The Eureka Man: Edgar Allan Poe

By Loretto Gubernatis

I first encountered Mr. Edgar Allan Poe in the Parents Wonder World Encyclopedia my mother had purchased for me on the installment plan way back in 1961, It was the poem Annabel Lee and I was mesmerized. The following short story was the Purloined Letter. Needless to say, it was not on the summer reading list of St. Joseph Monastery School and I’m sure they would have been shocked that my mother encouraged me to read the whole book on English Literature. She had said, “read that volume and you’ll always know a little bit about all the great literature. I wrote Raven Dove when my darling husband drove me all over Loudon Park Cemetery and I found all the tomb stones I used for true life tomb poems. One of my best friends Lynn Barns who lived up the street from me did many Poe paintings and her house looked like the set from some of the scarier Poe Films with Gargoyles and Fantasy everywhere. She allowed me to use her artwork for my documentary on Poe titled the Eureka Man. The screenplay the Bell for the Rune was based on a great screenplay by my client Mary Elizabeth Hauer who also wrote Esmeralda the Witch and the Ebony Soldier. She was a great writer and I’m honored to have known her. Again, sadly she passed away.
I am so proud that my daughter, Christine, who is a great artist, also included Edgar Allan Poe in her repertoire. Above Lou and Loretto to the left Poe on his deathbed by Lynne Barnes. Lynn was the main character in the film as a ghostly witch. We had great fun filming it. Sadly, Lynn passed away during the pandemic. We shot some scenes in Chrissy’s house and our Edgar Allan Poe was Chris Dickerson. He played his ghost. He also impersonated him at Admiral Fells Inn for The Top of the Morning Show.
Below is Chissy, Christine Chavis with her Poe Impersonator David Keltz who is the main impersonator for Baltimore Maryland. We all love Poe and the Poe House is open for tours. They have many events and they are always looking for new work inspired by Poe. They have a contest every year and we hope to enter this book as a collaborative work between my daughter Christine Chavis and myself. You can reach Christine @

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 7, 2024
• ISBN: 9798369416341

Book preview

Copyright © 2024 by Loretto Gubernatis.

Covers Illustrated by Christine Chavis

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Adobe Stock images depicting people are used with their permission and for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Adobe Stock.

Rev. date: 02/07/2024

Xlibris

844-714-8691

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CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

CHAPTER ONE

The Bell Of The Rune

CHAPTER TWO

Raven Dove

CHAPTER THREE

More Ghosts Stories

The Ghosts At Harrington Street

Hard Anne

The Chill Of It All In Dunlogin

Island Of No Return

Irish Moss

The Parting

Jenna

The Curse Of The Mummy

Mummy’s The Word

The Christmas Block Party

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

Out Of Her Element

Allbright And The Fuller Brushman

Mrs. Yeats Does Automatic Writing Now

The Wedding Guest

The Lady From Bressempory

He Who Laughs First

Not The Gift Of The Magi

The Butler Did It

Hey There Little Red Riding Hood

The Miraculous Child

Carlita Carlyle And The Crow

Carlita Carlyle

CHAPTER FOUR

Premise And Treatment For A Horror Series Titled One Dozen Odd

Show One: The Sad Ballerina

Show Two: The Happy Clown

Show Three: The Bisque Doll

Show Four: Clowning Around

Show Five: The Voodoo Doll

Show Six: The Cold-Hearted Bear

CHAPTER FIVE

Scenes From The Eureka Man

CHAPTER SIX

Twelve Angry Women

CHAPTER SEVEN

Television Series Packages

About The Author

About The Cover Illustrator Christine Chavis

Dedicated

to

Edgar Allan Poe

Lynn Barnes

Mary Elizebeth Hauer

PREFACE

This book is dedicated to Edgar Allan Poe

Most of the stories in it were inspired in one way or another by Poe. People forget that Poe’s primary heritage is Irish. Ireland the land of the great writers like Jonathan Swift, James Joyce, and so many great writers that sadly were exiled or never accepted by their own people.

Poe is one of the great American writers. He was born in 1809 and died in 1849.

When I was twelve years old my mother bought The Parents World Encyclopedia on the installment plan. My parents were immigrants to America and didn’t have the proverbial pot to p…in but those guys tricked her into buying a $100 set of books.

