The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-06-18

The following extracts are made from letter
from South Carolina lady, which appears ia
the New York Evening Post of last week.
Those who were in the South during the war do
not need to be told that the scene of suffering,
self denial, and patient courage so wildly de-
scIibed by ,"Violet" was and is the daily expe-
rience of hundreds Of other sorrowing Southern
| women:
| -, S. c., May Is, 1867.
With US it was two years before the actual
pressure of want was felt. We bad twenty six
souls to support, besides our own family, and the
| time at length came when We had absolutely no
! provisions left.
| Before this we had left our beautiful home,
and had come to place appropriately named
ozark Corner" Here the inhabitants looked
upon as aristocrats, with suspicious and dis
tant demeanor. And the day came, ally,
that we had not corn for the morrow. We had
no money but the Confederate, and this had
fallen SO low that provisions could with great
difficulty be bought with it at any price.
My little brothers chung around me, aud fol-
lowed my every footstep as walked musing up
and down the piazza; yet they we're silent. An
! impression of griee aud terror weighed even up
on their childish minds. l could see through
the window that my father sat still at the table,
| his head bowed upon his hands.
For myself, ] felt but little fear. My con-
science did not Eeproach me that in the days Of
my prosperity had forgotten my God, or aban-
doned my duty. felt that He who feedeth
the ravens would not forget US and was calm.
heard gentleman passing along the street
say to another, 'He is exchang ing salt for gold
and silver"
Without hesitating one instant, without wait
ing to put on my bonnet, ran down the gar
den walk to the gate which they were passing.
| Ihau hat | lad off
them. They instantly turned back. I saw at
one glance that they were gentlemen. "Ex-
cuse me, | faltered, "but heard you say that
some one will give salt for gold and silver We
can get provisions for salt; we have none IN the
| house" .-.s 70
owe are very much pleased to be OF service
to lady" replied one of the gentlemen, taking
off his hat; "there is an agent here from Char
lesion, who is barterng salt and rice for gold
| watches and silver plate. He sends these ar.
ticles through the blockade in lieu Of money
| We traverscd a few squares almost III silence,
and came to the Office of the agent. 1t was
| filled with men. Some of them I was acqnaint-
ed with They knew who 1 was. Oh! how
my cheeks burned; but went on. The agent
directed me into more private room. The
two gentlemen who had constituted themselves
my protectors accompanied There were
some countrymen sitting around the room. One
gave me seat. All were staring at me. The
| agent came 10 and told him that [ had gold
and silver to exchange for provisions. He
looked at me with some astonishment-l sup
pose to see so young lady venture there.
unfastened from my side an elegant gold watch,
for which my father had given one hundred and
seventy Eve dollars. "What is it worth?"
said He examined it and replied awe will
give you thousand dollars, in salt and pro-
| visions.
Il will take it, answered. But rice was
dollar pound, salt thirty dollars bushel, corn
ten dollars q bushel | selected twenty bushels
of salt, because salt was then popular currency
This came to six hundred dollars. Que hun
dred pounds of rice came to another hundred
dollars. Flour, corn and meat, in very mode
rate quantity for so many persons took up all
the thousand dollars.
Glow long will you remain here?" asked
"But few days; We opened yesterday, and will
soon 90 Oh farther"
81 will part with some silver, also, them" 1
continued -..
I sent home my eldest brother, and he soon
returned with three dozen silver spoons and a
silver lade. For these / received order on
some stores, not yet arrived, for twelve hundred
dollars more, 10 provisions.
! But though these sums may sound very large,
three months provisions for the 81 persons
for whom | was accustomed to provide, except
in the article Of salt. l knew this, and thought
of It, even on the way home.
| Finally made compact with the servants
that We should continue to provide them houses,
and to pay expenses Of sickness, should such
occur, and that they should, on these conditions,
try to support themselves and their own fami-
lies
Three servants remained about US, and these
see MED to me an astonishinsly small number.
Our household seemed very small and our ex-
penses much diminished. .a..- F..
AT length our supplies were again exhausted
l-agaln walked the piazza, and considered
| that We had not another meal in the house.
Confederate money could no longer purchase
provisions at all. The country people had ceased
to bring any to market And again Providence
opened to US asource of supply. country
woman stopped at the gate, with half bushel
of potatoes, and pair of squirrels. These she
offered for some gunpowder. | had some, and
| eagerly made the exchange.
During the Summer after the surrender We
bad absolutely no of subsistence but by
selling the salt which remained and our cloth
ing. -~-z-4az-.---s .---a.s-.se- ez-.-.
The first things which went were my poor
mothers stock of baby clothing. Ny father wept
when lie saw me compelled to part with them.
Butt felt as though tears would unman me, l
would not give way. He knew that necessity
compelled me to choose these, rather than those
articles which wearing, and which we
would not be able to renew. l kissed him many
times, and led him up stairs without word.
| received once twenty chickens for an en-