being in
company where the conversation turned upon the poet and his writings,
one who did not admire the latter remarked that Edgar Poe could have
been of more use to both himself and others by remaining at West Point
and adopting the army as a profession. To this an old army officer,
Capt. Patrick Galt, replied that he had been informed by one who had
been a classmate of Poe that the latter had been driven away from West
Point by the slights and snubs of the cadets on account of his parentage
and his bringing up as an object of charity. West Point, this officer
declared, had in Poe's time been a very hotbed of aristocratic prejudice
and pretension, and, Poe's history being known, these young aristocrats
held themselves aloof, while the more snobbish among them, probably by
reason of his reserve and acknowledged superiority in some respects, did
not hesitate to attempt to humiliate him on occasion. Poe, he said,
probably knew that this odium would in a measure attach to him
throughout his whole military career, and he acted wisely in declining
to expose himself to it.

Hence the shyness and reserve of which some of his fellow-cadets speak,
and his exclusive association with Virginians, who generally stand by
each other.

CHAPTER IX.

POE AND MRS. ALLAN.

In the meantime Mr. Allan had contracted a second marriage, the lady
being a Miss Louisa Patterson, of New Jersey. She was thirty years of
age; not handsome, but of dignified and courteous manners, with large,
strongly-marked features, indicative of decision of character and, as
was said, of a will of her own. Nevertheless, she was amiably inclined,
and as a society leader very tactful and diplomatic. One marked
characteristic of hers was that she never forgave the least slight or
disrespect to herself, though the offender were but a child; and of this
I remember some curious instances in my own acquaintance with her, many
years after the time of which I speak.

It does not appear how Poe received the news of this marriage; but one
thing seems certain--that, strangely enough, the idea never occurred to
him that it in any way affected his own position in Mr. Allan's house.
He had never received from the latter any word to that effect; Miss
Valentine (his "Aunt Nancy"), with the old servants, who had known, and
served, and loved him from his babyhood, were still there, and doubtless
his room was still being kept, as ever before, ready for his occupation.