bent on the slightest change in
that beloved face."

Another literary friend of Poe's who visited the family in this time of
trial, Mr. Clarke, tells of his once taking his little daughter with
him, knowing Virginia to be fond of the companionship of children; and
as a proof of the latter's light-heartedness relates how the little girl
was induced to sing a comic song, which Virginia received with "peal
after peal of merry laughter."

The reminiscences of these kindly gentlemen who, at Poe's own request,
called upon him, regarding the poet and his family, are of the most
flattering character. Poe in his own home was the perfection of graceful
courtesy, and Mrs. Clemm amiably dignified, with a countenance when
speaking of "her children" almost "saint-like in its expression of
patience and motherly devotion." Of Virginia, Mr. Harris says, "She
looked hardly more than fourteen, was soft, fair and girlish." He says,
furthermore, that Mrs. Poe, whom he had not known previous to her
misfortune, had up to that time "possessed a voice of marvelous
sweetness and a harp and piano," which leads an English writer to
represent the poet's wife as "an accomplished musician, with the voice
of a St. Cecilia." This is a specimen of the exaggeration to which
"biographers" sometimes lend themselves, to be taken up by those who
follow and received by the public as fact.

Poe now again interested himself in getting up a magazine, to which he
gave the name of "_The Stylus_" and there seemed an even more brilliant
prospect than before of its success. He wrote a prospectus, and went to
Washington to obtain subscriptions from President Tyler and the
Cabinet, but was taken ill, the result, it was said, of his meeting with
a convivial acquaintance; and Mrs. Clemm being notified thereof, on his
return to Philadelphia met him at the railroad station and took him home
in safety from further possible temptation. Owing partly to this
indiscretion, _The Stylus_ was again a failure; and the matter being
known throughout the city, did not add to Poe's personal reputation.

Now, also, just as for the first time, Poe began to be mentioned in the
character of a devoted husband, there arose a widespread scandal
concerning a handsome and wealthy lady whom, it was said, he accompanied
to Saratoga, and who was paying his expenses there. But while the story
appears to have been so far true, it certainly admits of a different
construction from that given by t