The Irish standard., 1909-01-23

(eErly death OF his parents. He was
adopted by his godfather, John Allan.
u wealthy merchant Of Richmond, and
from his eighth to his thirteenth year
was placed in school in England. Re-
turning to America, he was placed in
an academy in Richmond and thence
he was transferred, at the age Of IT,
to the University OF Richmond. Why
he left this university at the end Of
tho first year never has been explain-
expelled. On the contrary, he was
honorably distinguished as student.
There could have been little or mono
OF that dissipation ut this period Of
his life that his earlier biographers
accuse him of, for. aside from the evil
dence Of the university records, which
vouch for a. standard of scholarship
impossible to a drunkard and a. gamb-
Ter, there are the we'll authenticated
stories of Ills strength and endurance.
far beyond that of ordinary men. lin
spite Of his slender and delicate phy-
sique. 1t may not be too great pre-
sumption to guess that what drove
him from the university was his de-
sire to see the world, cnd his passion
ate longing to help the Greeks in their
fight for Independence. For two years
he was in Europe, though whether he
really Joined the Graak forces as he
intended on leaving America, is not
recorded. At any rate, when he re-
turned, his foster father, convinced Of
his martial calling, placed him in West
Point. The discipline of this military
school sat uneasly upon his restless
nature, however, and lie was soon ex-
PEELED.
Returning to Richmond, he found his
home changed. Mr.. Allan had married
for the second time. His young wife
was little pleased with the grown fos-
ter son of the house and the advent Of
n baby boy Of his own made him less
disposed to look with leniency upon
rel and Poe, leaving the house that
had been his home for SO long, set out
for Baltimore. Here lived all his faith
er's kinsmen, among them his aunt,
Mrs. Maria GLENN, with her 1O-year-
old daughter Mrs. Clemm always had
loved "Eddie's" mother, as she herself
bears witness, and had been kind to
the boy when they met. Although she !,
was n widow at this time, supporting
herself and her little daughter by sew
ing, she took in the homeless lad and
could furnist-under the caves. Hero
he worked hard, but for long time
fruitlessly, writing continually, sup
ported generously by Mrs. GLENN. In
the fall of 1888 his first literary sue
cess came. The Saturday Visitor had
announced a prize of 500 for the best
81 ort story submitted. This prize Poe
won with "The Manuscript Found in
Bottle" and this prize, according
to the testimony Of Mrs. GLENN, was
at once handed over to her, as his
share Of the household expenses.
Three years later he married his young
cousin, although she, like Juliet, was
mt yet IA mere child.
Now began the happiest and most
fortunate years Of his life. His story
had fairly launched him in the mag
azine world, and he soon was offered
position as editor cl the Literary
Messenger of Richmond. Here he /.
worked steadily and hard, and the
amount Of copy" turned in to the
pages of his paper is SUFFICIENT dis u
proof Of any stories OF the irregulari-
ties Of his life during these years. &
Finally. hewever. he quarreled with A. .
M. White. the chief editor of the paper.
and soon after he left the paper Of Z
his own accord, or was dismissed. He y
removed to New York, where he be-
came an editor on the New York Res 1