as regards the people of Fordham,
he was perfectly at home with regard to
st. Johns. There seemed to be some
thing congenial in the atmosphere of the
place that drew him to it, and though he
often went with no express purpose OF
seeing anyone of the faculty or students,
it seemed to soothe his mind to wander at
will about the lawn and the beautiful
grounds back OF the college buildings. 1t
must not be thought from this that he
had no friends there. He had three spe-
cal friends at the college, Rev. Fathers
Doucet and Thebaud of the faculty, and
that time who are now alive. 1t was one
of Poe's greatest gifts that he could make
friends wherever he went. To see him
was to love him. He had a charming
presence. A most intellectual counte-
nance, brilliant dark eyes, a high fore
head with the temples well developed,
and a pale and sad expression of face
were what attracted people. His features
were a trihe sharp and made up an al
most typical American face. 1t was a
pleasure to see him and still more to
listen to him.
OLD RESIDENTS OF FoRDHAM.
There are two other gentlemen now
living at Fordham who have some
thing of interest to tell in regard to Poe.
One of these, General Morris, is the son
of the poet George p. Morris, who edited
the New York Mirror, and who was at
all times warm friend of Poe. The
General recollects Poe's coming into the
editorial rooms one day and presenting
with much modesty a poem that he had
just written, and about which he desired
Morris opinion. In putting it before him,
the poet told the kindly editor that he
had not been able to make up his mind
as To the value of his production, and
would like to know whether he (Morris)
considered it good for anything. Trans
II ,ft,l
the excellence of which Poe justly prided
himself, and coming fresh from his ferv-
ent imagination, the poem must have ap-
peared more than ordinarily effective AT
all events, Morris was not long in COM
ing to decision, and soon exclaimed
with enthusiastic admiration to the
pleased poet: 1T is by all odds the best
thing you have ever written!" And pos
terity will surely see nothing of friendly
prejudice in this favorable opinion, for
the poem in question was Poe's Raven"
THE RAVEN"
That Poe, of all men, did not at once
recognize the surprising beauty of ''The
Raven" and should have been in doubt
Us to its merits is hard to conceive. That
he was amusing himself with an assumed
modeSty in anticipation of his friends
verdict of uncompromising praise seems
quite probable, for it was one of Poe's
peculiarities 10 disguise his own feelings
and personality not only in his writings
but in his intercourse with other people
lie loved fantastic joke, and nothing
gave him more pleasure than to mystify
the public about himself. Poe's "Raven''
was first published in the Mirror, bu.
from advance sheets of magazine.
AN UNAssUMINa MAN.
According to John b. Haskins, who is
think, the only person now residing in
Fordham who lived contemporaneously
with Poe at that place, Poe was "a mod
est, unassuming gentleman. He came Il
Fordham in 1913, and lived in the littl,
Valentine cottage with his wife and hel
mother, Mrs. Clennm, for two years, dur
ing which time / met him frequently II,
was very quiet, courteous fellow, EN-
crossed in his tervent poetic fancies, ant
laboring with conscientious care over hi.
writings, about which he was never a
ease until, by dint of continued POLISHING
and many alterations, they fulfilled hi:
own faStidiouS literary taste. His minC
had 4 strong bent for mathematics. which
l think, is clearly evidenced in many o
his stories, and yet he was thorough,
impractical in the ways and necessities O
the world, caring little and knowing alb
solutely nothing about money.
PoE's POVERTY.
''While he lived here he suffered tn
most abiect poverty. The rent of his cot
tage, which was S65 year, was largely
unpaid when he left, as was also the cas-
with various bills for groceries, etc
When his wife died, of whom he was de
votedly fond, he was unable to pay he
funeral expenses, and number of tn
iownspeople were compelled to come t,
his aid with contributions sof money
Without his mother-in-law, Mrs Clemm
it is hard to imagine how Poe and hi
child-wife could have lived at all. Bu
Mrs. Clemm was q practical as well a
warm-hearted old lady, and did her bes
TO protect these two, who We're little NOR