PODOPHYLLUM, MANDRAKE, or MAY-APPLE, genus of hardy perennial herbs of the family Berberidacece. The four species are natives, two of China, one of the Himalayas and one of North America. The last species grows about 15 inches tall, bears one or two dark green leaves; in the axil of two-leaved specimens one or sometimes two fragrant saucer-like cream-colored flowers are borne. These are followed by a yellow, tender, insipid fruit which is somewhat edible. The dried roots and a resin obtained from them have been used in medicine, but are less popular than formerly. The fruits are sometimes called wild lemon and hog-apple. The name mandrake (q.v.) is more correctly applied to Mandragora, which is the mandrake of ancient history and romance.
POE, Edgar Allan, American poet and prose writer : b. Boston, Mass., 19 Jan. 1809; d. Baltimore, Md., 7 Oct. 1849. His father was of a good Maryland family and his mother was a daughter of the once celebrated English actress Mrs. Arnold. Both parents were actors and were engaged at the Boston Federal Street Theatre at the time of their son's birth. Mrs. Poe, who outlived her husband, died in great poverty, leaving three children, who were adopted by friends. Edgar was taken into the home of his godfather, John Allan of Richmond and was treated in many respects as a child of the family. He was a handsome, precocious b o
thete over-indulgence and unwise pet
of h fosr-paren ts aided in developing natu rally imperious and self-indulgent nature. When he was six years old the Allans took him to England and placed him in a school at Stoke-Newington, then a suburb of London. He remained at the school for six years and there laid the foundation of his curious classi cal lore. The autobiographical story of William Wilson describes the old Manor House School and its quiet round of duties and pleasures. On his return to Richmond in 1821 he entered the English and Classical School of Joseph H. Clarke where he was prepared for college. He was quick and brilliant, excelling in languages and in athletics. But in spite of his talents Poe was unpopular; his extreme sensitiveness, his moody disposition, his pride of intellect kept his school fellows at a distance. He formed, during this time, a passionate de votion to the mother of one of his school mates and after her sudden death spent night after night of a bleak, dreary autumn, by her grave. At 17 he matriculated at the University of Virginia. He devoted himself to Latin, Greek, French, Spanish, Italian and took the highest honors in Latin and French. But his gambling debts were heavy and he was not allowed by Mr. Allan to return. After a short enforced stay in Mr. Allan's counting-house he determined to make his own career and ran away to Boston. There he published his first volume,
Kennedy, the novelist, was one of the judges; he became the warm friend of the young writer and rescued him from deepest poverty by ob taining for him magazine hack work. Poe was at this time living with his aunt, Mrs. Clemm, and her daughter Virginia, in Baltimore, but soon moved to Richmond to write exclusively for the Southern Literary Messenger. He gained constantly in reputation and his weird tales and biting critiques rapidly raised the sub scription list of the magazine from 700 to 5,000. In 1836 he married his young cousin, Virginia Clemm. Poe's life was restless and stormy; he left one position after another, just as he seemed on the point of a great success; his in dulgence in opium and in intoxicants increased and he was often plunged into dire poverty, but his love for his beautiful wife was stead fast. Mrs. Clemm lived with her daughter and took care of the home. His wife was the in spiration of some of his purest poetry, of