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

confined to her room, hardly able to
breathc unless she was famed. What
was the behavior of tho husband dur
Ing these recurring periods Of alarm
Did he appear insonslblc? Not ut all.
"Mr. Poe says ar eyewitness. was
SO sensitive and irritable no ono dared
to speak and he would not allow
word about tho danger Of her dying;
the mont!on of 1t drove him wild"
His Power Deadcnsd.
His distress seemed TO deaden his
power Of literary achievement "Ho
would steal out OF the house at night"
the Same witness remembers, "and
wander about tho strcots for hours
hcartsick, despalring, not know
ing which way to turn or what to do"
Even tho critical and hostile Griswold
was struck with the silent evidences
of his devotion. "On one OCCASION"
that writer records. ''he sent for me
to visit him during period of illness
caused by protracted and anxious
watching ut the side of his sick wife"
Ills love for his wife," says George
Il. Graham, who observed him during
this Same period, was IL sort OF rap
turous worship of the spirit OF beauty.
which he felt was fading before his
eyes. I have seen him towering around
her. when she was Ill, with all the
fond fear and tender anxiety of a
mother for her tirstborn-her slight
est cough causing In him n shuddcr. L
breast chill that was visible. | rode
out one summer evening with them.
and the remembrance of his watchful
eyes, eagerly bent upon the slightest
change of hue III that loved face.
haunts me yet as the memory OF a
sad strain. II was this hourly antici-
patton OF his loss that made him sad
and thoughtful man. and lent ii
muurnful melody to his undying
song"
j. c. Clarke. who also was intimate
ly associated with Poe and his wife
III Philadelphia. was equally affected
by tile proofs of his ardent love for
her. NO adversely, not even the
hend that haunted him IN the fatal
cup. could warp or lessen it; and this
attachment intense as II was. was
equally strong and enduring In the
soul OF his !Annabel Loo, his gentle
mate. whose affection the poem 30
touchingly and sadly commentaries:
" And this maiden she lived with no
other thought
Than to love and be loved by me-
After this recital of the Impressions
of quiet ana disintercsted observers,
who would have detected at once any
ring OF insincerity in the poets con-
duct towards his wife, does II appear
Il falsehood in MIN. IS some Of his
detractors would have us believe, to
nScribc his own excessive dissipation
at times, during his residence In Phil
adclphia, to the anxiety uf mind which
tortured him there In consequence OF
her critical illnesses So often return
that he mAde that assertion simply TO
gid over his natural prociivity Tor the
cup, and that it was not an honest
expression OF devotion to nis bcauli-
full. refined and dying irginia.
II is only necessary TO quote his
sadly eloquent words TO carry convlc-
ton to an impartial mind: 'SiN years
ago Il wife, whom ! loved as no man
ever loved bnforC, ruptured Il blood
vessel in singing. Her life was de-
SPARED OF. l took leave OF her for
ever, and underwent all the agonies
of her death. She recovered partially,
and l again hoped. AT tho end OF a
year the vessel broke again. | went
through precisely the same scene.
Then again. again and cvcrmorc
again, at varying intervals. Each time
felt all the agonies of her death,
and at each occasion OF the disease.
loved hcr more dearly and clung TO
her life with more desperate tcna-
city"
Are not these words the naturar
expression of a genuine and engross-
ing love? Are they not entirely can-
slstent With all those spontaneous acts
of almost trembling devotion recalled
by persons who had observed his bear
ing at the time? The acts prove the
sincerity of the words; the words re-
fleet the sincerity Of the acts.
Letter Throws Vivid Light.
When tho family decided TO leave
Philadelphia and to remove TO New
York the poet and his wife made the
journey several days in advance OF
Mrs. GLENN; and TO this fact we are
indebted for II letter. written by him
to his motherinlaw. which throws
an intimate and vivid light upon his
gentle and consdcratc relations with
Virginia. Sissy" he says. ''couGhed
none at all. When we got TO the
wharf IL was raininE hard. / left her