She didn’t feel defeated though because she bought it for me and said for me to read all ten of those volumes and you will know a little bit about everything. And so, it was I felt the need to fulfill her wishes. And right there in the Great Writers book I found Mr. Edgar Allan Poe and the Purloined Letter where I was introduced to Detective C. Aguste Dupin, one of the first detective stories ever. I would also read Murders in the Rue Morgue. I also remember the 1954 movie with Karl Malden of the same title.

My child’s mind was fascinated, and I also found Anna Bell Lee in the same book under Great Poetry. So, it was, I became a fan of one of the great macabre writers at an early age. My life would be sprinkled with many references and coincidences regarding Poe forever.

The second chapter of this book RAVEN//DOVE was likewise inspired by the man. I had an out of body experience at the downtown Baltimore gravesite where I was instructed to check out Longfellow by Mr. Poe. I did and found out about their relationship. When my mom died, I was 14 and spent a lot of time in the cemetery. On one occasion I found the oddest tombstone like a monolithic stone and the Poem on it I committed to memory. It went like this.

When the Earth’s last picture is painted.

And the tubes lie twisted and dried.

When the youngest critics have faded

And the oldest critics have died.

We shall rest and faith we shall need it.

Lie down for an eon or two.

Till the master of all good workmen

Put us to work anew.

I wrote it in my diary, and it is still there. I could never find the stone again for a long time. My search through the cemetery did find dozens of sad stories that I wrote poems for and called them Tomb Poems. Eventually I put them all together and opened it with Poe and ended it with Longfellow and thus Raven/ Dove was born.

I married my husband when I was barely 20 and we spent years at Loudon Park Cemetery checking tombstones. We had 5 children before one day through a weird bunch of circumstances we found the stone. The name on the stone was Hertzenrodder and it turned out the decedent of that family lived across the street on Wilkens Ave. We went to visit her and found out that she was in fact distantly related to my husband Lou. What are the chances. And so it went.

We made a documentary together which won a Bronze Telly Award titled The Loneliest Journey which had a ton of shots from Loudon Park Cemetery. My husband died 8 years ago after 47 years of marriage, and I made a docudrama titled The Eureka Man about Poe’s last work.

The rough drafts of the scenes are included in this book, and you can watch the one hour show at the link below.

THE EUREKA MAN DOCUDRAMA

https://youtu.be/K4y9_8hRICQ

My friend Lynn Barnes painted much of Poe including a fantastic work titled Poe on his Deathbed, which is the opening of the docudrama.

I am a volunteer for the Poe House and worked hard to get some of the fakers out of the board years back. The new board was formed and has done some great work in keeping the house open and thriving. I am on the volunteer committee and have interviewed Director Enrica Jang for Top of the morning. You can see that show at the link below.

TOP OF THE MORNING Enrica Jang director

https://youtu.be/JmuMiPVLw-c

So, I am delighted to present to you my newest work titled The Eureka Man influenced by the man himself Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. Hope you enjoy it and do support the Poe House in Baltimore and read more of Poe’s great stories.

Most especially Eureka, his last work published posthumously.

INTRODUCTION

I have a book already published out there, titled Witches N Things. The following story is not in it though. I have a book titled Dragons N Things, Angels N Things, and Vampires N Things. I do include some of the short stories in other books but not the long ones so you will only get this story in Ghosts N Things. We started to shoot a 25-minute version of this film in 1995 the year after my brother died. The whole concept was inspired by my love for Poe and a friend of a friend introduced me to Lynn Barnes who was a great artist and at that time lived on Castle Street. I came to see her artwork and we had agreed to use her house for the haunted house. It was the most magnificent thing I had ever seen. Her artwork decorated the house, which also included Gargoyles in all sorts of poses in nooks and crannies and on the banister heads.

I was inspired by a screenplay by a client named Mary Elizebeth Hauer. She came to Baltimore and stayed at my house with her husband for a weekend. We shot a lot of scenes from her screenplay, but it was all in Hi 8 and later the camera broke down so I couldn’t review the footage. There is an edited version on vhs somewhere, but I haven’t been able to find it. I incorporated some of her segments into my version with Poe. I also used the name Bernice for the mother-in-law character.

Mary had written a Childs book titled Esmerelda the Witch and the Ebony Soldier. At that time, she had written 3 screenplays. My husband had to retire, and things fell apart, and I lost touch with her. She died but I wanted to give her credit as one of my inspirations. I learned a lot from her about the Occult World. Following is a listing for her book online:

You can buy this book on-line.

