CLARA BARTON DIARIES AND JOURNALS Mar. 13-Apr. 10, 18761876 March N. E village Monday March 13, 1876 Rained - Miss K was going to Worcester to have teeth [a?], if fine - washed. I commenced with my little log of European relief papers. Miss K helped. Tuesday 14 Miss K and Fannie Atwater went to Worcester to the dentist Mr. Harwood. had the teeth extracted, for a new set for Miss K. Vester was with them. got on well. They went to Mrs. Balcems. & staid till night. Fanny went to see Miss Adams. And invite her to come and tell us of Danville. She will come on Thursday. They returned at 6 PM at 11 AM Loraine Raymond came she remained. we tipped tables in the evening. A letter from Mamie and one from Ann [Shublu?] inviting her to come to Chambersburg - she willgo, but - wishes me to loan her the money to go with, and wants to leave her watch with me. Poor child I cannot get time to write her today. This is my first day of keeping house alone, since my illness. I have got all the meals & washed the dishes and swept. that is nearly as much as I could do when I came from England. Wednesday 15. Miss Raymond here - Miss K. recovered from her operation of yesterday - I steam and iron my Belfast papers, and a large box of old time newspaper scraps for pasting - this takes most of my strength for the day. Mr. Richards & sister called at dinner time. Note Mamie and sent her two pounds and half in English gold. £ 2 1/2 & three dols currency $ 3.- for her trip to Chambersburg March Posted the letter & registered it Expect Miss Adams tomorrow. - Thursday 16. Miss Belle Adams came at 10 1/2, left at 5 1/2 PM., bought patterns of the American costume, pants & gabrielle told me all she had to tell of Dansville, thinks it "the place to get well" - is not an enthusiast - but a calm sensible girl, looks at things in the light of reason and common sense, and I feel that I can take her reports without discount, and her opinions on trust. - A gentleman from Worcester called on Miss Raymond while we were at dinner I see she is in financial difficulties. - I handed Miss Adams on leaving an envelope containing my card and two Dollars $2.00 Friday 17- A light snow, or rather a small coarse snow fell last night and partly covered the grass.Fannie baked - I arranged the original papers from the Mayors of Belfort. Loraine assisted me - found 497 names of applicants-of Oct-22-23-24-25- 1871- no letters - wrote Terry to send crushed wheat graham & coffee--snowy day. ground well covered. sleighs out-- Saturday. 18 March-- The day is cold. Fannie irons & sweeps and Mr. Keys called and dined with us. note from Mrs Parker. Terry sent crushed wheat. Sunday 19 March Still cold. no visitors Fannie read to me. Loraine here--we had table tipping in evening--opened the packages from Terry. Crushed wheat -- lbs Graham flour " Coffee 2 " Iss..70 Monday 20. Fannie cut a Gabrielle for me from a Strasburg skirt. I arranged papers of Montbeliard. Minne took cold in a [??] of dress yesterday, and coughed all night. March 20 1876 I could not sleep and feel miserable All goes on an usual with the house - Tuesday 21 Still go on with the papers Miss K's Loraine arrange Strasburg. I have copied all the names of my work women, and then compair them with the original signitures. Fannie sews on the Gabrielle. I help. It rains very hard till middle of P.M. then clears, no one goes to P.O. it is so wet. Loraine thinks to go tomorrow. She tells me frankly she is out of money, and wants some to get to Winchendon. Wednesday 22 March Clear and cold. Miss K goes to office early, gets letter from Mrs. Gage. She has had new attacks of paralysis, can only now write with a pencil. Poor dear Mamie Gage! Loraine does not go, as she gets no letters. I wash my laces, and do up my real lace colar. Miss K & Lorainstill compare signatures. The season looks as far advanced as I did last year when we came here the last of April. I wonder if I can get ready for Danville by that time this year. I spend a part of the PM in conversation with Loraine. I can do nothing for her, she is past advice , and must go her own way; Thursday, March 23. Clear. Fine. I have scarcely slept at all. Minnie coughed all night. I am getting worn out with it. Loraine will leave at noon I make an attack on her absurd dress, and nearly compel her to lay aside a belt of 4 to 5 inches wide which she persisted in wearing about her ponderous body like an ulster coat. Fannie took in the seams to fit her form. I put ink on the worn spots and she looked more respectable. She had no money to get away with. I handed her my purse containing all I had in the house, and told her to take what she must have, and mercifully leave me the rest to feed myself and my household on the next month, as I could get no more till May. I