“There had been a thunder-storm, and the pouring rain had driven all into the house. Our new house was finished, but we had not yet moved into it. This new house stood opposite the old one. The rain was over, and the sun was shining brightly when our mother called out, and asked, ‘How it came that Rhoda and Lucy were in the new house?’
“The door of the new house was open, and there stood Rhoda, in plain sight, holding Lucy in her arms. The whole family came to the door, and all saw the same. They called ‘Rhoda!’ but received no answer. They supposed Rhoda had gone with Lucy into the house to escape the rain; when at this moment Rhoda came down-stairs where she had left Lucy asleep. She, too, saw what we had seen—the apparition of her own ‘wraith’ with that of Lucy in her arms.
“All felt solemnly impressed, and believed it to be a warning of something sorrowful. They went over immediately, and examined every part of the house, but not a trace of any human being was discernible. Rhoda died within a year, and Lucy a month later. They frequently saw Spirits distinctly.”
(For further particulars of these events see a “Memorial of Alice and Phœbe Cary,” by Mary Clemmer.)
Phœbe possessed ready wit. She attended our first reception (soon after my marriage to Mr. Underhill), after we had moved into our new house. When she met me at the parlor door, she whispered in my ear, “My feet are quite wet; I forgot my india rubbers.” It had rained hard that afternoon. I told her she could find a change up-stairs in my room; and sent one of my girls to wait upon her. When she came down into the parlor, she said to me, aside, “I little thought I should stand in your shoes so soon.”
These sisters were devoted Spiritualists, but knowing how often I was importuned by believers and curious people, they would sometimes specify, in their notes of invitation, that they wanted me “socially, not Spiritually.” I subjoin to this chapter facsimiles of two of Alice’s precious little missives, which I preserve among my treasures of the heart. I add to them also facsimiles of the writing of Horace Greeley and Judge Edmonds, which can never lose their interest for Spiritualists. I leave Mr. Greeley’s letter as a puzzle to the reader to decipher it. It is well known that a special apprenticeship had to be served in the Tribune office to train a few compositors into the possibility of reading his writing.
When Mrs. Greeley died in October, 1872, Mr. Greeley in his great sorrow sought for consolation through the Spirits. At his request Mr. Oliver Johnson came and asked me to get a communication from Spirit friends of Mr. Greeley. Mr. Underhill, his mother, Mr. Johnson, and myself took seats at the table, and waited in silence for some Spirit to manifest. Very soon the alphabet was signalled for, and this was spelled (it was taken down by Mr. Underhill), “Bear my message to my dear friend Horace. Tell him many kindred Spirits are hovering around him in this day of trial; and though he may not be susceptible to our heart-whisperings now, when quiet and rested he will feel the truthfulness of this message. Truth will meet a response in his honest heart.
“Alice Cary.”
COURSES OF TEST EXPERIMENTATION.
One of the courses of test experimentation made within this period in New York was as follows:
I met a party of gentlemen at the house of Dr. John F. Gray, in Lafayette Place, New York City, for about two years. The meetings were held once a week. The circle was composed of Dr. John F. Gray, Hon. John W. Edmonds, Dr. Robert T. Hallock, Dr. Hull, Charles Partridge, and George Washington Rains. The latter gentleman was an officer in the U. S. Army, and stationed at that time on Governor’s Island.