Hauer, Mary Elizabeth: Esmerelda Witch And The Ebony Soldier

Vantage Press New York 1977

First edition. Illustrated by Stuart Smilowitz. A Fine Book in a Good only dustjacket (jacket has two folded tears to front, and one nasty folded tear to rear, together with slight wear to top and bottom of spine - however no loss). Warmly inscribed opposite half title page - To Lorraine, Follow the dreamers - they always find a rainbow, Love, Mary Elizabeth Hauer.. Book Condition: Fine. Binding: Hard Cover. Jacket: Good

\First Edition

Signed by Author

Hauer, Mary Elizabeth : Esmerelda Witch And The Ebony Soldier is listed for sale on Bibliophile Bookbase by M D Bloxsome, Bookseller.

Bibliophile Bookbase probably offers multiple copies of Hauer, Mary Elizabeth : Esmerelda Witch And The Ebony Soldier.

Bibliophile Bookbase lists over 5 million books, maps and prints including livres illustrées, out of print books, used books, livres d’occasion and libri rari.

I decided to include Lynn’s character in the screenplay, and she played herself in the 25-minute version. Unfortunately, the editing facility lost our footage and all we wound up with was a vhs copy with time codes on the screen. It is my hope to someday shoot this film as a full-length movie. Meanwhile here is a link to a rough draft on youtube:

THE BELL FOR THE RUNE

https://youtu.be/dzNCc8yh1jA

Lynn loved Edgar Allen Poe, and her works on him are in my mind, masterpieces. I moved in on Castle Street and we were friends till she left for Orlando to truly pursue her career. She did amazing, specialized Crop Circle Ceilings and you can reach her at her site Lynn Barnes.com or Crop Circle Ceilings.com. Sadly Lynn died a few years ago.

Many of the other characters in the screenplay are true people such as George Figg who at that time operated the Orpheus Theater and Steve Bunker who ran the shop Bunkers in Fells Point. George had also written a screenplay on Poe and had some unique and unusual ideas. Of course, the script is fictionalized, and I take creative license. At the time they had all agreed to be in the film as themselves. Hope you enjoy it.

Dedicated

to

Mary Elizebeth Hauer

And

Lynn Barnes

CHAPTER ONE

THE BELL OF THE RUNE

SCENE - DAY - INTERIOR - CATHOLIC CHURCH

The usual wedding scene. The young bride DIANE and older groom JOHN are married, turn, and walk up the aisle. As they pass the back row of pews, we see a row of types dressed in black with their backs to us. The bride who has been smiling turns towards them and gives a quizzical look. One of them turns and his gaze follows the couple out of the church. The bride shivers but continues out the door.

SCENE DAY - EXTERIOR CHURCH STEPS

The bride and groom greet the guests and say goodbye to BERNICE KILBRIDE, the groom’s mother, and his two teenage children, REBECCA and KEVIN. It is obvious that the bride is not old enough to be the teenager’s mother. They are leaving immediately for their honeymoon.

SCENE - DAY - EXT - SUNSET

A car drives along a dreary roadway that spirals upward into the hills. The scene is reminiscent of a similar scene in the Shining when they are driving to the hotel. In this case the characters are going to the hospital. There is drizzling rain. The bride of the opening scene is sitting next to the groom. She is very somber. The camera circles her as the car continues upward. The groom is in his late forties, an Alan Arkin type. He is brooding and seems melancholy he smiles apologetically at the woman. The music is intense as the opening credits go up on the screen.

INT - CAR - EARLY MORNING

DIANE

(Exasperated.)

I hope your mom is not suffering too much. At her age a fall like that could be nasty.

JOHN

She’ll be all right. I feel so darn guilty about the honeymoon plans. I’m sorry honey. I promise I’ll make it up to you.

DIANE

Its all-right sweetheart I understand. We’ll have plenty of time. I’d rather go back anyway. It’s not good to leave Rebecca and Kevin alone in a new house with your mother off her feet. It’s not a healthy way to start out.

JOHN

Are you having quilt complexes already? You know Ellen has been dead five years now. They have gotten used to not having a mother around. They could survive.

DIANE

(Snuggling up to him.)

I know but I think it will make a difference. Especially since it’s a new environment and all. Besides we have quite a nice master bedroom at home now don’t we.

SCENE - SUNSET - EXTERIOR - SUNSET

We see a car following them at a distance. CU of an ominous looking man from the back. Seems similar to the man in the church.

