Buy this book on-line

RETTA CRAIGHEAD [later TINCHER] : 1912 - 1929 HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT DIARY OF A GILDED AGE FEMME FATALE

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is the original handwritten manuscript diary of a young woman named of Retta Craighead [sometimes identified in the press as Craghead]. The diary covers her life during the years of 1912 to 1929, from the time she was about 16 or 17 until she was 33 or 34. One hundred pages of entries in this 7" x 9" book make for a detailed telling of this fascinating woman's life and along with the handwritten entries Retta has peppered the pages with newspaper clippings revealing that Retta is socially active and in a family whose every bridge game, soiree, slumber party at Neva Brandyberry's, fundraiser and ribbon-cutting ceremony is printed in the local Boulder newspaper. Even when she travels to a friend's home in another state the doings are press fodder. But from happy-go-lucky teenager she enters womanhood disappointed and angry. She will not be returning to her beloved friends at school her Father insists she tells us. No warning and she is instead doomed to be a teacher which she detests. This diary has so many levels. The reader learns that the girl becomes a woman and a 'femme fatale' at that; Retta is engaged two times but never seems to get married to any of the young men she talks about. [There is also a hint of a scandalous affair with a married man.] Then all of a sudden in 1921 she says she's been married now 4 years but says there are things she wishes she could say but doesn't. Towards the end of the diary we do not find any mention of Hugh, the man she married save for his leaving. Sadly her heart gets broken many times but she never leaves out her heartfelt feelings and always expresses her deepest emotions. This is a rare peek into the heart and soul of a young Colorado woman during the Gilded Era, this is a diary heartache and heartbreak. The other wonderful facet of this intriguing diary is that our diarist is an exceptional writer and besides using the diary as a confidant and catalogue of her emotional life we see Retta write super passages about the city of Chicago which is a city much in her life of those years. Additionally as our author is from Boulder, Colorado and the details about her life there are also quite simply super. Lastly she spends time attending school in Eugene at the University of Oregon, although her entries while in Eugene are brief. She does not write daily and some times Retta skips a month and in the later years she skips a few years but she jams the pages full with detail. Blithely, when she does miss and then starts anew she calls it "A New Leaf." Here are snippets: 1912 'February 23rd, Left school at 4 and had dinner at Mrs. P.'s then got my dress and met Ruth and went to Friday Musical club meeting. Then came home and took my dress and showed it to Agnes. Then had an early supper. Then hurried trying to get roses made for my hair then finally got dressed and Clint took me to the Sophomore German dance and O dear had the grandest time. It was awfully crowed. Got home about 2. Had such a time on the car, it was so awfully crowded." (A newspaper clipping places the party at Sternberg Hall.) 1913 "June 25th, I have not been keeping this diary but tomorrow I'm going to Chicago. I'm 20 years old and engaged to be married. Father has bought us a new car and we sure do enjoy it. Billy came over home from Lupton but we are so busy packing. Bill came up and took me to town and then had dinner. Then Ethel and I went to town and met him and we went and bot the tickets. Billy and I went to the house and to got the car and then he took me to Helen Lowter's reception. Billy and I took a long ride out in the country….(she then goes on to say)…I forgot to record the farewell scene so I will proceed to do it on this page. After said ride with dad and mama, Billy and I strolled out on the second terrace to the summer house and sat down. Heaving a sigh that tore off 7 shingles. Then a heart rendering silence. At last Billy very sadly announced that he'd try to have the shingles on ere I return. There being nothing else to say, we fell on each others neck and wept tears of brimey sorrow and parted. Billy promised to write every three hours." "June 26th, We left Boulder at 6:45. Mother and father took us to the station. Billy stayed in Boulder so we 3 went to Brighton to catch the Chicago Train….." "June 27th, Still very hot but arrived in Chicago at 4:30 and got up to Y.W. C.A. without much trouble. Registered and had supper then a bath and then to bed." "June 29th, Breakfast at 8 and then I laid down on the bed and slept until 11. We intended to go to church. Then we dressed for dinner. After dinner wrote a letter then we met a woman who goes with us so we went to Jackson Park and saw sail boats and people swimming in Michigan Lake. There is a lagoon and the prettiest bridges across it. Not kept very well. We did not go thru the Field's building, a building Fields bot after the World's Fair 20 