had very little left after all the drains I had had, and no response from Vene from whom I have not heard a word since he was to send me 100 dolls March 1st. She took 5 dolls, wanted more, but as that was almost half I had she could not deacently take more, at 12 she left - for Worcester & Winchendon, poor Loraine; before she left Mrs. Balcome came to spend the PM, she brought me three beautiful presents from Marion - viz an Album of silver perforated paper wrought in blue and gold silk - a tidy of worsted wrought on damask & a card case for the wall - perforated paper wrought with scarlet worsted, and one for Minnie like it - they are beautiful gifts, and beautifully done. She is an industrious little girl. I don't knowwhat return I can make her for such thoughtfulness. Mrs. B left at 6 - we had a fire in the parlor & sat there during her stay - after she left one of my Swiss pictures fell (from a broken cord) from over the mantle to the floor carrying along with it one of my large yellow lamps and singularly doing no damage beyond a broken lamp chimney. The picture fell on its face, but did not even crack the glass. It seemed a miracle - that it could do so - I propose to Minnie to sleep by herself and let me be alone to see if I can get a little sleep once more - Friday, Mar. 24 Slept better and felt refreshed, had a good day. Weather fine - I pasted scraps - helped strengthen picture cords, as the picture fell last night from a fly eaten cord. Fannie put all my wardrobe out doors, and after dinner we folded them all for packing. I got tired & took a little cold and did not sleep as 1876 - March 25 = Saturday A snow storm. I commenced to paste scraps but the 10 AM train brought Vene Gleason who had been at Danielsenville 15 days, arranging for his insurance money which he says he shall get. He tells me of his new hotel, full every room, 130 guests. He brought me One Hundred Dolls. $100 which had been promised as back interest on the 1st of the month. His mishap by fire had delayed its arrival. The ground is covered some inches with snow. Vene left at 3 PM for Washington. Sunday 26. No company wrote letters. Mrs Gage - to Providence for Mrs. Hunt - who is presenting a claim for hospital services during the war - I filed my reply with the letter of Mr Page who wrote in her behalf. Wrote some other letters of less importance. The water is very high, and great fears are entertained for the dam above us, it gives indications of bursting and if so, our village must be inundated. The men workedall night to save it. It is expected the lower mill would be swept away, in case of a break. Monday 27. Washing done, a large wash but out in good time. The day changable. I worked on Strasbourg receipts Miss K. helped me some. I also ripped my serge dress (olive green) with the view of making it into a Gabrielle. Tuesday 28. Ironing. I felt very badly think I must have had a chill last night I slept so badly. I have told Miss K. of my intention to go to Dansville. She seems not to be pleased at it, or at something and it depresses me exceedingly. I can not help her out of her unhappiness for I have no means of knowing if she is grieved or offended. I only know that such weeping eyes and persistent silence are worse than positive illness for me - they take my sleep, and reduce me faster than either over work or colds - March 29, Wednesday 29. Had the pieces produced of my serge dress, to commence making it up, when I found I had near six yard of new, it seemed a pity to make it into so small a thing as a Gabrielle, and I had Fanny dress it [over?], dampen & press it and decided to send it to Mrs. Balcome & Marion for a dress for one of them - it looks as well as when I had it and I had only worn it a few days. I think it will make a good suit for one of them. Elvira had the mate to it. I took home enough for two dresses, or one beside mine, thinking Poor Sally and I would have them alike, but she never had hers, and I did not want mine I am glad I have some one to give it to who will receive it gratefully & tenderly as I know Mrs. Balcome will - In the afternoon I work on receipts and had a call from Mrs Lindley for whom I had sent to ask her to helpme to a sewing machine. She thinks perhaps she can let me have hers. I forgot to say that yesterday I had a call from Rev. Mr. Sargent of the Bap- tist church, a feeble man with one lung nearly gone, pale, slender, but pleasant and intelligent, I enjoyed his call although it was my weak & bad day. Thursday 30 April weather = fine -rain-snow - fine again &c &c - have not slept well. We make up the package for Mrs. Balcome & Fanny took it to Mr Darenport to take up. I recd a card from Wilcox asking how I am and a letter from Mrs. H. L. Cook of Elk Point - Dakota Teritory - she was Miss Bogard - a Mrs Wood of Minnesota when I knew her, in 1857. When I was there with poor Sally & [Gesing] - we had corresponded for some time then lost sight of each other, until now when she had found me by writing to Oxford Post office and got my address from the P. M. She seems to be a dress maker & milliner, and her letter bears a fashionable & costy heading of her business I felt rebuked that she had been so much more faithful in her remembrance and persevering in keeping up the acquaintance than I had. I have worked all the PM on the Belfort signitures, and begin to see my way through. My scraps are all cut and placed in my new scrap book loose, not yet pasted, and will not be till I go. When the foreign bills are rendered. I shall have only my bills to arrange, and then can attend to the packing & removing - Miss Lindly will lend her sewing machine - this will help us on - There is great consternation in Wor- cester over the fear of the bursting of the reservoir dam located in Leicester They are clearing the track of the Black- stone of people & property as fast aspossible leaving the buildings mills &c to their fate. Friday 31. The catastrophy so feared has taken place. The reservoir dam has given way. The torrent rushed down through Cherry Valley. New & South Worcester carrying in its course nearly every mill on the stream, and many dwelling houses. No lives are thought to be lost. the stream has rushed on to Millbury doing great damage to the RR in its track. The water as it rushed through Cherry Valley was said to have been Forty feet deep, and carrying huge rocks and trees with it. Lorraine Reymond came & spent the day. Mrs. Narrington came to say that Lydia Wilder wanted to know when she could come to see me, Sat April 1st 76 Arranged my black silk fitting it to a low band. Wrote Mrs. Wilder read letter from Prof Thace Sunday April 2nd Beautiful day. Went to walk in the orchard with Mamie, warm as summer. Jerry came while we were out staid to dinner. Davis Hall & wife called staid till 5 1/2 pleasant call. I am downstairs all day. Get very tired & take a little cold sitting in cool room after walking. The particulars of the inundation are constantly coming. George Olneys house and Wright Bottomly Mill are swept away and its stones of the dam weighng tons carried nearly or quite to new Woncaster. It is thought the city of Worcester will be held liable for the damage as they had been warned of the danger - and knew the dam leaked - This day is too fine for the season & must be supplemented tomorrow by a stormApril 1st Omitted --Miss Kieffer resumes her work for me, but to sew, not the house work. She has had a vacation of the month of March. April 3 Monday We make a black silk skirt of old flounces and an old skirt for me to wear temporarily through the spring-- our success if wonderful with it all done in a day, and good & pretty. Tuesday the day was rainy, wind N.E. at evening it snowed continuing all night. The most severe storm of the winter. The snow at bed time was in drifts over the top of our fence. The wind blew fiercely. [Tuesday crossed out] Wednesday April 5 Wind still N.E. the ground covered like winter, sleighs out, path shoveled, remained all day. We ripped and arranged old edie's dresses and linen have them nearly ready for machine the day came of fine snow disappeared greatly. No company-read letters April 5, Wednesday read letters from Col Richard Stine telling me he had read mine and how much he had read to his friends and also tell- ing me of some Bartons near him whose names are Ira, David, Sarah &c. Letter from Marion Balume acknowledging the receipt of the dress which her mother will make for her self. April 6, Thursday. Fine snow nearly gone, washed wrapper, had bad luck with a painted [??] am disgusted, wont try to help do any thing more. Guess it isn't right. Afternoon. Ironed the wrapper, and find it as good as new, cut it over onto a pretty gabrielle and cut also a low black silk waist for my satin quilted skirt. am getting on well with my work. April 7. Friday Beautiful red sky in the east-- at 10 1/2 Mrs. Baleme came to pass the day just before her arrival, Mr. A.O. Blood of North Brookfield came to sell me a book by Dr.Hartwig. "Polar & Tropical worlds" price 4.75. I did not subscribe. then but he said my name would be of use to him, and if I would give it he would never bring me the book until I sent for it, which I promised to do if I felt able to possess it, and I promised to send him a letter of recommendation of the work-- Mrs. Balcome had been annoyed by a question asked her by Annie Childs. She had called at Annie's rooms, and Annie had questioned her in relation to me, and my family. how long Miss Atwater had been here, what she was doing, if