The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-10-06
The Life Of
Edgar Allan Poe
Americas Greatest Lyrical Song
ster and His Struggles witt,
Misfortune.

Misfortune.
a'dper Read Refore the ChGuta,lqua Circle:
There is but little doubt that the
Allwise Being who created man i'm
planted in his breast a love and
desire for the beautiful and good.
To see that which is pleasing to the
fancy, to come in contact with that
which through it's power of goodness
or merit is most agreeable to the
senses, not only enlists our admira-
ton, but our curiosity and interest.
Thus, if you werespermitted to
roam at will through some ruined
and deserted castle and there beheld
some sacred treasure of art, the
beauty of which the hand of time
had only enchanted, you would i'm
mediately become animated with a
desire to know and become ac-
quainted with the artist. Or, on
beholding a beautiful river, whose
tranquil and sparkling surface re-
Hected back the very radiance of
the sun and whose broad expanse
seemed to possess all the beauty
which the generous hand of nature
was possible of bestowing, you
would at once become obsessed by
a desire to follow it to it's source.
Likewise, when charmed by the
beauty of thought and simplicity of
language with which the writings of
some favorite author greet us from
the pages of an open book, we long
for a more intimate acquaintance
with the master mind that called
these mystic characters out of the
depths of genius and clothed them
with a fascination capable of thrill
ing our very souls.
/ have often, when charmed OF
mystiGed by some immortal lines of
Edgar Allan Poe, longed for the
power to penetrate the depths of
mystery from which the very soul
of genius seemed to echo the senti-
ments that endeared him to the
hearts of the entire English-speak-
ing world. | am all too conscious,
however, that | can hope for only
partial success in attempting to por-
tray the life and character of one
whose greatest characteristic, like
that of his work, has ever been more
or less mystery to those who at
tempted to cross the lines of intima-
cy and understanding.
Edgar Poe was born in Boston,
Jan. 10, 1909. He was the son of
actor parents, both of whom and es-
pecially his mother, occupied large
place in in the hearts of Southern
theatregoers. This mother is de-
scribed as possessing great beauty
and loveliness of character which,
however, was destined to have little
influence over the life of the famous
poet as death deprived him of that
parental care and guidance at an
early age.
After the death of his parents
Edgar Poe was adopted as the son
of Mr.. John Allan, wealthy Vir-
ginia trader and thus the orphan
boy acquired a right to his second
name which he was destined to make
famous.
At the age of six years Edgar Al
Ian Poe was taken to England by
his foster parents and placed in the
Manor House School, in London.
1t is here we get the first glimpse of
of the character and nature Of the
young poet. He is described as be-
ing of retiring disposition, finding
more pleasure in the dreams of soil
tude than in the companionship of
his classmates and showing early
signs of the emotional and senti-
mental disposition afterwards SO
pronounced in his works of art. He
was successful student, however
and when at the end of five years he
returned to his foster parents home
he showed every sign of making
himself worthy of the generosity and
kindness he received at their hands,