mond associated with Poe. Among others, she met with a
niece of Eliza White, who, when a child, had often seen Poe at the
latter's home. She remembered having at a party seen him dancing with
Eliza, and how every one remarked what a handsome couple they were. She
had never seen any one enjoy dancing more than Poe did; not but that he
was very dignified, but you could see in his whole manner and expression
how he enjoyed it." Perhaps it was because he had "little Eliza" for a
partner.

Previous to Poe's first marriage, he had boarded with a Mrs. Poore on
Bank street, facing the Capitol square, and with whose son-in-law, Mr.
Thomas W. Cleland, he held friendly relations. A few weeks after his
first marriage (which was still kept secret) he removed to the
establishment of a Mrs. Yarrington, in the same neighborhood, where,
being joined by Mrs. Clemm and Virginia, they lived together as
formerly, he--as he informed Mr. George Poe--paying out of his slender
salary nine dollars a week for their joint board. This continued until
May of the next year, when the public marriage of Poe and Virginia took
place.

On this occasion Mr. Thomas Cleland was obliging enough to consent to
act as Poe's surety, and he also secured the services of his own pastor,
the Rev. Amasa Converse, a noted Presbyterian minister. Late on the
evening of May 16, Mr. Cleland, with Mrs. Clemm, Poe and Virginia, left
Mrs. Yarrington's and, walking quietly up Main street to the corner of
Seventh, were married in Mr. Converse's own parlor and in the presence
of his family, Mrs. Clemm giving her full and free consent. The
clergyman remarked afterward that Mrs. Clemm struck him as being
"polished, dignified, and agreeable in her bearing," while the bride
"looked very young." The party then returned to their boarding-house,
where Mrs. Clemm invited the lady boarders to her room to partake of
wine and cake, when it was discovered that it was a wedding
celebration.[5]

[5] A letter to Mrs. Holmes Cumming, from a son of the Rev.
Amasa Converse, 1905.

It will be observed that, according to the marriage bond, Virginia was
married under her maiden name of Clemm, thus ignoring the former
ceremony; and that Poe subscribed to the oath of Thomas Cleland that she
was "of the full age of twenty-one years," when in reality she was but
thirteen, having been born August 16, 1822. Thus is shown how pliable
was Poe in the hands of his mother-in-law; and as regards Mr. Cl