she gave of the poet's reading his
manuscript to his mother-in-law while the latter sat beside his desk
inking the worn seams of his and her own garments; or of Poe, seated on
a "settle" outside the kitchen door, also reading to her some of his
"rare and radiant fancies," while she presided over the family laundry.
He seems to have been constantly appealing to her sympathy with his
writing, but never to Virginia.

According to Miss Poe, Mrs. Clemm was at this time dependent for her own
earnings on her sewing and fancy knitting, with pretty knick-knacks,
which she disposed of at a certain "notion store." Virginia, too, when
well enough, liked this kind of work. They had few visitors, for Mrs.
Clemm, too busy for gossip, made a point of discouraging calls from the
neighbors, with the exception of two or three families of better class
than most of those surrounding them. These latter were a half-rural
people, keeping dairies and cultivating market gardens.

Miss Poe spoke of Virginia's cheerfulness. Nothing ever disturbed her.
"She was always laughing." She liked to have children about her; and
they came every day, bringing their dolls and playthings, with little
offerings of fruit and flowers from their home gardens. She taught them
to cut out and make their dolls' dresses, and would sometimes be very
merry with them. She did not appear to suffer, said Miss Poe--did not
lose flesh, and had always a hearty appetite, eating what the others
ate, though very fond of nice things, especially candy. Her mother and
Edgar petted her like a baby. "Aunt Clemm and Virginia," declared Miss
Poe with conviction, "cared for nobody but themselves and Edgar."
Virginia was at this time twenty-four years of age.

It was not to be wondered at that, as Miss Poe said, her brother,
immediately after his return, remained at home, seldom going into town,
but sending his mother to dispose of his manuscripts. It has been said
that when he did make his appearance in the city and among his usual
business haunts, he found himself everywhere coldly received, in
consequence of the notorious episode with Mrs. Osgood, for whom it was
known he had left his sick wife. His literary enemies, of whom he had
made many by his keen criticisms, made the most of this charge against
him, in addition to that of dissipated habits, to which he now gave
himself up with a recklessness which he had never before shown.

Poe afterward attempted to defend himself against t