The Elon College Weekly.
THE ELON COLLEGE WEEKLY
Published every Tuesday during the College
year by
The Weekly Publishing Company.
low student he can and grow angry if
asked to pay his debts, or regard author-
i ity in college or State as an evit mon
ster.
W. p. LAWRENCE.
J. W. BARNEY.
A. C. HALL.
AFFIE GRIFFIN,
W. C. WICKER.
T. C. AMICK.
Editor.
Associate Editors.
Circulation Manager.
Business Manager.
CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT.
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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1910
The Problem/
The question of chief concern with the
average youth is, perhaps, How can
1 make my stock of native endowment
and of opportunity count for most ?"
There Is no universal answer to this ques
tion. It is intensely a personal matter.
The right answer which another has
given to it is not the right answer for you.
If it were possible to discover an answer
that would apply in your case fully as
well as mine, and in other cases, as well,
all room for genius, originality, and the
personal element which lends the chief
interest to life would be usurped by
mechanical formulism, and to make the
native endowments and opportunities
count for most would be as easy as play
ing a tune on a music box.
There are, too, as many opinions
among us as to what method to pursue
as there are vocations and professions.
Every now and then we are surprised at
the kindling and flaring up of the flame
of success in some unnoticed and un
suspected young life. Immediately a
great company is attracted to the new
blaze, each trying to light his genius by
the blaze of his neighbor’s new fire. But
each is disappointed. The fire that
lights the dormant genius within is not
borrowecj from another man s fame, but
is a sacred fire and comes down from
above. Many waste their gifts and op
portunities in forever trying to use an
other’s paths of success. Whoever tries
to catch any lightning bug is likely to get
many falls in the dark, and get no light
either.
The college student who hopes to
illumine his life and shine in the world
by catching at false notions (and mostly
in the night at that) is surely under a
cloud. Let him keep his spirit in the
open sunlight of purity of life, loftiness of
ideals and constancy of noble effort.
Such a student does not attempt to cheat
an examination, get in debt to every fel-
Edgar Allan Poe—A Critique.
Of the few great authors who have
appeared upon the stage of American
Literature none have played so little, and
yet, have had so much said about them,
as the weird genius, Edgar Allan Poe.
Living a melancholy, isolated and suffering
life, it remained for him to be stabbed in
death by the traitor, Griswold, and to be
misunderstood both as a man and as a
poet. But truth rises—time is a balm for
all diseases—a century has brought home
a man who from the first was received
abroad. Shameful slanderers have
painted his life darkly, while enraptured
admirers have perhaps been too lavish in
the bright colors. Yet, "he was, after all,
a man of like passions with ourselves,—one
one who, if weaker in his weaknesses than
many, and stronger in his strength, may not
have been so bad, nor yet so good, as one
and another have painted him." (Sted-
man.) That he has run the course of a
hundred years—that he has a unique qual
ity of genius which for ali these years has
excited an ever increasing interest—is a
weight which lowers the balances in favor
of any poet.
David Poe, a well-born, dissolute boy,
fell in love with and secretly married
Elizabeth Arnold, an English actress of
good family. For this act he was ex
pelled from his father's house, and finding
a place in his wife’s company he toured
the country with it. Three children were
born to this couple, the second of which
was Edgar Allan, who made his debut
on January 19, 1 809. The place of his
birth has been claimed by Boston, N Dr-
folk and Baltimore. To Baltimore be
longs the honor- the proofs are as fol
lows : " The evidence of relation: The
fact that he was in Baltimore when two
days old, when Boston was a week's
coach-)ourney distant; the testimony of
Mrs. Beard; his own statements in
memoranda prepared for Griswold and
verbally given to other witnesses; the
Encyclopedia Brittanica, Allibonir " Dic
tionary of Authors," and all English
biographers and school-records; the bet
ter informed American biographers; the
Baltimore Sun notice of his death, and
the traditional record of his birthplace
kept in the family." (Elizabeth Poe, in
the February, 1909, Cosmopolitan.)
From his father Poe inherited Italian,
French and Irish—from his mother English
—blood. There was born in him a celtic
pride of disposition and a tendency toward
certain weaknesses which was the bane
of his life.
The story of our poet's childhood and
boyhood is not long. He was not three
years old before his mother and father,
tired and destitute, died in Richmond,
Virginia. The three children found
ready doors opened for them; the pretty,
precocious little Edgar being adopted
by John Allan, of Richmond, a wealthy
English merchant, who was married, but
was without child. Great pains were
taken with the little boy’s education, and
every childish wish was gratified. He
was looked after as their own child, but,
most sadly, not disciplined in morals.
