y
his voice and expression. Rose pointed out to me Mrs. Shelton, seated
conspicuously in front of the platform, facing the lecturer. This
position gave me a good view of her, with her large, deep-set,
light-blue eyes and sunken cheeks, her straight features, high forehead
and cold expression of countenance. Doubtless she had been handsome in
her youth, but the impression which she produced upon me was that of a
sensible, practical woman, the reverse of a poet's ideal. And yet she
says "Poe often told her that she was the original of his lost
_Lenore_."

When Poe had concluded his lecture, he lightly and quickly descended the
platform and, passing Mrs. Shelton without notice, came to where we were
seated, greeting us in his usual graceful manner. He looked pleased,
smiling and handsome. The audience arose, but made no motion to retire;
watching him as he talked and evidently waiting to speak to him; but he
never glanced in their direction. Rose, radiantly happy, stood drawn up
to her full height, and observed, "Edgar, only see how the people are
staring at the poet and his sister." I believe it to have been the
proudest moment of her life, and one which she ever delighted to
recall. This occurred during the period of estrangement between Poe and
Mrs. Shelton.

Quite suddenly, in the latter part of September, Poe decided to go to
New York. His object was, as he himself declared, to make some
arrangements in regard to the _Stylus_, though gossip said to bring Mrs.
Clemm on to his marriage.

It is difficult to get a clear idea of the relation between Poe and Mrs.
Shelton, owing to the contradictory statements of the two. Undoubtedly
they must have met during Poe's first visit to Richmond, and he tells
Mrs. Whitman that he was about to address the lady when her own letters
caused him to change his mind. And yet Mrs. Shelton speaks of their
meeting on his last visit as though it had been the first since their
youthful acquaintance. As she entered the parlor, she says, on his first
call, "I knew him at once," and, as the pious and practical woman that
she was, she adds, "I told him that I was on my way to church, and that
I allowed nothing to interfere with this duty." She says also in her
_Reminiscences_, "I was never engaged to him, but there was an
understanding;" and yet, on his death, she appeared in public attired in
deepest widow's weeds. That she was devoted to him appears from her own
letter to Dr. Moran when info