Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-07-10
POE WROTE "RAVE,N'S"
FIRST LINES IN STORM
ON NEW YORK STREET.
Recently Discovered Manuscript by Great Poets Gloss
Friend DR.. Cornelius Mathews Throws Interesting
Light on Way "Impish' Bird Haunted Writer.

How Edgar Allan Poe stood in tn.
and wrote at least few lines Of
The Raven" aud read part OF his
immortal poem to a friend who found
him there. is told in an article in
the New York Cniversity Alumnus
The friend was tn. late Dr. Cor
neiium Mathews journalist and law
yer. hrst president OF the New York
University Alumni Association. who
organized the Copyright club in lS4s.
l'r Mathews died in New York City
IN i's". The story as he told il was
set down by MS niece. Frances Az
mar Mathews. and copy Of il sent
recently to Chancellor Brown. OF New
York University. for preservation.
The story was told one nigh, after
the niece had found in her uncle's
keepsake portrait Of Poe inscribed:
-" my friend. Cornelius Mathews,
from his devoted friend. Edgar Al
ian Poe"
u was drizzly night in the winter
OF lN'3-i". that pr. Mathews. in his
early twenties and with q play OF his
avn he was trying to get produced
went To the famour old Park Theater
found himself beside Poe. whom he
had known for Number OF years
''lle spoke little OF his wife" said
DIR. Mathews. after my Inquiries:
"f her not being able To come out on
Il nIGht like this: OF his mothe-- in :
law. OF Willis, Of Lowell. Mrs. Brown
ing. and. drifting homeward OF our
selves"
An Attentive I.Isten-r~
t:nGrohsed in their talk. they gave
little heed To the stage.
He was one Of the most courteous
and attentive listeners ever en-
countered. and. with deiicacy and
interest unb"unded. he inquired as to
the play was SO intent upon. It
was .Witrhcraft.' and Ms briefly as
could I outlined the plot to him.
A. came TO the close OF the fourth
act, depicting the anguish and horror
Of my hero, Gideon. on being con
WINGED that his mother is In truth
witch. hehoidine as he does the
signs in the elements and in the
sky. Poe. his gaze liked before him.
said in his low. mrdodious voice Mr.
Mathews, why do YOU not at this point
have n raven, that bird OF ill-omen,
| nit across the stage over the witchs
head
II told him that while the pic
,GrasOueness OF the bird would he
| nndeniabie. the unity OF the atmos
phere would re disturbed by its in
/ PRODUCTION. that raven In Salem
town would never, do.
Imp bird Pursued Him.
"'Do YOU know POE replied. his
eyes still immnvably riveted on the
| ginwing space before, him. his voice
s." low IL could not disturb even his
nearest ncirhbor. that that bird, that
| imp hird pursucS me mentally. per-
| petually: cannot rid myself az it's
presence: as | sit here seem to
hear the melancholy of it's croak as
used To hear IL in Stoke Newington:
seem to hear the sordid dap OF it's
wings in my ears.
II turned and looked at him; I
could see very plainly that both I
and my drama had been left far be-
hind. and that. his brain was busy
with some strange fantasy. aud I
kept silent.
"Presentiy he drew himself up anli
folded his arms across his chest.
81 wonder he said, ~ DickenS
has even been haunted 10y the raven
~ am: wonder IL the raven IN
Barnaby Rudge is his expression Of
the monotonOuS power OF the bird
over his mind.--whut do you Think"
II answered that from Il long cor
r.spondcnre with Dickens took him
to be man so little inclined To the
retrospective that his presentation Of
Earnaby's Raven" was likely to have