For the past five eld , it face as if a care for literary tradition was at risk of dying out for good . An anon. figure knight the “ Poe Toaster ” had been chatter Edgar Allan Poe ’s grave land site in Baltimore every year on his birthday , reportedly since the 1940s , only to suddenly fly after 2009 . This weekend , the exercise was bring back from the brink of extinction when the newest incarnation made the fabled trip-up to the writer ’s grave accent .
While the origins of the original Poe Toaster had antecedently been enshroud in mystery , this latest figure was select through anorganized contest . Last fall , the Maryland Historical Society held auditory sense for “ Baltimore ’s Next Poe Toaster ” with plan to reconstruct the tradition in time for Poe ’s birthday in 2016 . Competitors were expect to give a live performance that could include “ anything within the bound of the resource ” ( just so long as it was Poe - connect ) . And while the winning Poe Toaster had to be construe in populace in decree to be choose , his indistinguishability was kept anon. .
On January 16 , the Poe Toaster fulfilled his new appointed destiny when he see Edgar Allan Poe ’s tomb before an interview of onlookers . The celebration begin that afternoon with a dramatic reading of “ The Cask of Amontillado ” followed by a pledge of apple cyder and a raffle to take home a Poe - theme cake . The gang of near to 100 then clustered around the tomb to look the arrival of the fresh Poe Toaster .
Like the Toasters of year past , the human body was set in all Shirley Temple with a white scarf draped over his shoulders and a wide - brimmed hat worn to hold back his case . He poured himself a glass of cognac and exit the bottle behind with three red rose , also keeping with custom . But this rookie Poe Toaster introduced his own spin on the time - honour tradition : In addition to executing the rite in the daylight , he perform a interpretation of Camille Saint - Saëns ’s " Danse Macabre " on the violin and left his instrument be given against the key beside the flush and liquor .
Though the event took position over the weekend , Poe was born on January 19 , 1809 , making today his factual birthday . If you ca n’t make it to his tomb in Baltimore tonight , finger free to pour yourself a ice of cognac in his pureness .
[ h / t : The Baltimore Sun ]
