The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-17

miscellaneous volumes. While his fg-
ure was slender, HIS constitution was
robust, and his nbro unusually tough
io was very cmulous OF excelling In
athlotfc sports, and In oil tosts of
superior strength and endurance, no
was generally put forward By his
youthful companions rs their .prfnci-
pal champion. Few young Greeks run
| ming for prize In the national games
could have outstrippcd him in tho
foot races that camo or In tho Cnpitol
Square. His agility rs n leapor left
him wdth hardly competitor OF his
own age. lilo was also u fairly skIlfuI
boxer. and in that character, took
pride In his ability to stand firm under
any blow delivered by his stoutest
playmates against his distcnded chest.
Renowned an Athlete.
But 1t was In the water that he won
his greatest local renown AZ an ath-
lete. One of his feats in James River
has become almost as celebrated az tho
passages of the Hcllcspont by Leandcr
and Byron-this was tho swim from
the foot of the falls as far as War
WICK, distance of at least six milcs
with tho advancing tide to abreast and
overcome long part Of the way.
Richmond in these carly times.
spread over 80 small an area that the
! surrounding country was easily ami
orite diversions was. in tho company OF
the rough. adventurous boys OF tho low
or town. 10 wado across to the islands
studdtnS the river. or he would tram
To hIordccai's wood with his school
mates TO search for chinuucplns. bnzcJ
nuts and wild Strawberries; or IL,
would consume the whole day in illc.
ness under tho trees which ovrrsh,d.
owed the site Of the modern Holly
wood His visits to the 31ackenzlcs.
VINO had adopted his sister, Rosalie
and who resided at Duncan Iodcc
| near the confines of the city. occurred
almost daily, and no doubt let TO long
walks down the country roads branch
ing out from Richmond towards IN,
north and the east
Poe rises before orr minds oxo
In these formative years as q youth
VINO mad among his companions no
superior I'm the performance OF in
'cilectual tasks. and in athletic sports
and diversions no cqual-n combina
ton OF physical and mental ylror
which ausurcd for him a normal. hap
py and successful life. We shall sec
iater on, how fortuitous circumstances
created partly by himself and parts.
py others, completely ovorcloudcd tina
iair prospect that spread before him
during this period OF adolcsccncc Had
the FIRST Mrs. Allan only lived bcycud
her time. or had Mir. Allan ONLY died
petore ms But after all IL may BIO
'na', IN either event, owing TO tie
restless spirit OF this strange pc,rol
OF genius, would his destiny have been
really altered. lie rcscmblcd a leaf
mat, railing from AN overhanxIn,.
bonsh into placid eddy OF some great
stream. tionts peacefully within thos,
unruhled confines. until suddcnly q
rushing current Of the river, catching
10 -, r,,.fr
tumuItuous pcriis OF Il new existence
But unlike that wandering leaf Poe.
iatc In his rowing life. returned to
Inc quiet eddy where his childhood and
youth had been passed.
Ills FIRST Visit was u short one: bur
| afterwards he came with the intention
OF making Richmond his permanent
{ nome. The CULTS that had washed him
down had cast him up again and ho
seemed about to renew In hin middl.
age those happy. prosperous and
Wholesome years which he had spent
as boy in the beautiful city. We
see him once more calmly convcrsInt,
with the friends OF his youti,--scarrc,I
by caiumny, 1t is truo. but even then
crowned with the grccncst lourcIq az
an undyinS fame.
We see him overwhelmed by sad
rccoilections as he pauscs ana looks
around the deserted apartment at the
hermitage. where all that was most
brilliant and most fashionable in Rich
| inond had 80 often gathered. We see
MIN rcctting, with dramatic intensity,
ms mysterious poem. The Raven" To
breath!css listeners IN darkencJ draw
Ing rooms. We see him on the lecture
platform. his pale. intellectual face,
IKE Ryron's. glowing like an alabas-
Ter vase lighted UP from within We
See him, Il skillful athlete still. en-
gasinE in games OF agility a, Duncan
Lodge, while he laughs in his enjoy
mcnt like schooiboy.
To us who can dcscry the terrible
shado" that is now fast appronching
! there seems To run through an these
scenes the mournful undcrtone OF ir-
reNocabie disaster: and as each closes
we dmaginc that we IAN hear tho
chorus of the Greek tragedy The leaf
mad returned 10 it's tranquil eddy only
TO be whirled away aEnin-this time
10 be cngulfed in eternal darkness
This Is the first of n series of five
articles on the life of Edgar Allan poe
prepared for The Times Dispatch by
Phiiip Alexander Bruce who has de-
voted much time to n careful study OF
the mystic poet. The second of the
series Will appear next Sundayl