Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-08-18
Blankets for our SOIdIer..--HOw 10 Get
Them and How 10 ssFix'5 Them.

Them ind How TO saffX0 Them.
We find the following communication in the Co
lumbus (Ga) Sun. It's suggestions are worthy Of
consideration:
II is perfectly well understood that our soldiers
in Virginia must have blankets this writer or hun
dreds OF them must perish. Now blankets IN guam
tity are not be had, even for money. But they may
be for l0Ue. Thus:
This morning at q merchants counter, ! saw 4
lady buvipg calico 70 make comforts" "IOu are
going to send those comforts to the sOldiers:'
asked "Non said she, Il am making them for my
selfD This set me back little but wentin again.
"Aud how about the soldiers." II am going 10 send
them ma blankets" was the answer, much to my
ratification Now, it is certain that we can get
along with comforts" and if we will part with
our blankets there will be enough and no lack, till
England and France rip up the blockade.
But why not send the comfort" to the soldiers,
and keep the blankets ourselves. Because: lst
A comfort is too heavy and bungling 70 be car
ried on a soldiers back I'd. Being made Of cotton
and very thick, when once wet through it would
REQUIRE several days good weather to get them dry
Often wet spell lasts from ten days to two weeks.
during all of which time the comfort would be
more like mush-poultice than q bedspread. The
fact ia scomfOrts0 won't do for soldiers. You
needn't undertake It.
Now how can a good blanket be .maie2 A com
mon blanket can be made equal to three or four BY
the following simple process:
Take brown paper, not heavy, so much IS strong
and tough, paste the sheets together TO make a
large sheet the size Of the blanket, (the pastiRg
breaks the Joints and it is convenient 10 han
die one large sheet than half dozen small ones,
when you come to sew it down. next, varnish the
paper with COpal Grecian varnish and let II dry
hOrOuqhly; next, make sheet OF hOmespun or cali
co same size of the blanket. Now qult the three
together strong and fast the PAPER IN the middle,
blanket at the bottom, and homespun on top. The
quilting need not be very fine or small stitch say
in rows six inches apart, right and left Cor from
side to side) the rows crossing each other and
forming squares inches to the side The stitches
need not be less than quarter Of an inch long IS
the fewer holes made the better but the thread and
sewing ought TO be frStrate Lastly sew up Wen
around the edges.
OI[siIk would be better than psper. but it is not
TO be had, and is very costly. Some think It would
answer to varnish the hOmespun and omit the
paper but il won't. Ihave tried It
A blanket made as above would be light, plant,
and durable and equal to three or foiT common
blankets not thus prepared. Some people viii
laugh at the paper, and cry it won't do But II
will fer the blanket on one side and the homespun
on the other, prevents rubbing or straln upon the
paper, and the paper thoroughly excludes the air
and water. Ia using this blanket the cotton side
Is the osqter side If lit gets wet, the water cannot
go through the paper and the cotton side Is soon
dried.
Now for the philosophy Of the subject; blank
of depends for its warmth, not upon its weight or
thickness but its clOseness Of texture, and eOnSe
ouent capacity to keep the cold air from coming in
and the heat Of the body from going out. l slept
one night lin astrait) under piano cover made Of
cotton and coated with India rubber. The night
was cold but the pisnO-eOver soon put me in pers-
piratlon. and had to lift corner Of it to admit
the cool air.
Again why is it that no amount Of cover viii keep
Won warm. unless it be ''well tucked ing' Because
If YOU leave creviee The cold air comes in and soon
chiils the air under the covering. good mother a.
trGyS tueks The children IN.
One more suggestion and / have done. In var
nishiDg large sheet of paper, the best plan Is to
tack it to the side Of house. and there let the sun
shine upon it till dry One hours time is sufhclent
one coat only is needed two makes the paper sun
and brittle and prevents 1t from being easily folded
and easily tucked I. W. l..
P. S.-The preparation Of the paper might oe
made business Of itself Il is very lrconVenlSnss
for individuals to prepare the paper many =.
buy it if to be had, who cannot take Inc uOuois ~
prepare it themselves.
GlennViIle, Alabama, August 3, 1901.