Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-08-18
INDEPENDENCE, IOWA. FRIDAY, AUGUST Is, 1871.

children in the story book, to seek
their fortunc.'" OF this epoch in
their lives Phoebe wrote:
"Many sad and trying changes
had come to the family, and home
was not what it had been. They
had comparative youth, though they
were much older in years and in
experience and knowledge of the
world; they had pleasant visions of
q home and name that MIGHT be
earned by literary labor; and 50 the
next spring the bold venture was
made. Living in very humble
and economical way, writing for
whatever papers would accept their
contributions, and taking any re-
muneration that was offered, how
ever small, they did, even from the
first, somehow manage to live with
out debt and with little obliga-
ton"
The sisters never separated. They
lived together for many years in a
house of their own in Twentieth ST.,
near Fourth avenue, New York city,
a place rendered pleasant to troops
of visitors by the receptions they
were in the habit Of giving every
Sunday evening. 1t was one Of the
few spots in this city where the
literary and artistic classes met on
common ground and in delightful
social intercourse. 1t was full of
books and pictures, and not only the
Carys' own friends but cultivated
strangers were always sure Of a
warm welcome there.
Alice published seven or eight
books; Phoebe but two, both poems.
The elder sisters muse was tender
and emotional. But Phoebe, though
not without vein Of sentiment, had
a stronger dash of humor in her
composition, and was very success
ful in burlesque. She was a full,
round and vivacious body, an adj
mirable talkcr, and even under her
recent atfliction 4 cheerful compan-
ion. But the death of Alice last
winter broke up the even tenor of
her life.
There was something very touch
ing and beautiful in the way Phoebe
Cary tried to realize her own and
sister Alicc's convictions concern
ing death as a mere departure to
another and higher state of exist
cnce, which should be cause Of
JOY rather than sorrow. On her re
turn, with her friends, from her
sisters funeral, she threw open the
windows of the recessed room which
had been the scene of her suticrings,
Of her years of endurance, of her
patient, faithful work, and filled it
with flowers (which Alice so loved"
The evening was then spent in
reading her sisters poems, and
when the time for separation came
she declined all Offers of companions
ship and preferred to sleep as she
always had done-alone, with the
door open between hers and her
sisters room.
She wore no mourning, that being
opposed to their principles, but
every morning she walked first to
Alice's bedside, that having been
her custom for thirty years. Who
can tell how the broken heart poured
itself out in the solitude of that
lonely room; for that she died of
II broken heart there can be no
doubt.
Her craving for the presence of
her friends was the most remarka-
bic feature of her illness. "Come
and see me oftcn," she said to one
of them: 81 do so want to see my
friends. The love that | felt for Alice
seems to be poured out upon them" 7"
Another time she said: "Sometimcs
| think | shall never get up again.
/ have no disease, there is nothing
the matter with me, but | have not
the energy to live. | cannot cat
nothing tastes good to me. l had
the strangcst fancy to-day; thought
l
| should like 4 certain dish, but
when it was brought to me | could
not even look at it, She had a
certain droll humor which was ire
sistiblc, and she expended it
mainly on the Doctor, who was
quite nonplussed by her case and
knew not what to do for her.
After a time she reused herself
sufficiently to undertake journey
to Cambridge, Mass, where it was
hoped the kindness and care of her
| friends, Mr.. and Mrs. Houghton,
would rally her strength and restore
her to health. 1t was supposed that
her complete prostration was the
natural result of her long attendance
upon her sister, and of the state of
cxaltation into which she was psv-
chologized by the sympathy of
friends and the homage which her
sister received from 50 many quar-
ters; but it was more than that
her heart was buried in her sisters
grave, and she ''could not live with
out her.