Edgar Allan Poe to John Allan — 1829-08-10

Edgar Allan Poe to John Allan — 1829-08-10 Historical letter date: 1829-08-10. Source edition: Mary Newton Stanard, Edgar Allan Poe Letters Till Now Unpublished, 1925, letter seventeen. This is repository machine OCR of the printed transcription; spelling and recognition errors remain. Consult the accompanying local scan excerpt and manuscript facsimile. [Source scan page 211] LETTER NUMBER SEVENTEEN Baltimore August 10!^ 1829 Dear Pa, I received yours this morning which relieved me from more trouble than you can well imagine I was afraid that you were offended & although I knew that I had done nothing to deserve your anger, I was in a moSt uncomfortable situation without one cent of money in a Strange place & so quickly engaged in difficulties after the serious misfortunes which I have juSt escaped My grandmother is extremely poor & ill (paralytic) My aunt Maria if possible Still worse & Henry entirely given up to drink & unable to help himself, much less me I am unwilling to appear obstinate as regards the substitute so will say nothing more concerning it only remarking that they will no longer enliSt men for the residue of another's enlistment as formerly, consequently my sub- stitute was enliSted for 5 years not 3 I Stated in my laSt letter (to which I refer you) that Ml Eaton gave me Strong hopes for SepE at any rate that the appt could be obtained for June next I can obtain decent board lodging & washing with other expenses of mending &c for 5 & perhaps for 4^$ per week If I obtain the app* by thelaSt of Sep^the am! of expense would beat moSt $30 181 [Source scan page 212] 1 82 EDGAR ALLAN POE LETTERS until June If I should be unfortunate and not obtain it A I will not desire you to allow as much as that per week because by engaging for a longer period at a cheap boarding house I can do with much less say even 10 even 8$ pr month anything with which you think it possible to exit I am not so anxious of obtaining money from your good nature as of preserving your good will I am extremely anxious that you should believe that I have not attempted to impose upon you I will in the meantime (if you wish it) write you often, but pledge myself to apply for no other assistance than what you shall think proper to allow I left behind me in Richmond a small trunk contain- ing books & some letters will you forward it on to Baltimore to the care of H. W. Bool Jt & if you think I may ask so much perhaps you will put in it for me some few clothes as I am nearly without Give my love to Miss Valentine I remain Dear Pa Yours affectionately Edgar A. Poe