The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-07

would havo been In tho case of tho
average prosaic mortal.
Chances to Break With Her.
Even after his arrival in Richmond
the future poet had the amplest OPP
portunity to bring about 4 permanent
rupture OF his pledge to his cousin
without any dishonor personal to him
sell. Nelson Poe, her brother-in-law.
having been informed of tho engage
mcnt and not approving it on account
of her extreme youth, offered to take
her into his own family until she was
eighteen, at which age she was to be
at liberty TO marry Edgar should she
still wish to do 50. Mrs. GLENN wrote
her nephew OF this proposal. Did no
receive the news with easy content
Inent? Did he reply with ready as
sent?
Would this not have been his be-
havior had his feeling for his cousin
been simply ono OF chivalry? What
could be more kind. confederate and
sensible than the reasons which Neil
son Poe had given in making his offer?
There WAS no Intention to break of
the match--only wish TO postpone
il. Foe must have admitted to him
self the force of the reasons that de-
mandcd Difference Did he accept
them? by no means This man. who
a dnlixotic impulse i'll engaging him
self to his cousin. sat down immcdi
atrIy and wrote Mrs. Clrmn burn
ing letter, in which he implorcd her
to reject NELSON'S proposition. and to
consider seriously no plan whatever
that would deprive him of all hope OF
marrying Virginia at an early day.
SO respondent did he become over
the mere though, of separation, al
though he must huvc perceived clearly
enough that it would be cNpedicnt for
u time, that he. Rt one hour st lea st,
feverishly contemplated suicide. This
is the only tcnable inference to be
drawn from the wording OF his letter
to Mr.. Kennedy, composed only tbir-
teen days after he had dispatched his
earnest remonstrance to Mrs. Clemm
MY feelings at this moment" he
wrote, are pitiablc indeed. | am suf-
ferinS under depression of spirits
such as l have never felt before. |
lave struggled in vain against the in
ilurnrc of this melancholy. am
wrctchcl, and know not why. Con-
sole me. for you can. But let it be
quickly, or IL will be too late. You
Will not fail to see that l am suffer-
Ing under a depression of spirits.
which will ruin me should it be long
continued"
The extreme detection rejected III
the tone of this letter was not due
to any abrupt overlooking of his obi
torial prospects; he himself aclsnowl-
edges that he was miserable in spite
of the great improvement in his cir
cumstances." Why should you have
these villainous blue devils" rcmon-
stratcs Mr.. Kennedy in his kind reply,
when everybody is praising you. and
,,-ha &c h..Fvi In, In. n la
Before Poe could answer this letter
in fact, before he had even received
it-hr had returned to Baltimore.
Only eleven days after he hud written
to Mr.. Kennedy, and only twenty four
after he had written TO Mrs. GLENN,
he had obtained license to marry his
cousin.
BY the close OF the year he was
settled with the two i'll Richmond;
the publication of the Messenger had
been resumed, and lie was practically
in exclusive control OF it's manage
ncnt Il am now in every respect"
he wrote Kennedy i'll January. com
Portable and happy In the following
May tlS35) the public marriage took
place. at which time Virginia was not
quite fourteen. Poe himself was thir-
teen years older.
The view of the deficiencies of the
marriage expressed by Mrs. Weiss WAS
based by her as already mentioned,
on the observations Of persons who
had known Virginia only during tho
short interval passed in Richmond,
when she WAS still a mere child. Did
anything occur after the couple left
that city which tended to strengthen
the poets attachment to his wife:
During tho sojourn in Philadelphia
Mrs. Poe. while singing, burst blood
vessel and from that hour her health.
already delicate from consumptive
weakness, was subject to serious
, fluctuations, which constantly made
those who loved her apprehenstvc for