The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1906-11-16
POE IN THE CAPITAL
WHEN THE POET OF WOE SOUGHT
A GOVERNMENT POSITION.


and His Futile Chase of the Public
Service wiII-o'-the-Wisp.
Edgar Allan Poe, the master singer
Of sorrow, the world famous author of
The Raven" not only lived in Wash
ington number of weeks, but came
near becoming a government clerk and
residing in the national capital perma-
nently, says Elizabeth Ellicott Poe in
the Washington Post.
Destiny prevented Poe from obtain
ing government post, however. Burns
got into the excise Charles Lamb had
a desk in the Indian house. writing his
mastery essays after hours::'' Haw-
thorne enjoyed a snug berth in the con
sular service, but there was no easy
government billet for Edgar Allan Poe.
The suggestion that there might be
came from Frederick William Thomas.
literary friend of the poet, himself
an officehOlder under President Tyler,
and deeply impressed with the light
The year was 1871, and in the Poe
calendar this was the year when the
Poe dream child. Poe magazine. was
near birth. The idea itself was born
without ways and means to protect it
from the world or keep it in the world
editors dilatory with payments. Where
was the money to come from for even
the initial number? The prospect of
steady, light remuneration came at the
psychological moment. The bubble of
hope grew, beautiful with rainbow
hues. lived moment. then, like other
Poe bubbles, burst and disappeared
The story of its brief hour can be
best told in extracts from the CORE
spondence between Poe and Thomas.
On March Z, 1871, Thomas wrote a
chatty note to Poe on Washington af-
fairs generally and his own literary
ambitions particularly and spoke of
book he was working ON.
"How would you like" he asked, ito
be an officeholder here at $50 monthly,
payable by Uncle Sam, who, slack as
he may be to his general creditors, pays
his officeholders with due punctuality?
How would you like it?' Then Thomas
touched up the picture with a humor-
ous description Of the sinecure post
government clerk held in those days.
'"The work is by no means hard. You
stroll to the Office q little after 9, take
your own leisure through the day and
then stroll home after 2 to dinner and
do not return that day. If after din
ner you have anything to do, it is an
agreeable relaxation from the mon
strous laziness of the day. You have
everything in the writing line on your
desk. and if you choose to lubricate in
the literary way, why, you can. You
can follow literature as well here as
where you are. and think of the money
to be made by itv'
Poe, in his miserable restitution, seiz-
ed on this straw Of hope with avidity.
To be released from pecuniary care, to
serve his beloved art in peace-what a
haven it promised. Besides Thomas
persuasions there were other reasons
why the scheme seemed possible. As an
adopted son of Virginia, a personal ac-
quaiEtance of President Tyler and the
literary prOtege of Postmaster General
John L. Kennedy his chances appeared
great In addition to these he was
descendant of men who had fought in
the Revolution and again in the war
of 1912, and his own grandfather, Gen
eral David Poe, gave his entire fortune
TO the cause Of liberty, and surely that
should have given the genuine grand
son claim to the favors of the state.
Eagerly he penned his reply. Very
characteristic it was, too, of the man.
Pathetic in the betrayal Of the present
Sufferings, of which pride would not al
low full revelation-how the pertinent,
earnest words hold power to dim the
eyes that read them today!
would to Cod" he writes, II could
do as you have done. Do you seriously
think an application to Tyler would
have a good result? My claims, to be
sure, are very few. am Virginian-
at least / call myself one-for 1 have
lCSlSACN OH l4tC Osilo VI l1y lnC CACCPL
the last few in Richmond. My political
principles have always been as nearly
as may be with the existing admins
trat;on, and L battled with right good
will for Harrison when opportunity of
fered. With Mr.. Tyler have personal
acquaintance although this he may
have forgotten. For the rest, l am
literary man, and see disposition in
the government to cherish letters Have
| any chance?'
The earnestness of this reply evi-
IDENTIFY frightened Thomas. To him
without doubt it was an idle sugges-
ton, inspired somewhat BY sympathy
for Poe and gratitude for literary aid
given him. The next letter shows the
change of tenor 1t is cautious and
noncommittal. diplomatic and intangi-
bic. In this pretty phrase he begins:
II trust. my dear friend, you can OBJ
tain an appointment President Tyler
have net seen, although 1 called to
see his sons, but they were not in
CO11I6p,f vo1, clin ~, x-o,,,.soIe OIL go