The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-18

through IL ever there was one, with an
indefinable quality about him that ap-
pealed to ones deepest feelings for love
and sympathy. besides the inevitable
tribute of admiration which his bright
intellect. as shown i'm conversation,
would naturally call forth Physically
his eyes were his most prominent fea-
ture. They were large and dark and
soft as womans, although bright
sometimes with a masculine fire that
seemed half human. half divine. Once
seen no one could forget this remark
able, unfortunate man. who seemed 10
be endowed with a mixture Of curses
worthy of a witch's caldron-ge genius.
poverty and a love of drink. As TO the
latter. it has doubtless been much ex-
aggerated by his biographers. Poe
strove hard To conquer il, and IL was
only at certain periods that his enemy
would get the better OF him. l can
positively assert that he was at no
time continuous drinker."
The poets daily life i'm Fordham be-
gan each morning at daybreak or ear
lier. Rising at 4 o'clock. he would walk
10 the magnificent aqueduct bridge over
Harlem river and upon his return to
the cottage would stand for hours be-
meath his cherry tree, eagerly watching
the movements of the birds He had
some rare tropical birds I'm cages, which
he cherished and petted with assiduous
care. An English friend described him
as giving his birds and flowers de-
lightful attention that seemed quite IN
consistent with the gloomy and gro
tesque character of his writings. "A ia
vCTite cat too, enjoyed his friendly
patronage. and often, when he was en-
gagged in composing. II seated itself on
his shoulder, pur;ing In complacent APP
proval Of the work proceeding under It's
supervision. During Poe's residence at
F0rdham a walk to Highbrdge was
one OF his favorite and habitual recre-
atoms The water of the aqueduct lie
conveyed across the river on a range
of lofty granite arches which rise 90
the height OF las feet above high water
level on the top of turfed and grassy
road used only by foot passengers and
hanked on either side by low parapet
of granite. making one Of the finest
promenadcs Imaginable. the winding
river and the high. rocky shores at the
western extremity of the bridge are
seen To great advantage from this lofty
avenue In the last melancholy years
OF his life Poe was accustomed to walk
there at all times OF the day and night,
often pacing the then solitary pathway
for hours without meeting a human be-
ing.
A few yards to the east OF Poe's cot
tage i'm Fordham rises ledge Of rocky
ground. partly covered with pines and
cedars. commanding a fine view OF the
surrounding country. This rocky ledge
was one OF the poets favOrite resorts.
Here through the long summer days
and solitary. starlit nights. he loved TO
sit dreaming his gorgeous waking
dreams or pondering the problems OF
the Universe" that grand prose poem
to which he devoted the last and matur-
est energies OF his wonderful intellect.
Besides the Universe" and some other
prose works. Poe composed three OF his
best poems while I'm Fordham, The
Bells" "UIalume" and "Annabel Lee"
The Raven" was written In the winter
Of 1874 In a house that stood a few hun
dred feet from the corner Of Eighty
fourth street and ST Nicholas boule-
ward. and not. as many persons will
tell you, i'm the pretty little cottage I'm
Fordham
Edgar Allan Poe's life in Fordhann.
sad aud pathetic as II may seem. could
not have been without some brict
sllmpsts 81 suushine and happinrsa.
po-ts are lnNatisbN coI.fDtted hy an
environment Of natural scenery and
after tie lapse ~ ~ years Fofdhani is
still ~ rural and charming q lucaiity
that ono can imagine u to harg. been a