Poe's affection for his wife and her mother is the one bright spot in his sombre life. In a tender letter of June 12, 184(5, to his wife he speaks of Mrs. Clemm as " our mother," and declares that liis "dear Virginia " is his "greatest and only stimulus now, to battle with this uncongenial, unsatisfactory and ungrateful life.'" Nearly all the personal reminiscence.* of Poe which tell of his life at Fordham are of a bright and pleasing character.

One of his friends describes his wife as looking very young. "She had large, black eyes and a pearly whiteness of complexion which was a perfect pallor. The pale face, her brilliant eyes and her raven hair gave her an unearthly look. One felt that she was almost a disrobed spirit, and when she coughed it was made certain that she was rapidly passing away." Mi-s. Clemm, we are told, "was a tall, dignified old lady with a most lady-like manner, and her black dress, though old and much worn, looked really elegant on her." The same informant says, "the cottage had an air of taste and gentility that must have been lent it by the presence of its inmates. So neat, so poor, so unfurnished, and yet so charming a dwelling I never saw."

A short distance back of the cottage there is a rocky elevation, crowned with cedars. It overlooks

a pleasant landscape and the hills of Long Island in the distance. Tradition asserts that this was a favorite spot of Poe's, and here, perhaps, he wove in his brain the ideas which found expression in " Eureka," " Annabel Lee," " For Annie" and " Ulalume," all of which were written while he lived at Fordham. .\nother favorite resort was the Aqueduct pathway, leading from High Bridge to Fordham.