bitter estrangement
existed between the two. Mr. Woodbury, Poe's biographer, doubts this,
and declares that, "We have no evidence that such was the case;" but we,
who were on the spot, as it were, and had opportunity of judging, _knew_
that the report was true. Miss Van Lew, the famous "war postmistress" of
Richmond, once said to me as, standing on the porch of her house, she
pointed out Mrs. Shelton's residence: "I used at first to often see Mr.
Poe enter there, but never during the latter part of his stay in
Richmond. It seemed to be known about here that the engagement was
off.... Gossip had it that Mrs. Shelton discarded him because persuaded
by friends that he was after her money. All her relatives are said to be
opposed to the match."

From Poe's own confidential statement to Mr. John Mackenzie, who had
first suggested the match with Mrs. Shelton, it appears that money
considerations was really the cause of the trouble. Mrs. Shelton had the
reputation of being a thorough business woman and very careful and
cautious with regard to her money. Poe was at this time canvassing in
the interests of the _Stylus_, in which he received great encouragement
from his friends, but when he applied to Mrs. Shelton it is certain that
she failed to respond as he desired. She had no faith in the success of
his plan, neither any sympathy with its purpose. Also, in discussing
arrangements for their marriage, she announced her intention of keeping
entire control of her property. Poe himself broke their engagement. Next
there arose a difficulty concerning certain letters which the lady
desired to have returned to her and which he declined to give up, except
on condition of receiving his own. Possibly each feared that these
letters might some time fall into the hands of Poe's biographers. If
they were written during his courtship of Mrs. Whitman, and when still
uncertain of the result, he appears to have been keeping Mrs. Shelton in
reserve.

Mrs. Shelton, during a few days' absence of Poe at the country home of
Mr. John Mackenzie, came to Duncan Lodge and appealed to Mrs. Mackenzie
to influence Poe in returning her letters. I saw her on this occasion--a
tall, rather masculine-looking woman, who drew her veil over her face as
she passed us on the porch, though I caught a glimpse of large, shadowy,
light blue eyes which must once have been handsome. We heard no more of
her until some time about the middle of September, when suddenly Poe'