The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1906-11-16

but where was the money? After fu-
lie attempts to raise it he writes sad
" to Thomas:
Would to God 1 could come to
Washington, but you know the old
story-I have no money; not enough
to take me there, to say nothing of get
ting back. 1t is a hard thing to be
poor, but as l am kept so by an honest
motive l dare not complain. Mr.. Ken
nedy has at all times been a true
friend to me. He was the first true
friend l ever had. He will be willing
to help me, know, but needs urging,
for he is always head over heels in
business. Thomas, may 1 depend oil
your
From here the story moves swiftly.
Little or nothing was done by Thomas
for his friend, who, beyond speaking
to Robert Tyler, son of the president,
did little for Poe. Bob Tyler, himself
a literary dilettante, endeavored to Sc
cure Poe a position in the Philadelphia
custom house, but his pulp was not
elastic enough. The custom house Of
ficials promptly resented his interfer-
ence and fatty turned his candidate
down. A cabinet crisis, the principal
event of the Tyler regime, was ap-
preaching, and Bob knew it was of
little use to try to interest his father
in poets or poetry.
Still, Thomas, by half satisfactory
letters, kept the hope alive for a year.
He must have known how frail the
promises were, but the poet believed
in them and him. His anxiety for the
post was heightened by first signs of
consumption in Virginia. his beautiful
child wife, and it meant delicacies
and probably her life. Poe was not
idle while he waited, however. With
the will-o'- the-wisp of government
service dazzling his eyes he still dug
away at the grub worms beneath his
feet. The magazine scheme had grown
into tangible shape, and promised sup
port made the future sanguine. 1t
was as much in the hope of obtaining
support from President Tyler and his
cabinet as getting the long desired
ton in 1S43, leaving Virginia and Mrs.
GLENN in Philadelphia.
Arriving in Washington, the poet
was given royal welcome by Thomas
and friends. Board had been engaged
for him at the Widow Barrett's, in
New York avenue, near Thirteenth and
H streets, N. w. Thomas and Bob
Tyler wed with each other in show
ing the visitor the sights of Washing
ton, but here their interest ended.
Tyler read Poe's poems, and Poe read
his and highly praised them, which
greatly pleased the play poet.
Origin of April FoOI.
Very curious things may be discov-
cred by people who love to mouse
among old books. Here is a very free
translation from a Parsee record not
accessible to many: 1T happened in a
remote year, when the inhabitants of
a land were engaged in sun worship
early on the LIST day of April, that a
shining man stepped forth from the
earth, proclaiming the purifying uses
Of fire. He called and counseled all
who had damaged household stuff, such
rs broken kneading troughs, tattered
curtains, coffeepots with holes in them,
lame furniture, worthless books and all
such things that might be considered
the dry refuse of life, to make a pyre
on the plain outside OF the city and to
celebrate this burning the. first day Of
every April, after which the ashes
might be used to fertilize the ground
SO the householders began to carry
forth. But their wives did seize on
each miserable article, saying: DO not
70. Behold, let us hide it in the attic
seven years more. 1t may come handy
Then the angel or messenger was wroth
with humanity that would not purify
itself by fire, and he said, from this
day you shall call one another and be
allied Anril fOOlS'1