The Placer herald., 1872-01-20
Alice Cary-Yhe Romance Of her Life


Lift it. The sanctuary of that pure heart is
ruthlessly invaded even in the grave. A
story under The title of ''Unknown Love OF
Alice Cary" in the newspapers is still rav-
cling through the length of the land. ltas-
serts that in her youth she was atiianced to
Rufus w. Grswold, that he was false to
her-forsaking her for a woman of the
world; that. long after, when be returned 10
New York, fficnd!css, Peer and sick, she
| forgave him the great wrong that lie had
done and nursed him till he died. This
story, in many conflicting phases, was often,
to her great annoyance, told Of her during
her life The fact that Rufus w. Griswold
did in his last will bequeath to her his per
sonal effects, was made much of in printed
and private circles, and used az an unan-
swerable proof that at one time he had been
her lover. Within week | have read in "A
letter to the New York Ecening Post that
the will proved the love and relationship be-
tween the persons beyond doubt, Yet no
less, in its foundation the story il false.
Referring 10 it once, while we two sat alone
together, Alice said to me: 81 will tell you
just the truth. If YOU ever think it neces-
sary, you eau tell it" | Lelieve it to be
but justice to her sacred life, with which idle
gossip is yet too busy, 10 tell it now.
! BereaNeme in death and in life had
made her Western home too desolate to be
borne These, with the impulse of the brave
will that served her to the last, brought
her to New ork to make not the life that
she would have chosen for herself, yet life
worthy to be lived. IGNORANCE stood me
in the stead of courage" she said "llad
known the great world as have learned it
since, | should not have dared but didn't
Thus | came. The leading Mesaieur at
that time was Dr. Rufus w. Griswold.
He had compiled tho books called "Thc Fe-
male Prose Writers and "Ihe Female
Poets of America" lie was sharply on the
lookout for every new genius in literature
that appeared. lie had visited the sisters in
their Ohio home, and in 1850 obtained a
Publisher for their first volume, and had
added both their names with selections from
their poems to his own Poems of America. )"
He knew everything necessary to their sue
cess in the sphere of labor which they had
chosen, while they practically knew nothing.
He encouraged and helped them in many
ways and thus commanded their gratitude.
For Alice to incur a debt of gratitude was
to pay it, if at the cost of her le Yet even
the good will of one type Of man to woman
is often a misfortune. Her soul may be as
white as snow; yet he cannot take her nno-
cent name upon his lips without smrcLing it
with something of his own vileness. His
vanity has been fiattered by idle women, till
| on,nuout hnc hacoron pot onlv tho b,1,;. Int
the necessity of his morbid and miserable
soul; till, where he knows he has not won
it, he yet is base enough to boast of it. Sucl
a man Judging by every record left Of him)
was Rsfns W. Griswold. He was man
Of poetic temperament, of fine scholarship,
Of generous impulses, and in certain direc-
tions of rare gifts; yet no less he was man
of ickle fdncies, of violent temper which
often fell upon his dearest friends. of mon
strous vanity, and of ungoverabe passions
81 never loved him, said Alice Gary to me-.
81 could not have loved such a man, though
I learned him i'll his best phases. came to
pity him, because he was his own worst en-
emv. AS friend | owed him much, and
before his death found it in my power to
pay back in part my large debt of gratitude.
| When he returned 10 New Y ork poor and sick
with certain death before him, |, with Miss
-, hired room and nurse for him. From
that they have made the romantic story Of
my nursing him for unrequited love- 1t was
old Betsy that rursed him. You know how
big and strong she is; yet even she became
worn out, for his sickness was long and very
painful Many unkind, even cruel, things
have been said because he wiled to me his
personal effects Beside the books and pic
lures which he bequcathed to the Historical
Society, these were all that he possessed
and he left them to me not more out OF per-
sonal regard than to repay as far as he was
able the money which | had expended fol
his comfort during his last long sickness.
In the protoundest sense Alice Gary nevei
loved but once. The man whom she loved
is still alive; yet gossip, with its keencsi
scent, has never found or named him. With
all her fulness of affection, hers was an &C.
lectic and solitary soul, lie who by the
very patent of his being was more to her
than any other mortal could be might pass
from her life, but no other could ever take
his place A proud aud prosperous family
brought all their pride and power to bear on
a son to prevent his marrying girl unedu-
Gated, rustic and poor. 81 waited for one
who never came back, she said. "Yet |
believed he would come till read in paper
his marriage to another. Can you think
what life would he--lovng one, waiting for
ono who would never GOMEZ
lie did come at last. saw him. His
wife had died, Alice was dying. The gray
haired man sat down beside the gray haired
woman. Life had dealt prosperously with
him, as is It's wont with men. Suffering and
death had taken all from her save the lustre
of her wondrous eyes. From her wan and
wasted face they shonc upon him full Of ten
derpcss and youth. Thus they met with
life behind them--they who parted plighted
lovers when life was young lle was the
man whom she forgave for her blighted and