Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-04-18
Clara Norris and Her Husband.

1 never loved Mr.. Harriet, but I
looked up to him as man in whom l
might have confidence and respect. I
did not marry him for money, for l
thought he had merely good business
not that he was wealthy. l desired
to settle down, to become somebody in
O social world outside the eternal work
and anxiety of q theatre. Probably two
more ill.assorted beings never were
paired. To this day he is an enigma
to me. He has good qualities, and l
can see in him good traits which, APP
parently, nobody else can see but he
is. nevertheless, the opposite of myself.
am warm-hearted and impulsive. He
is cold, phlegmatic, Indifferent and
sometimes almost forbidding in his de-
meanor toward me. Above all, he IS
selfish, and appears to think no more of
me than of some useful article that can
be used to bring in 80 much q week.
Such a life is killing me. l feel that
am gradually growing discouraged, and
that, sick as l am at times, this weight
is the most potent in bearing me down.
I shall not leave Mr.. Harriott, not be-
cause I ought not but for the sake OF
the worlds opinion. have taken my
burden, and shall bear it. must act.
If did not, heaven only knows what
would become of us. His business does
not pay, and my earnings go to keep 1t
up. And yet l am unfit to act. am
never out of suffering. Never night
passes that l go on the stage that do
not feel would sooner die than end
the play. AS 1 sit here, am in agony
enough to break down any ordinary
woman.
Many a time have I been lying on my
bed wondering if could live another
hour in such pain, and he has come and
urged me, almost forced me to go to
the theatre, in spite of the most strenu-
Gus orders of my physician. And then
1 am reproached by both the press and
public for Stimulating sickness to make
myself interesting. How little they
know Clara Morris How little they
are aware of the eternal struggle of my
life, battling on through calumny and
opposition, yet always ready to do my
work always taking the abuse in good
part and submitting to it. 1 never felt
I could hate my husband until he told
some Boston woman VINO WrObo 10 tue
Sun that made his life miserable, and
that I was worn out, physically and
mentally for nobody knows my life
better than he does, and no one is
aware how 1 have struggled for him
better than himself. am nothing but
his chattel-his property. / feel that
he looks upon me as no use if play to
poor business it is not the business
| that terrifes me, but what he will say
at my drawing no more money. In
Philadelphia recently, the business of
the week opened only fairly-probably
better than any other house in town,
but still only fairly. He never spoke a
word to me that week until Friday,
when there was large house, and then
he came to my dressing room, spoke to
me affectionately, and wanted to know
if there was anything he could do for
me. How can / be expected to care for
such man? Yet. I do not suppose
that he realizes to himself that notice
all this or feel anything about it. I
know can't be alone in these feelings,
and that other people see him as do.
Her Statement to the Dramatic Ne,cs.