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The Messenger and Marriage to Virginia Clemm
November 1834 - January 1837
Thomas Willis White, Richmond printer, began in the printing business at age eleven. In August 1834 he launched a new magazine, the Southern Literary Messenger. The magazine was so to say, politically correct - made to be \"a source of innocent amusement\". Some would describe the magazine as boring but it was well received and after about ten months White claimed that he had nearly 1000 subscribers.
Despite the success he found himself hard-run for money and needed the help of a trained editor. Early in 1835 White began hearing from Edgar A Poe in Baltimore. Edgar gave White many advice but at the same time he stated that \"I have no intention of giving you advice\". That was a good move since White was very eager on staying in control. Edgar\'s advice was welcomed though and after Edgar\'s advice on changing the font the magazine was praised for its typography.
White began publishing Poe\'s tales and book reviews and the money Edgar made on this came very much in handy since he had trouble supporting himself. He lived in poverty and starvation but tried to keep his appearances up. Despite his worn-out clothing he always tried to keep a respectable surface. Kennedy advised White to employ Edgar permanently, which was needed more than ever since Poe had fallen in love with his cousin Virginia, \"my own darling\", as he called her. He wished to marry her despite the fact that she was only two weeks past the age of thirteen. When Edgar\'s grandmother died they also lost a $240 annual pension that was granted for General David Poe\'s widow for life. Now Poe had a chance to support Virginia and Muddy, as Maria Clemm was familiarly know. In June White wrote to Edgar offering him a job.
In August Edgar went to Richmond and he was offered a monthly salary of $60. Two weeks after these good news Edgar received a shaking letter from Muddy. She complained about the poverty in which they lived and said that Neilson Poe had offered to take Virginia to live with him, and perhaps Muddy too. Neilson did this probably not only to rescue them from poverty but also to prevent the marriage between Edgar and Virginia.
Edgar was emotionally hurt and afraid to loose his beloved Virginia. His reply to the letter shows of his uproaring emotions and of a probable alcoholic blur. He expressed his strong love for Virginia and \"blinded with tears\" he said that he would be extremely hurt if they decided to leave him. He even claimed that if they would accept Neilson\'s offer he would think of killing himself.
Poe was successful in his work with the Messenger and White took fatherly care of Edgar, his own son having died at the age of nineteen, three years earlier. Poe also got acquainted with White\'s 18-year-old daughter, an intelligent and graceful blonde with blue eyes named Eliza. The possibility of loosing Virginia might have made Edgar romantically involved with her.
Poe was unable to take any pleasure of his success and by early September he turned to drinking. He wrote a desperate letter with a suicidal tone to Kennedy asking for help to convince him of the necessity of living. By the time Kennedy reached Richmond Edgar had already left, whether he quit or was fired is unknown but the editor felt somewhat relieved and said that he wouldn\'t be surprised \"to hear that he had been guilty of suicide.\"
Poe had returned to Baltimore and on September 22 he and Virginia took out a marriage license and were perhaps privately married. To marry a first cousin was not unusual at the time but to marry at such a young age as Virginia was extremely rare. Edgar\'s way of calling her \"sissy\", \"sis\" or \"my darling little wife\" and that he had flirted with his fourteen-year-old cousin Elisabeth suggest that Edgar had a preference for child-like woman rather than a mature or simply a young woman.
Whether married or only engaged Poe hoped to return to Richmond and wrote White and asked to get his job back. White desired to have Poe with him but he was afraid that Edgar would turn to drinking again. Edgar was offered the possibility of getting his job back if he would not turn to the bottle again. If he did go back to drinking, their relation would end immediately. On Saturday evening, October 3, Poe returned to Richmond and with him he brought Muddy and Virginia.
At Christmas time Poe looked on the new year optimistically. He felt better that he had for years and he managed to support the three of them, living in a local boarding house for $9 a week. Muddy felt thankful and said \"myself & daughter know that we have someone to love & care for us.\"
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