Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-16
CLARA NORRIS DAIRY
A Record of the Twelfth Year OF the
Great Actress Life
JUST DISCOVERED AT CLEVELAND.
Pathetic Story of Poverty and Ambition in
Her Own Words.
HOW SHE SUPPORTED HER MOTHER

|
In an old chest of dolls clothes and girls
playthings, covered with dust and coated
with mold, hidden away in an unused gar
ret in Cleveland, o., there has lain for
more than generation one Of the most In
teresting manuscripts in the history of the
American stage. 1t is the diary of the
great emotional actress, Clara Morris, writ
ten when she was girl of II and covering
the year in which she first went on the
stage.
This diary has Just been discovered. II
is morocco-covered memorandum book
not as large as postal card, and about an
inch thick. Clara Morris was born at
| Cleueland. When she began this diary,
she and her mother were visiting at her
grandfather's, at Pond, Portage county,
Ohio, about 80 miles from Cleveland. The
grandpa was cross, grabbed, old man, who
finally sent Clara and her mother back to
| Cleveland, and it was here that she became
| acquainted with Mr.. Ellsler, and was taken
| by him into his theater. The diary is in
every way creditabIe to Clara Morris, and
by reading between the lines, one sees much
of pathos in it.
A DUTIFUL DAUGHTER.
The terrible poverty of the family is very
apparent. Through Clara's genius, both
she and her motheri now have all that
money can purchase. At the time this diary
was written, her mother went out washing
BY the day, and the first money that Clara
received for her stage work she expended
on her mother. The greater part of her earn
ings went to the support of the family, and
in one place where she has doctor bill on
account of her i'll health, she says: II am
to pay ma back by the week."
The dairy is full of bright sayings. 1t
shows wonderful literary talent for girl
of II and in it may be seen the influences
and the mate qualities which made Clara
Morris the great emotional actress of the
United States. Clara Morris real name is
Clara Morrison, and the cover her dairy
bears the following caption:
CLARA MORRISON'S DIARY.
POND, PORTAGE COUNTY, OHIO,
"a New Years Gift)
I, myself, Clara Morrison, wish I was in
Cleveland at school.
The first week reads as follows:
Wednesday, Jan. /, 1862-Here it is, an
other New Year, and 1 sit down to write a
little. 1t was quite pleasant this morning,
but at noon it got very cold and the wind
blew dreadfully. We came out here, from
Cleveland, last Monday. am real lone
some. 1 got some presents to-day. knit
across mas scarf IL times.
Thursday, 2-It has been cold to-day and
showed some. 1t was washday, and helped
mother some. This evening did little
drawing.
Friday, SIT was very cold, and in the
afternoon 1t showed. Mother ironed. Mary
Henry came over. She is the first female
that has been here yet l am going to writ
ing school this evening. Had an introduc-
tion to lot of girls.
Saturday, 4-Mary stayed here all night.
It was cold and showed. 1 had some fried
cakes and commenced a letter for Hittie.
Mr.. Freeman went a-hunting and got three
rabbits; had to throw one away. Rapp and
four other men were here awhile.
Sunday, 5-Got up late; read some; wrote
some; finished Hittie's letter; commenced
letter to Mrs. Miller. Had a rabbit pie for
dinner-it was good.
Monday, 6-Well, here it is Monday
night. The snow is knee-deep. went to
Mrs. Henry's and got some yeast for ma,
also two books for myself I knit one
garter and part Of another.
Tuesday, Went to school. Got there a
long time before the doors were open. was
perfectly disgusted with it.
THE BOOKS SHE READ.
This is a fair specimen of the way the
diary runs. 1t is the yife of a girl of IL,
with all the variations. She notes down the
books she reads and all the little troubles
she has. Iquote the entries at random:
Saturday, Jan. 1t-Cold and snow.
Helped to do the work and went to the
woods for moss; then went to Mary's and got
a book, "Don Quixote."
Monday, 13-Cold and freezing. Went to
school. There were four scholars there. 1
guess tomorrow is the last day of school. I
am glad OF it-so is ma.
Tuesday, 14-Cold. Went to school. Two
scholars to-day. Eliza came to see if ma
would let me go; then we went down on the
pond. / excited general admiration.
Thursday, 16--Cold and clear. Went
down to the pond and tried to skate, but
made poor work of it. I borrowed book
from Alice, ''The Martyrs Wife,"
Saturday, 1S-Got up early this morning,
and while I was dressing petted Jennie
Grandpa looked at me awfully. asked
him if he knew how many times had said
"Jennie?" He said he only knew was in
sulting. He said looked defiance at him.
Sunday, 19-It thawed to-day. We got
up late and 1 had nothing to do. Read
Frank Leslie's paper again and some of
"Johu Brown" 1 don't like it much,
Tuesday, 21-Washed the dishes and
swept and went to school as usual. Had
some hard lessons. Went home with Mary
in the evening.
Wednesday, 22-Stayed with Mary II.
She brought me two of "Gody's Lady's
Books" I lent her two and she returned
'"The Orphans" brought my books home
and studied hard.
Friday, 24-Same weather as yesterday.
Took my skates to school. Went skating at
noon and had good time. Went to writing
school tonight. Borrowed "Jane Eyre" 1t
is the best book.
CLARA's CRUsTY GRANDPA.
Her crusty grandfather, who looked de-
fance at her in one of the preceding entries,
becomes more obstreperous.
Wednesday, 29-It showed and rained to-
day. put piece of leather in my calf
skin shoe so I could wear it and went to
school. Ma had quarrel with grandpa.
Thursday. 30-Went to school. Got ex-
cused little after noon and went out to
skate, but it was so rough and the wind blew
so that could not skate much. Ma stayed
in the kitchen all day and never spoke out
loud the whole evening.
Thursday, 13-The snow was deep. Went
to school, and at noon went down to the
pond to skate, and all oil US girls got our
clothes wet. In the evening Alice and I
made an agreement to tell each other what
we were doing a year hence.
Saturday, 22-Alice stayed all night with
me. did not go to school. beat George
Ford playing checkers. Went to Mary's
and am going to stay all night. Learned
cards. Ellen was there.
Thursday, 22-Went to school and had