SCENE - EXT - OUTSIDE HOUSE - NIGHT

Long shot of the house very eerie. Diane and John begin pulling out their suitcases. Rebecca and Kevin come out to greet them and help them in.

JOHN

Hey, you two, how’s grandma doing?

KEVIN

Ah she’s fine. We told you; you didn’t need to come back. We could have handled everything.

DIANE

Naw we couldn’t do that. We’re the four musketeers, aren’t we? We have to face everything together. Right?

REBECCA

(Giving her a hug)

I’m glad you’re back. It was a little scary in the house without you.

They glance up at the house together.

DIANE

Hey now we all agreed we liked this place, remember.

REBECCA

I know. I’m just being a baby. I really missed you.

She gives her an affectionate squeeze as they enter the house.

SCENE - INT. - HOUSE -NIGHT

The house is an old-fashioned three-story one. They all stand in a rather large vestibule. LS from the third floor looking down on them. John turns his head upwards and proceeds up the stairs. We get the sense that someone is watching.

JOHN

How’s mom doing anyway?

He and Diane proceed upstairs and into Mrs. Kilbridge’s bedroom.

JOHN

Hey mom. How are you doing?

MRS. KILBRIDE

I’m fine. Just fine. I told you two not to worry. You should have gone on with your plans and made that plane.

DIANE

(sitting on the bed)

Now Bernice you know that Jamaica is a bit too far away at a time like this. We’ve got to get you to the doctor’s tomorrow.

MRS. KILBRIDE

Now stop fussing. It was nothing. Just the silliest little fall. I’ll be just fine.

JOHN

Now mother you know at your age we have to check. It could be your hip. Anything. You’re going to Dr. Benson in the morning. And that’s that.

DIANE

(Giving her an affectionate squeeze.)

It’s the best thing Bernice. How did it happen anyway?

BERNICE

It’s the darndest thing. This fellow all dressed in black at the back of the church just seemed to push me down. It was right after your car pulled away.

JOHN

Who was he?

BERNICE

I don’t know. I thought he was one of Diane’s people.

DIANE

You mean that row in the last pew. No way. They gave me shivers. Who comes dressed in black for a wedding? I thought they were some of yours.

JOHN

Probably some of Ellen’s old friends. Don’t think five years is enough. Damn bunch of weirdoes. Ah who cares anyway? It’s all over and here we are all safe and sound together again.

He squeezes Diane’s hand.

BERNICE

Now, you two go on. Don’t worry about me. I’m just fine. I’m going to take two Excedrin and have a good sleep.

DIANE

Would you like a cup of tea?

BERNICE

That would be wonderful dear.

SCENE - INT. - KITCHEN - NIGHT

We see the kettle coming to a boil. Diane fixes the cup of tea. John and Kevin are sitting at the table as Rebecca waits to take the tea to her grandmother.

DIANE

This will calm her nerves. She needs a good night’s rest.

JOHN

(yawning)

I think we all do.

Rebecca takes the cup of tea and goes out of the kitchen. Diane comes over and sits with John and Kevin.

SCENE - INT - STAIRWAY - NIGHT

Rebecca goes up the stairs carefully balancing the cup of tea. CU of the teacup, it seems to glow. Aka Alfred Hitchcock’s Suspicion.

SCENE - INT - KITCHEN - NIGHT

John and Diane are in the kitchen talking. As they sit at the table, they hear a scream. Then a crash. Rebecca flies back into the kitchen hysterically.

DIANE

Are you okay?

REBECCA

(terrified)

It just jumped off the saucer. Honestly it just jumped off the saucer.

VO BERNICE

Is everything all right? What happened?

JOHN

You mean you spilled the tea?

REBECCA

(to Diane)

It just jumped off the saucer.

DIANE

She’s burned her hand. Let me fix it. John, make another cup of tea and take it up to your mother, I’ll fix her hand.

REBECCA

It just jumped off the saucer.

DIANE

Its okay dear, let me fix your hand. We all need a good rest tonight.

SCENE - EXT - FRONT PORCH - DAY

Two women stand on the porch some dishes in hand. One is white, elderly. The other is Black, buxom, and middle aged. They are MRS. GORDON and REBA MACAMBRIDGE neighbors from across the street and next door. Diane answers the door.

DIANE

Yes, can I help you? Oh hello.

REBA

Hi, we’re your neighbors from across the street and next door. We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood. Brought a couple of covered casseroles.

