North View High School - Southside Echoes Yearbook (North View, VA)

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SOUTH SIDE ECHOES 43 volume of poems. As was to be expected, his book gave but little attractions, and he was soon reduced to financial straits. He enlisted under an assumed name in the United States Army. He served at Fort Moultrie and Fortress Monroe. He rose to rank of sergeant major. He was exemplary in his deport- ment, prompt and faithful in the discharge of his duties. In 1829, Mr. Allan’s heart was softened towards his adopted son. by the death of his wife. Through his influence Poe succeeded in securing his discharge from the army and obtained a place in West Point. Here he was reserved, exclu- sive, discontented and censorious, and would often ignore the daily routine of roll calls and guard duties, which often caused him to be arrested and punished. At the end of six months he was summoned before a court-martial, tried and expelled. After having been expelled, he went to Richmond. Mr. Allan had refused to recognize him, since he had shown so little appreciation. Accordingly, Poe was thrown entirely upon his own resources. He finally settled in Baltimore, where he had a few friends, and began his literary career. In 1833. “The Baltimore Saturday Visitor” offered a prize of one hundred dollars for the best prose story. Poe won the prize by his tale “A M. S. Found in a Bottle.” This prize may be regarded as the first step in his career. The ability shown in that story caused John Kennedy to befriend him in his dis- tress and help him with his work. After a few years of hack work in Baltimore, he moved to Richmond again in 1835, and obtained employment on the “Southern Literary Messenger.” In a short time he was pro- moted to editorship of the paper, and by his tales, poems and reviews he made the paper, very popular. The South sang his praises and regarded him as the fore- most writer of the day. The bright future that was before him, he ruthlessly abused. It was said of him that he resigned the editorship for a more lucrative offer in New York, but

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42 SOUTH SIDE ECHOES Poe as a boy was remarkably pretty and very precocious, and his foster parents would never allow an opportunity to pass without “showing him off.” After dinner, in his elegant home, he was placed upon the table to deliver short declama- tions and make toasts to the guests. In 1815, Mr. Allan went away to England with his family, and there he placed Edgar in an old and historic town, which has since been swallowed up by the ever-growing city. The appearance of the city made a strong impression on the boy, as in his autobiographic “William Wilson,” he tells of the appearances and associations of the people. After five years spent in this school, where he learned to speak Latin and French, he was brought home and placed in the Richmond Academy. He was not very studious, but with his brilliancy he took first rank among his classmates. His skill at verse making and debate made him prominent in the school. He was not popular among his fellow students, on account of his superior intellectual powers, which, however, were not as great as he imagined. He was disposed to live apart and to indulge in moody reveries. According to the testimony of one that knew him well, he was capricious, self-willed, inclined to be imperious, and though of generous impulses, not steadily kind or even amiable. In 1826 he entered the University of Virginia. His conduct at school led Mr. Allan, his foster parent, to visit the school and find out the life his son was leading. His visit was not satisfactory, and although his son won high honors in Latin and French, he refused to allow him to re- turn after the first session, but put him in his own counting room. Many a genius has found such work as this intolerably irksome — with high notions as to his own ability. Poe soon broke away from his duties, and went away to seek his fortune. He went to Boston in search of fame and money. He resorted to the unpromising expedient of publishing, in 1827, a small

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44 SOUTH SIDE ECHOES the truth is that he was dismissed on account of his irregular habits. He was again turned out into the world. He went to New York, where he published his story, “Arthur Gordon Pym.” Although a sea tale, it was never very popular. Griswold has given us an interesting description of Poe’s life in one of his biographies, he says : “His manner, except during his fits of intoxication, was very quiet, gentle and manly; he was usually dressed with simplicity and elegance, and when once he sent for me to visit him, during a period of illness caused by protracted and anxious watching at the side of his sick wife, I was impressed by the singular neatness and the air of refinement in his home. It was a small house, in one of the pleasant and silent neighborhoods, far from the centre of the town, and though slightly and cheaply furnished, everything in it was so tastefully and so fitly disposed that it seemed altogether suitable for a man of genius. His career had by this time begun to descend. He con- tinued to write his wierd stories, and it was during the time he was contributing to the “Evening Mirror” that his greatest poem, “The Raven,” appeared. It was received all over the world as never before had an American poem been received. The following passages will show the wierd and fantastic nature of his poems : “The Raven” is especially noted for its wierd- ness. “The Raven” is supposed to be the demon “Drink,” which haunted him and finally accomplished his ruin. “Once upon a midnight dreary, While I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore — While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping, at my chamber door ‘ ’Tis some visitor,’ I muttered, ‘tapping at my chamber door — Only this and nothing more.’ ” Resignation and despair is complete in the concluding paragraph :