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Show Poe's Graphic Sketch of Wissahickon Beauty V"hen Edgar Allan l'oe lived ami worked in Philadelphia from IS.'i.S to 1S44 the scenic beauties of the Wissahickon Wis-sahickon valley impressed the poet so much that he gave n vivid description descrip-tion of the region In a 6ketch with himself as the narrator. n'he tale, entitled "Morning on the Wissahickon," reveals Poe drifting in a skiff upon the surface of the stream during n sultry summer day. In half slumber he lets his Imagination Imagi-nation conjure up visions of the Wissahickon Wis-sahickon of Indian days, "when picnics pic-nics were undreamed of." The picture ts in striking contrast to the popular conception of the half-starved half-starved unhappy genius who wroto such morbid works as "The Raven" and ."The Murders In the Rue Morgue," while living at 530 North Seventh street, where the one hundred hun-dred and twenty-fifth anniversary of liis birthday was recently celebrated at a brilliant gathering of writers and other notables. The occasion also marked the opening of the Poe house as a shrine to his memory. Extolling the beauties of the Wissahickon, Wis-sahickon, l'oe declared that "were it flowing in England it would bo the theme of every bard, and the common com-mon topic of every tongue, If, indeed its banks were not parceled off In lots at exorbitant prices, as building sites for the villas of the opulent," |