MRS. GORDON

Broccoli and cheese. My specialty! We know how it is when you just move in.

They both seem to be straining at the bit to enter so Diane feels compelled to make the offer.

DIANE

Won’t you come in?

They both enter with much ado. MRS. GORDON noses around typical nosy neighbor style. REBA just rolls her eyes. DIANE laughs.

DIANE

Well, it’s very nice of you.

She takes the dishes, and they follow her to the kitchen. She proceeds to put them away.

REBA

Mine’s okra and tomatoes with ground beef.

DIANE

Sounds great. Would you like a cup of coffee?

REBA

Well . . . if it’s no bother.

DIANE

No bother. I just made a fresh pot.

MRS. GORDON

Could I have tea instead?

REBA rolls her eyes again. DIANE just smiles. They seem to both have sized MRS. GORDON up.

DIANE

No bother. I’ll just put the kettle on.

REBA

So, what do you think of the house?

DIANE

Well of course we love it but it’s kind of soon to say. After all we’ve only been here a few days.

REBA

Didn’t you just get married on Saturday? I heard you were supposed to be on your honeymoon for a week.

DIANE

It’s a long story. You see Bernice, Jonathan’s mother, had a fall and we thought it better to return. When we found the house, we fell in love with it but decided not to move into it till we were a family together.

REBA

Good idea with a house like this.

DIANE

What do you mean?

Just then Mrs. Gordon enters the kitchen from snooping around.

MRS. GORDON

Why is it haunted dear. That’s what she means. How’s that tea coming along?

DIANE

(Placing a cup in front of her)

Haunted? Oh, you mean because of all the gargoyles on the stair knobs and knockers and all. Why that’s the reason that we bought it. We love that kind of thing. Why the benches in the dining room are right out of an old Lutheran Church.

MRS. GORDON

Wouldn’t be surprised?

REBA

Don’t you find that a little disconcerting?

DIANE

Hell no. You should see what we found in the attic. It all came with the house.

The real estate company said we could have it. Apparently, it belonged to some artist. There are so many canvases and prints just lying up there gathering dust.

She moves over to one hanging on the wall. It is three masked demons sitting on chairs.

DIANE

Why just look at this, this is an absolute treasure.

REBA

It is quite haunting!

DIANE

The attic’s just full of things like this. I hope to restore everything. I’m a real nut about things like that.

MRS. GORDON

Well of course you do dear. All the houses in this neighborhood are haunted. It was built on an old German Cemetery you know. No one buys a house here unless they like that kind of thing.

REBA

Well sometimes the price is right too.

DIANE

We felt we got a bargain. They are renovating this whole Fells Point area you know. It’s full of nostalgia.

MRS. GORDON

Poe died right up the street you know.

REBA

Now Evelyn you know, no one really knows the truth where Poe died.

(To Diane)

They do say he died somewhere in the neighborhood.

MRS. GORDON

Quote the Raven!

REBA

Oh, for goodness sakes, Evelyn, don’t start with that. You’re going to scare Diane half to death, and she hasn’t even moved in yet.

DIANE

I’m not afraid of anything like that. Why John writes all kinds of esoteric and occult scripts. I’m really used to it all. Anyway, I have a couple of parrots to keep the Raven’s at bay.

Just then the parrots caw and they all laugh.

REBA

So, John’s a writer then?

DIANE

Yep, one of the unpublished frustrated kind! He buys and sells antiques and old coins for a living though.

MRS. GORDON

And what do you do dear?

DIANE

I’m a research assistant with the Enoch Pratt Library.

REBA

How interesting. At least you have something in common. By the way I read tarot cards. I’m having a reading at my house on Friday. You and John are welcome to come if you like.

DIANE

Oh, I’d love to, but we better leave John out of it. He’s a bit skeptical in that department.

REBA

How strange a writer of the occult skeptic.

DIANE

Oh, he believes in that well enough. He just believes that most fortune tellers and psychics are fakes.

REBA

Okay we leave John home.

They all laugh.

SCENE - INT - KITCHEN - MORNING

Diane is rinsing off coffee cups as John comes in. He is dressed and obviously leaving for work.

JOHN

Mom’s almost ready. Call me and let me know how it goes.

DIANE

Sure honey. We had our first company this morning. Our neighbors from across the street. Mrs. Gordon and Reba McCambridge. They seem like nice people.

JOHN

That’s good. The kids left for school.

DIANE

Yeah, I drove them over