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

guests. Playful. aftcctionatc. witty.
Alternately docilc and hayward an \
eettcd child remarks one OF his visi-
tors. for his young. gentle. and
tdoliEed wife, and for oil who caine, no
hnd, even In tho midst OF his most har.
Asslng dutios. II kind word. II pleasant
smilo. a graceful and courteous att
ienton."
A lady, wko. In the summer of 1916,
| often passed. by the cottage. recalls
seeing tho invalid Virginia sitting
at her front door, carefully munled up
as protection against dampncss,
while hcr husband was seated near at
| hand reading. or he was amusing her
by playing ball With tho children who
| neighborhood This was only few
1 months before she was compelled to
| take to her bod permanently, in conBc-
! quenco OF tho rapid strides which her
! diseaso had made. Hcr Iistcmper had
entered upon its last stage when Mrs.
Gove-Nichols visited Fordhum. and re-
/ corded her Impressions OF what she
saw there. Though every aspect OF tho
| SICK chamber revealed only too clearly
and poiEnantly the poverty Of the fam
iiy. It's extreme ncntnes3 was per-
ccpuble at the first glance The only
| clothing on tho bed. which was COM
posed OF straw. consisted Of II counter
pane and sheets. but these were snowy
in their whiteness. The dying wife
rcclined on the bed. wrapped In hor
husbands grcatcoat. and as an ad-
ditional mcuns OF obtaining warmth,
she permitted the favorito cat Of the
family TO nestle in her bosom. Her
husband and mother were engaged in
| chafiLS her hands and feet
! In consequence of the earnest rep
reservations OF this benevolent and
sympathetic eyewitness OF SO much
| prlvaton and distress, charitable pcr-
sons in New York soon came to tho
| rcief OF tho afflicted family. Tho
most active in giving succor was Mrs
| Shew. TO her. only Il short lime be-
| Tore NirStniauS death, Poe wrote "A let
ter which reflected all the intense
| anguish of mind. which lie felt in an
ticiputton of tho Impending tragedy:
"kindcst, dearest fricnd-rny poor
Virginia yet lives. although taiiinS
fast. and now suffering much pain.
May God grant her life until she secs
you and thanks you once again. Her
! bosom Is full 10 ovcrllowing--likc my
own-with boundlcss and iucxpres-
siblc gratitude to YOU. Conc.
oh. come tomorrow. Yes, | will be
calm everything you SO uobly wish
| to sec me
| 1t was due TO the sk.iful and emerge.
J - ''''''-''''.'NN VI ih4S llpDIt woman i!i1t
Nirsin!a's l!tc was prolonged u few
days. But for YOU" wrote Mrs.
! GLENN, 1--WE should have had no last
word no loving messages, no sweet
tarcwells. for she ceased TO speak from
weakness, but with he. beautiful
eyes"
] Near to Insanity.
Poe refused To visit the bier OF his
lead wife; he wished TO rcmem5c, her
form and features only As they had ap-
| pcarcd III life. II was said that Inc.
| face. in spite OF the ravagcs o. dis
| ease. was neither sunkcn nor wasted.
no? was II even turrowcd with lines
loi SUFFERING. The stricken husband.
| on lowering day. followed her hody
10 tho family vault Of the Valentines.
| inolderinS in the deep shadow of
the church at Fordham. The anA.ety.
| OF years was ended. but the reaction
left him in II state barely short OF
positive insanity. FOR duys he found
1t iHpossibic to obtain any rest
| iul OF soothing sleep. he would either
| rise, and wandering TO the ncIghbor-
Ing cemetery, where his vile had
been buried. throw himself At length
! upon the vault, or still stretched on,
on the bed. would call to his mother
.n-law. who. responding. would quietly.
stroke his forehead Us he lag with
half closed eyes, Mrs. Shew, obscrv-
Ing him closely a, this ,ims. notes in
her diary: Il did not feel much hop.
| that he could DC raised UP from arai,,
fever, brought on by extreme suffering
OF mind and body-actual wan, and
hunger and cold having been borne b.
this heroic husband In order TO supply
food. medicine. and comforts to his
dying Wife. until exhaustion and life
lcssncss were so near At every rcac-
| ton or the fever that even sclatlvcs
had TO be administered with extreme
! caution"
The Two poems that are most char
actcristic OF Foes genius axe tho
Raven" and "Elalumc,' The Haven
was composed about "a Year before his
wife expired. Its pivotal idea was
probably suggested 10 him by his fore
bodnSs 80 observing from day to day'
her wasting form: lie knew, while writ.
Ing those strange stnnHas. that her
death was only matter OF "a few
months al tho longest: IL required but
a small str>tch of the imagination on
his part perhaps 10 project himself