The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-18


 is published. Another written in 1885 and two from Mrs. Glen, a cousin of the famous poet, written at his request, about the same time will be published later.
 The letters were written to William Poe, who resided in Montgomery where he was president of a bank. and who died in 1S55. He was a grandfather of MT. Poe who now lives in Birmingham. The letters have never been printed and are owned by MT. Poe and his sister, Mrs. w. Y Dill
 Mrs. Clem resided with her cousin, the poet, for a long while and wrote many of his letters for him.
 These letters have been handed down 1 through the Poe family. They were writ ten before the days of envelopes and the paper is neatly folded, and sealed on the back. the direction appearing on the opposite side. The style in which they are written is marked by the utmost simplicity, and the contents give an in- sight into the private life of Poe.
 The letter written in 1s40 Is as follows:
 Philadelphia, August b, 1SO Dear William: Owing to a temporary absence from town did not receive your welcome letter of the 2sth of July until this morning. l now hasten to reply, and in the first place let me assure you that if 1 have not lately written, 1t is rather because I have been overwhelmed l by worldly cares. which left me scarce a moment for thought; and that l do l feel for you the kindliest affection, as well as deep gratitude, for the services yourself and brothers have so often rem dered me.
 Herewith I send you a prospectus of my | contemplated magazine l believe you | know that my connection with the South- 1 ern Messenger was merely that of editor
 l had no proprietary interest in It, and 1 my movements were therefore much im- peded. The situation was dsagreeable to me in every respect The drudgery was 1 excessive, the salary contemptble. In l fact, l soon found that whatever reputa- l ton l might personally gain, this repu- tation would be all l stood no chance of l bettering my peeuniary condition, while my best energies were wasted in the ser 1 vice of an illiterate and vulgar although well-meaning man, who lad neither the l capacity to appreciate my iapors nor the will to ward them For these reasons left him, and entered first into an engage ment with the New York Review, and afterwards with the Gentleman's Maga- zines writing occasionally for different journals, my object being merely to keep | my head above water. as regards money until good opportunity should appear of establishing a magazine of my own l in which l should be able to carry out my plans to full completion, and could in time have the satisfaction of feeling 1 that my eXertions be used to my own ad- l vantage.
 believe that the plans I here speak of and some of which you will find detailed in the prospectus are well devised and suggested, and will meet with the hearty l support of the most honorable and intel ligent portion of the community Should l be able to bring them fairly before the public, feel assured that my fortune is made. The ambition which actuates me now to be no ordinary sentiment, and knowing this, I take pride in earnestly soliciting your support, and that of your brothers and friends. If l fully succeed | in my purpose l will not fall to produce some lasting effect upon the growing | literature of the country, while 1 estab-
 fish for myself individually a name
 which that country will not willingly let i die"
 It is upon the south that I chiefly rely for aid in the undertaking. and have every hope that it will not fail me in my need. Yet the difficulties which have to overcome are great-and I acknowl- edge to you that my prospects depend very much upon getting together sub scription list previously to the first of | December. If, by this day. I can obtain l 300 names the work cannot fail to pro | ceed, and l maVe no fear for the result | The friendship you have always | evinced, the near relationship which eX- 1 ists between us and the kind offer in | your last letter, all warrant me in hop 1 ing that you will exert your whole in- | huence for me in Augusta. Will you | oblige me by acting as my agent for the | Nn ina In cit letter l being your authority? If l am not mis- 1 taken you already act in that capacity | for the Messenger.
 l will write a few lines also by this mail to your brother Robert, with a pros pectus as you suggest-and also to Wash | ington at Macon | Mrs. Glenn, my aunt is still living with me. but for the last six weeks has | been on a visit to a frizld in the state | of New Jersey. She is quite we'll haN- | ing entirely recovered her health. Re- specting the letter from MT. Bayard I | am quite at loss to understand it. It | is however, possible that the letter was written by MT. B, at a period when we were all in much difficulty in New York, and that Mrs. c. concealed the circum- stance from me through delicacy. Very truly. E. A. r.
 A Unique Court Document. What is considered by the court officials of Birmingham as one of the most re- markable documents ever filed in the City court, in point of language, Is petition filed in 1891 by a man asking to be al- lower to remarry his wife having se- cured a divorce. It is as follows;
 "To the Honorable H. A. Sharpe, judge of the City court of Birmingham, in equity: Your petitioner, - of Mo- bile Ala. would deferentlally represent that on the 10th day of January in the year of grace, 1891, your honor dissolved the connubial ties heretofore existing be- tween petitioner and his consort, -, granting her divorce a vincuo matri- monii, with the beatific privilege thereto annexed or marrying again, privilege which it goes without saying. she avail ed herself of with an alacrity of spirit and a fastidious levity disdaining pur- suit. But on this vital point your honor extended to petitioner only the charity of your silence.
 petitioner has found in his own ex- perience d trustful eXemplitication of Holy Scripture that it is not good for man to be alone and seeing an inviting op- portunity to superbly amelorate his for lone condition, by a second nuptial ven- ture, he finds himself circumvallated by an Ossa-Pelion obstacle, which your honor alone has the power to remove.
 His days rapidly verging on the scar and yellow leaf, the fruits and flowers of love all going, the worm, the canker and the grief in sight, with no one to love and none to caress him, petitioner feels an indiscribable yearning, longing and heaving to plunge his adventurous prov once more into the unveXed waters of the