Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-20

fifteen years ago comprised about two
acres OF grassy knoll and shaded hollow;
hut this has long since been consumed
for building purposes, until today
modern house is just approaching comple-
ton we'll back In the yard. The ground TO
make the coming lawn has been filled In
go that now the cottage Is partly below
the level OF the grade. and to reach the
gaming door Of the old lean-to kitchen the
yisitor must slide down bank OF new
made earth nearly six feet In height.
From the floor OF the kitchen, wnich Is
a cramped little space, a flight OF four
stems leads to the door OF the entrance
"a the main building. This is box
sbanod cottage story and hair IN
height and shingled on the sides. the
gable end faces the street, and along the
southern exposure extends plain porch
nrobabIv six feet in width, the roof sup
rorted by two posts. one at either eX-
trenity OF the caves. IL must have been
n cosev nook Of summer evening. for
one can imagine morning glories and ivy
cIamberIng hlther and yon over the low
roof and reaching even up to the funny
uttle oblong windows that peer out at
ono from, beneath the caves OF the cot
,ae,a like age-beared eyes. One window.
now closed with dark shutters, gives
LIGHT from the road front OF the cottage.
In the front on what was once the lawn
stands the Jagged ruin of what was
noble old cherry tree. which was planted
by Poe himself in 1SH. Fabulous tales
are told by the one-time lads of the VIII
lare of its fruit-bearing capacity. On
the lower door OF the interior are two
rooms. and the rear room opening into
the little kitchen was used by Poe and
his wife as a dining and sitting-room.
and Il was here that the poet received
his visitors after his wife became III.
She then took the front room looking out
on Poe's cherry tree as a bedroom. and
Il was there that she died.
on the second floor there are three
rooms. which were once neat and CHEEKY
OF these the front room was the poets
own favori'e snuggery. Through 1t ran
tie old-fashioned chimney. and in this
was built a deep-throatod fireplace. which
calls up "reminiscences or hre-pic-
lures and n swapping. cracking back
log for comfort on winter night. Ford
ham holds a tradition that 1t was in
this cottage that Poe wrote 1.-THE RAJ
ven" but IL is hardly substantlated.
II Is asserted that he did write two OF
his latest poems in the upper front room.
"Irlalume" and Eureka" THE Raven"
was written some time before. for
II. together with some of his stories,
brought him a little contemporary fame,
and he was then living in quiet quarters
near Washing on Square. From the de-
cisIon of n libel suit in his favor he OBJ
tanned some hundreds of dollars, and in
the spring of 1876 he moved to the Ford
ham cottage with his wife and her mother.
Mrs. GLENN. Mrs. Poe was sufferer
from consumption. and the change 10 the
country had been made on the advice OF
their physician. Poc's chief exercise was
walking, and he often came to the city
by way of the Ilighbridge road and
across Highbrdge.
After Poe's sudden death In Baltimore
Mrs GLENN sold the household effects,
and the Bible clock. and rockingham
were purchased by Mrs. Cromwell, or
Fordham. These articles are now in
the possession Of ". II. Valentine. The
Bible contains no family record. The
ground and cottage are now the property
OF Or. Chauyet. Il dentist OF Fordham.
In the deed as at present recorded there
is a clause that the cottage Is not TO
be removed from the ground. except on
the payment Of an indemnity of $500.
This clause was first inserted in the
deed by a Mr.. Gill. but DR.. Chauvet
said TO the Tribune reporter the other day
that he would not stand in the way OF
having the cottage preserved. and that
II ne could afford it he would be only
too glad to keep it in repair himself.
Dr. Chauvet was not certain whether,
by rigid construction OF the law, this
deed can be made to preserve the cot
tage from the proposed march OF public
improvement AS the Tribune has al
ready published, the building is threat
ened with demolition in the process OF
widening the kingsbridge road. This IL
Is which ha a ChakaCnaa rfa ~,
Society TO action, and called forth the
plea for subscription fund 10 defray the
cost OF removal of the building TO a
spot where IL will be safe.