The age-herald., 1899-10-11
SHORT STORIES OF
 EDGAR ALLAN POE

The semi-centennial of the death of Ed gar Allan Poe will be observed tomorrow. Tho occasion possesses melancholy inter est for all who admire the genius and pity the mfsfortunes of the author of "The Raven" Born in poverty, reared in lux ury, and thrown upon the world without a dollar, Poe lived and died a mystery. Nina lives have been written about the cele- brated poet, yet of no subject has it been difficult to obtain real facts of both his life and death.
 The circumstances attending the death of this unfortunate genius left his memory under more or less of a cloud; but thls has been softened and dispeled by one of his later biographers, Eugene L. Didler. A tardy recognition was accorded the memory of Edgar Allan Poe on November IT, 1875, when, through the efforts of the school teachers of Baltimore, monument was publicly dedicated in that city in honor of the poet. His body had previously rested in Westminster churchyard for twenty-six years without a stone to show that it was the grave of the most unique genius Amer ica has produced.
 
 Notwithstanding the generally accepted mass of evidence to the contrary, Edgar Allen Poe was neither a drunkard nor q tippler It is true that he drank to some extent, as was the habtual custom of the times. but these indulgences were only oc- casional. He seldom drank strong liquors and that was said to be true of him to the end-but what he invariably became in- toxicated. He had leison on one side of the brain, and the slightest tonic was sufficient to cause him to act strangely. The immortal infamy of fastening upon him the shame of drunkenness belongs panty to one of his bfographers. For ten years Poe was writer of untring indus try, and in that time he produced a pro- digious amount of work, large in quantity and excellent in quality. At that time. however, literature was not a paying pro- fession, and Poe had a constant struggle with poverty. He labored under constant discouragements, ill-health and domestic sorrow, and it is not surprising that these adversities caused him to occasionally seek the stimulation of drink.
 Whatever practical difficulties it was his
 
 piness with his wife and mother-in-law, during the life of the former. One of his biographers, George E. Woodberry, de- scribes their life in Philadelphia as a model of fidelity and domestic happiness. Mrs. Clemm, the mother-in-law, a vigorous wo- man of about 50, was the head of the household. She received and expended Poes wages and kept things in order. At that time Mrs Poe was still under A years of age, and is described as possessing feminine beauty and charm of unusual order. Poe was very fond and proud of her, and she, in turn, idolized him. He was always haunted by suggestions of evil to come. and used to jocularly tell his wif5 that he did not like to go out in the dark, for he believed evil demons had power then. In his home alone he found happi- ness, affectionta refuge from contact with the world.
 The story of Poe's adversities and strug- gles with poverty are pathetic in the ex- treme. He left Philadelphia for New York with only S10 in his pocket, in company with his beloved wife, while his mother-in-law remained behind to settle up affairs. His first letter to her is a pathetic sta atement of the slenderness of his resources. He says: "I ate the first hearty breakfast have eaten since left our little home. Sis is delighted, and we are both in excellent spirits. She has coughed hardly any, ani has had no night sweats. We have now got s4.50 left. Tomorrow l am going to try and borrow s, so that I may have fort night to go upon. You can't imagine how much we both miss you Sissy had hearty cry last night because you and Catterina weren't here. We are resolved to get two rooms the first moment We can. It looks if it were going to clear up now."
 After the death of his wife Poe was frequent visitor at the nome of Mrs. Shew. an elderly lady and writer of considerable note who was much interested in Poe's literary projects. During one of his visits Mrs. Shew persuaded him to drink some tea in a conservatory whose open windows admitted the sound of church bells, and gave him some paper which he declined. saying, q so dislike the noise of bells to- night I cannot write. I have no subject I am exhausted" Mrs. Shew then wrote 'Ihe Bells, by E. A. Poe,'' and added 'Ine bells, the little silver bels." On the poets finishing the stanza thus suggested, she again wrote, 'The heavy iron bells," and this idea also Poe elaborated, and then, copying off the two stanzas, headed it, -By Mrs. M. L. Shew." Few poems have ever been written that contained a livelier jingle than ~The Bells,' yet at the time they were composed Poe was almost heart broken over the recent death of his wife; he was penniless, and the future seemed to hold out nothing for him. Many stories are told of his condition when ''The Raven was written, some biographsers asserting that Poe was at the time on the verge of delirfum. "Annabel Lee," his other most famous poem, was, 1t is said, inspired by fis love for a woman whom he had known in his boyhood.
 ANCIENT MONUMENT FALLS