I had much sewing done. if I had a machine, and when Mrs. Balcome told her I had hers a few weeks she asked with some apparent concern, "She paid you for the use of it, didn't she?" Mrs. Balcome replied that she "certainly did." That "Miss Barton would not wish to make anything off from her," and left the room. She felt so badly finding the remark not only so uncalled for and out of place in Annie, but also pointing to an unfriendly Spirit--especially when Annie had the habit of calling me "Cousin Clara" That Mrs. Balcome could not rest and came down to ask what reply she should make to such remarks if she was to meet them. She had never heard a "lisp" from me that every person among my acquaintances she would be likely to meet in Worcester were not as friendly as possible and the "quizzing" astonished her. She had evidently had a cry over it, as a new revelation. I tried to calm her and pass it off lightly. I am so sorry Annie has so little tact; whether her remarks are dictated by interest, or curiosity it would be better to cloth them a little or omit them. She harms herself by them. --Mrs. Balcome left at 6 P.M. after a pleasant days visit.-- Friday. April 7 Sewed all day. not very fine, at evening Miss Huata read. Telegram from her employer at Westfield calling her back at once to her post She was puzzled to know what to do, but as she had decided to bake tomorrow she could not go at oncebut considered her best plan= I left her perfectly free to act as she thought best. I neither held out inducements to remain or to return if she went, but left her free in all respects. I believe I have forgotten to note the receipt of a letter from Col Stone telling me of some Bartens in Bunker Hill, among whom the names of Ira and David are prominent, and Sarah also. A letter form Mamie tonight - she has not yet gone to Chambersberg. I wrote her at once to be posted and go to her tomorrow morning. I did not urge her to come to see me before her journey as she complains of being already tired & ill. I told her to save all her strength for her journey if she felt that she should need it, and not waste it in a visit to me. I would wait - in all good feeling- Saturday April 8th Fannie baked a large baking of bread, gingerbread pudding, ginger snaps & doughnuts, decided she would go to Westfield that PM, stay two weeks work out her notice and return. She took her little box nearly empty - and left at 3:14 by train- Sunday April 9, 1876 Day fine but windy - a few patches of snow where the drifts had been highest. The birds have nearly all returned and in spite of north winds it is spring. Miss Keiffer and I are once more alone. I take the day to write letters as my folio is getting burdened. We have a fire in the parlor all his week and find he room so sunny white and cheerful one cannot help being happy Ky is in perfect keeping with the room, white & happy she walks over all the tables & desks, inspects any thing and seats herself deliberately in front of the large Mirror which rests on the table. She has a great fancy for setting in front of the glass - and really seems to admire herself. She has great found her little paper bag of dried catnip and rolls over with it on the floor in an agony of delight, eating and purring as she can find time - Our Kitty "pays"- I write a recommendation for A.O. Blood " letter to Mrs HL Wood, Dakota " L K.H. Mileux Wash. " Terry Learned - rent - $2.00 Posted cards to Mrs. Gage & Col Stone returned "Laws of Health" - Belle Adams, WorcesterApril 9,1876 Sunday- continued Mrs. Goodrich called at dusk- we sat in the parlor She was as talkative as usual, and knows all the news of the village speaks discouragingly of the prospects of the Daven- ports. that they have little ready money. their cows are not paid for. Willey has left under painful circumstances and it is feared "gone to sea" And that a young brother of Mrs. Knowls has got into trouble and is liable to imprisonment - &c &c. I am so glad I know so little of the affairs of the neighborhood. Our house is a quiet and undisturbed as a castle - that re- minds me of an entertainment I had this PM from Miss K. - she has drawn from our recent snow storm a fairytale which he wrote & read to me this PM. it will be a match I think for "Kelly's own Story" and may perhaps find its way to some newspaper. I shall try for Frank Leslie through Prof Phau - indeed I commenced a letter to him and was significantly interrupted by the the reading of the new story. April 10. Monday. 1876 Fine - cool. - washing - Miss K posts my letters and brings back a pack -age of papers from Armenia N.Y. which contain the article from the N.Y. mail + exceedingly well rendered in fine type and headed. It seems as if that article was bound to live & "go on forever."