The Gilded Age...

What Dating Was Like In Victorian Times...

Victorian Opium Dens...

Historical Hair Growth Secrets (???)

The Myrtles, ~ a plantation house in St. Francisville, Louisiana, one the the most haunted houses in the United States...

Lillydale, New York, ~ a village of Victorian houses inhabited by psychic mediums...

Oh, ~ WOW!!!!!!!!...

Marguerite: The Weird And Outrageous, Part 2...

Now, the baker had a friend named Simon Laroquette, which was probably not his real name. Simon was a wicked deceiver, into every sort of devilish and cruel mischief. If it could make a profit and was illegal he did it or was indirectly involved in it. Simon claimed to be a bookseller and a tutor of the highest quality. He specialized in hiring himself out to old, lonely, wealthy widowed or spinster heiresses with nubile grand daughters or great nieces who needed education in the literary arts. Uh-HUM!!!... Well, Simon loved the bakery's eclaires too. (All that creamy custard filling!) And, that's how he met dainty Marguerite on a cloudless afternoon in May. He asked her if she would like to join him for a stroll around Montmarte, and with a sweet, gap-toothed smile, she readily agreed, linking her arm in his. Paris was delightful that day. No summer heat, and the flower, novelty sellers and street artists were on the cobblestone streets. One especially charming man in his mid-sixties with a head of thick, wavy white hair and twinkling blue eyes offered the nice-looking couple tiny glasses of creme de menthe, which Simon jokingly paid for with a gold coin. Marguerite's eyes lit up. She knew nothing about him, and she thought, ~ Ah, here's one I must get to know much better! Well, the day wore on and twilight came. The couple slipped into a quaint little inn. And, it seemed also natural for them to slip into bed. Simon aquitted himself marvelously and Marguerite showed her appreciation. They talked afterwards, until dawn. Then, they fell asleep in each others arms, sleeping until noon. Of course, they had told each other nothing but lies, lies, lies about their lives and experiences, as reprobates are apt to do when meeting new people.

Of course, all authors know, ~ no conflict means no story...

From"English Literature & Linguistics"...

"Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me. I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea, But we loved with a love that was more than love— I and my Annabel Lee— With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven Coveted her and me. And this was the reason that, long ago, In this kingdom by the sea, A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling My beautiful Annabel Lee; So that her highborn kinsmen came And bore her away from me, To shut her up in a sepulchre In this kingdom by the sea. The angels, not half so happy in Heaven, Went envying her and me— Yes!—that was the reason (as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea) That the wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee. But our love it was stronger by far than the love Of those who were older than we— Of many far wiser than we— And neither the angels in Heaven above Nor the demons down under the sea Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side Of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride, In her sepulchre there by the sea— In her tomb by the sounding sea.

From & related to "Gangs Of New York," with Leonardo Di Caprio, Claire Danes and Daniel Day Lewis as "The Butcher"... (I loved this movie!!!)

It was called the first detective story...

An Animated Biography Of Edgar Allen Poe...

What Birds Know...

From "Steampunk Lifestyle"...

From :Haunted Traditions," with James Meloy...