When eight years old Mr. Allan car
ried Edgar to England, where he was
at the school of Stokes-Newington for
about two years. At the age of ten we
find him at school in Richmond. From
now on until seventeen he was a school
boy here and there, everywhere making
friends. They were happy, free days—
just as school days are to every youth—
for he was just an ordinary boy,
" dreaming long, long dreams of youth,
dreaming of days when, from out the
sheltered haven of childhood, he was
to journey over the hills and far away."
College days began when Edgar Al
lan was eighteen. On the fifth ot Feb-
ruary, 1826, he entered the University
of Virginia and remained through the
whole winter's term, and a few days af
terward. He is said to have been ex
pelled from this institution, but facts do
not warrant this statement. Only once
did he fall under suspicion of misconduct,
and this time he was proven innocent.
" His career was not entirely calm and
placid in that stormy session, but notwith
standing alleged irregularities he was
commended for Italian translation, re
ported among the ' passed ' in Latin and
French, and, in addition, was known to
the librarian as a free reader of good
books, to his fellow students as a gifted
author of undergraduate tales never pub
lished, and probably of poems afterwards
published in the volume of 1827." (The
Book of the Poe Centenary.) So we
must admit that the young man of seven
teen was thoughtless and rather careless,
and unthankful towaid his benefactor.
On account of his extravagance and
seeming ingratitude a quarrel, and finally,
a rupture followed, between the student
and young author and his guardian. Mr.
Allan refused to pay or to be responsible
for Edgar’s unwise debts. So the young
poet betook himself to Eioston, where,
after a few months, he published a little
book of revised juvenile poems. But
soon he was reduced to want, and so by
necessity was driven to the army.
For two years he served his country
as a private and sergeant-major. In
1829 Mrs. Allan died and Poe ob
tained a furlough and effected a recon
ciliation with Mr. Allan, who was now
sad and lonely. Through his guardian s
influence he was released from the army,
and so he did not return.
erately planned to bring about his ex
pulsion.
After he was expelled he returned to
Richmond, but only to find himself with
out friends or sympathy. Mr. Allan had
married again—a young wife and a lit
tle son had been born into the Allan
household, making the poet (the foster-
son) an alien and an enemy.
Friendless and penniless, Edgar left
Richmond forever. He was too proud
to stoop and too independent to knock
where he was not wanted. Adrift on
an unkindly sea he must now fight the
waves of hardship for his daily bread,
and this he did wonderfully with his
About this time Poe visited his aunt,
Mrs. Marie Clemm, of Baltimore, whose
little girl, Virginia, he played gently with,
winning her heart and losing his own.
In I 830, Poe, being a man now, was |
asked to choose a profession. He chose
that of arms and got an appointment to
West Point. Of course, this step was a I
foolish one. Of course, his West Point ]
life was a failure. " What! chain an ^
eagle, the soaring soul of a poet, to the !
dull routine of a military school ? " Ot,
course, he broke all restraints, lampooned
his teachers, and got expelled. He
wanted to leave the army, and delib-
pen.
A few " silent years" followed this
event, but they were glorious, happy
years for Poe. " They were spent in
Baltimore and marked his first literary
success, the coming of love, and.his niar-
riage. At last he knew his destiny.
Through what misunderstandings and
sorrows engulfed his life his forte was
singing, his mission to sing those priceless
paeans of exquisite sorrow whose weird
haunting music lingers immortality."
(American Poets.)
Poe found a welcome in his aunt s
heart—Mrs. Clemm—and an open door
to her poor quarters. She placed the
homeless boy in a back attic room.
Quite a change it was from the Allan
mansion, but yet in his heart he was hap
pier here in humble quarters, for here he
was most free, and most himself.
In I 832 the poet’s literary career, as
a profession, began. A prize of one
hundred dollars was offered by a Balti
more journal for the best story and poem.
The judges ol this contest were the well-
known John P. Kennedy, H. B. Latrobe
and Hr James H. Miller. P^e ptered
the contest and submitted his " I ales ot
the Folio Club" -fanciful and imagina
tive stories—and the poem, " Coliseum."
Poe won the prize and through this in
troduction to the judges, won friends,
work, and a local reputation.
Mrs. Clemm, who died a few years
ago, testified that Poe gave her the hun
dred dollars for necessities, and that none
of it went for liquor, if he was a drunkard
in later years. And Mrs. Clemm adds
also that during this time he was a sober,
, loveable, industrious, and home-loving
lad.
With this whirl-wind reputation in mind
(Continued on page four.)
dr. j. h. brooks
DENTAL SURGEON
Office Over Foster’s Shoe Store
BURLINGTON, - N. C.
DIDYOU EVER STOP TO THINK
Of the many cases where DISEASE has been contracted by hav
ing your LAUNDRY WORK done in the same room that is
used for eating, sleeping, and the using of Opium ?
Sanitary" Methods Used in
Burlington Steam Laundry
RALPH POINTER. Agent,
Elon College, N. C.