years a go and just parts of the displays in Chicago to his museum. We had ice cream in the Ill building. They are not pretty. Came back to the Y.W…." "July 1st, Got up and had to hurry so fast to get to breakfast then Mrs. Hood and I went to the business part of the city and shopped all morning. Came back to Y.W. for luncheon then at 2:30 went down and crossed the Van Buren Viaduct and over to the Olympian games. They are nothing more than just plain track meets. Then came back to Y.W. Saw suffrage parade, practiced a while then dinner and then wrote home letters and went to P.O. for a walk. Came back and sat in the hall window and saw the boats on the lake. They are so pretty." (She then talks about enrolling at Chicago Music College.) "July 5th, Went on the Christopher Columbus to Milwaukee. Left Chicago at 9:45. The boat was rather crowed but Oh! so grand on the water which was blue green and all different shades. It was so pretty. Got to Milwaukee at 3 p.m. Then we went to Palm Garden and had dinner. They were so slow we just had time to get back to the boat which left at 5 p.m. Coming back the sunset was so pretty. The sun looked like a big ball of fire and made such a pretty sunset and so many pretty clouds. The boat had lunch and café' rooms and we could see land on one side but on the other side just water and beautiful waves. My first boat trip I shall never forget it." "July 8th, Practiced all morning……..Went to go to dinner to "King Joy Lo" A fountain in the center of the first floor with gold fish and clear water. The tables were inlaid with ivory with a dark material. We ate on the first balcony tables just for two. Had chop suey. There was music through the entire evening and Japanese men as managers and waiters. They just seemed to bring things out of the wall. I couldn't figure out where the kitchen was. Then from there we went to the ______hotel. Oh it was grand. They had the ladies waiting room on the 2nd floor and lounge chairs and everything in soft velvety red. I sat down at the writing desk and wrote some cards. Then we went to the P.O. and from there to a Hippodrome, it was quite funny, we laughed……" (At this point in the diary she gives an extensive description (2 ½ pages long) of her trip to Wabash County; Evanston, Wilmette, and Kenilworth. She mentions North Western University, the Home of Francis Willard and so much more. There is also a Garrick Theatre Program pasted to the pages.) "July 24th, Practiced all morning and read in the afternoon, then went to the city. Then after dinner we went to Groves then we walked down to the lake. Oh! so beautiful. There is something so inspiring about the water and as it came in the waves rushed and made such a little rumbling sound so dear. I love it; don't believe I'd ever tire of the lake. Then we went back to the house and they served us refreshments. Then Dr. and Jessie brought us home. We passed P_____ Palmer house a big millionaire's home. Also a different part of the famous Sheridan road and right close to the lake. Oh, it was such a beautiful clear day in the morning. I looked over the lake for the longest time. The pretty green and blue shades and way off there is a lighthouse and the lighthouses can't be seen most days. In the evening when we were coming home we passed apartment houses that rent for $100." (She also goes into the Blackstone hotel and describes that and has pasted an envelope from the hotel to the pages of her diary. There is mention of the Field's & Company store, The Tiffany room, Moody's Church, etc. She takes a trip to Niagara Falls and Toronto and describes that trip also in detail. Finally towards the end of her stay in Chicago she takes another trip to Decatur to visit and stay with a friend.) "August 5th, Getting ready for the party. It was a grand success. Then went to the picture show with the bunch." (There are several newspaper clipping attached to this page that talk all about the party on this day, one of them says; "It was a very congenial circle of eighteen girl friends whom Miss Neva Brandyberry invited to her home yesterday afternoon to meet her friend, Miss Retta Craighead of Boulder Colo. The girls brought their sewing, and while some busied themselves with their needles, others played and sang. The time passed all too swiftly, until 6 o'clock, when a two course luncheon was provided. Ferns and the pungent nasturtium were used in the room decorations." "August 18th, Got up early and packed my suit case and dressed then went downstairs and Gerladine was quite sick. The Dr. came while I was eating and said "Scarlet Fever" and for me to skip if I didn't want to be put in quarantine but Mr. Pax never took me to the train at 8 and was so lonesome. Got to Wolscott at 11 and went to hotel and ate dinner. Got to Chicago at 5 and went to Y.W.C.A." "August 21st, Got up at 5, dressed and at 6 took a car to Union station. Bought my ticket then Harry came and we had breakfast and I left for Portland at 7. Such a dirty time. Got there at 11 and cousin Molly met me and

Bibliophile Bookbase for antiquarian books, maps and prints.