The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-10
THE AMERICAN DRAMA.
Is il DetrImentaltoH oHealth!-Its Ef-
fects Upon Clara Morris.
New York Star. |

and the mdlauy mas puZLleu VIC Hlooo oih.
inent physicians of both Europe and
America. 1t was thought for a long
time that she was incurable, the worst
part of her case being the mystery which
surrounded it. 1t has lately been discov-
cred, however, that her indisposition is
the result of examining dramas in man.
uscript. During the past two years the
number of Enthusiastically bad plays
through which she has waded is simply
enormous, and would waken a sigh of
DESPAIR in the bosom of the most patient
editor. When she first commenced to
examine plays she was rugged and
healthy, but after about six months of it
her eyes became sunken, and she exhib-
tied undoubted symptoms of physical
decay. Her case is an unparalleled one,
and its various phases and aspects delight
the expert in medical Jurisprudence to
DEGREE which no words can adequately
express.
An eminent physician of this city,
whose name is withheld, who makes it a
point to study the eccentric and phenom-
email, recently heard of Miss Morris case,
and having access to several lunatic asy-
lums, determined to have the inmates
compelled to read manuscripts and note
the effects. for the benefit OF science. He
went to the institution and made ar
raneements, and invited number of
professionals to be present and ENJOY the
developments which he assured them
would accrue. He got his manuscripts
torpther and started for the asylum with
his friends. The first lunatic was handed
the manuscript of one of Tupper Hol-
lands alleged ballads. The madman
grasped it, read one line, turned pale, and,
while his features changed like the bits
of GLASS in Kaleidoscope, he dropped
dead. The cause of death, the doctor
says, was paralysis of asthetical fungus,
very rare disease. Another man was
handed one of Swinton's meaningless
screeds, in which sound is regarded the
equivalent of sense. The mailman read
it through and through with laughter,
dnt it didn't affect him in the least; he
couldn't understand it. The result of
his investigations will shortly be made
known in book. To return, Miss
Morris has been forbidden by her
physician to read any more plays for
some time to come. She has already
read pieces sent her by Dom Piatt,
JOAQUIN Miller, Nicoll the Tailor, j.
Swigton Swagfuddle, and the man who
appears in the Western papers with
fever and ague pad on his chest. The
vast differences in the subjects chosen by
the aforementioned people, and the man
ner of treatment, is probably what upset
Miss Morris and made her the object of 8
great deal of gratuitous advertising.
1t was on the strength of the various
and. at the same time, conflicting re-
ports going the rounds, that Star mar
went to Mt. st. Vincent yesterday to ge
the whole truth Of the matter lie founC
Miss Morris sitting on the veranda read
inc novel. After the usual salutatiol
the Star man said:
"There his been a great deal said abou
your ill-health in the papers lately"
7 "Yes, but exaggerated in some cases."
: "Then you are not so much indisposet
: as the reports lead people to infer~
Hardly"
} 'Do you know the exact cause of you
ickness?'
81 do; it is examining the American
E plav-the North American play. | hav
, read no less than twenty-three pc
= month for the past year. The effect the
8 produce is fearful. A Bowery play wi
bring on hemorrhage, aud an adaptatio
q badly done willgiye you mumps."
Chow do you account for mumps b
ing the result of reading Boucicaut!"
r at is one of those things which, lik
u the aesthetic idiosyncracies of art, puzz
Il the mental faculties to the height of
{ chaotic idea only to allow it to reverbe
; ate on the creative power of the sol
a upon itself"
. a "That is Swinton English"
ID AT this moment a goat walked up {
the piazza and looked around in We
T. peculiar manner moving its eyes arour
g and twitching its nose.
N "What's the meaning of thatT'
b, quired the Star man.
Ill "He has Just said that he has exa
Q, ined Oakley Halls new play as far as I
IL third act, and it's not intense enough.
I'd lacks climax"
"You don't mean TO say that the g
as is examining Halls play. Are you I
IN afraid he'll eat it~
a "Not at ALL He ate the first act of
ed previous play of Halls, and his syst
m hasn't got over the shock yet"
he "Do you mean to say that that g
tic can express himself intelligibly by m
nd ing his limbs and facial muscles"
he "He can--He is Delsarte goat. Y
e- may call it automatic shorthand if J
please; but l call it the Delsarte s
~, tem."
'cy ay At this point the goat went through
w. W. sort of Talmage maneuyer, which in E
eu ', glish meant that he didn't think it wo
Nv Nv while to finish O'Hall's play, and tina
c hc would be well to return it it the autl
r~s W. inclosed postage stamps.
M. Some one at this moment called, g
,,iiiS the Star man thanked Miss Morris
~ ~ the information so cheerfully given 6
" left.
,ra Some Foreign isoa ding schools
TAll the Year Round