was clear that something would
have to be done. Eventually two of the starry ones--of whom one was
Margaret Fuller--waited upon Mrs. Osgood, whom they advised to
commission them to demand of Poe the return of her letters, which,
strangely enough, she did, though probably only as a conciliatory
measure. Poe, in his exasperation at this unwarrantable intermeddling,
remarked significantly that "Mrs. Ellet had better come and look after
her own letters;" upon which she sent to demand them. But he meantime
had cut her acquaintance by leaving them at her own door without either
written word or message; very much, we may imagine, as Dean Swift strode
into Vanessa's presence and threw at her feet her letter to Stella.

This was either in May or early June, shortly after their removal to
Fordham. Poe had no idea of allowing this episode to interfere with his
visits to Mrs. Osgood, and the gossip continued, until, to avoid further
annoyance, she left New York and went to Albany on a visit to her
brother-in-law, Dr. Harrington.

On the 12th of June we find Poe writing an affectionate note to his
wife, explaining why he stays away from her that night, and concluding
with:

"Sleep well, and God grant you a peaceful summer with your devoted

"EDGAR."

A few days after this, toward the end of June, he was in Albany, making
passionate love to Mrs. Osgood. In dismay she left that city and went to
Boston, whither he followed her; and again to Lowell and Providence,
giving rise to a widespread scandal, which caused the lady infinite
trouble and distress. But Mrs. Osgood, brilliant, talented and virtuous,
was also kind-hearted to a fault, and where her feelings and sympathies
were appealed to, amiably weak. Instead of indignantly and determinately
rejecting Poe's impassioned love-making, she says she pitied him, argued
with him, appealed to his reason and better feelings, and, in special,
reminded him of his sick wife, who lay dying at home and longing for his
presence. Finally, she returned to Albany; and Poe, ill at a hotel,
wrote urgently to Mrs. Clemm for money to pay his board bill and take
him back to Fordham.

CHAPTER XXI.

AT FORDHAM.

It was at this time, in the summer of 1845, that Poe's sister, Miss
Rosalie Poe, went on a visit to her brother, whom she had not seen in
ten years. On her return home, and for years thereafter, she was
accustomed to speak of t