The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-14

"NAs AAAhbUIlbb OF Dablleb GNhN oANSSsi VI HNAH
cesses and defeats, of dangers by land and sea,
were those with which the Confederate reader
was usually entertained. But in our miSerles
and misfortunes we we're frequently cheereC
by merciful visits from the MUSES., who, pick
ing their way through the blockade, and run
nlng the gauntlet of lines of battle, and
ignoring whizzing balls and bursting, cracking
shell, would sing lullaby to anxious fears, or
inspire strains Of patriotism. The war poetry
Of the South would do credit to and would be
proudly claimed by any nation.
Romance was little INDUCED. There was
neither the time nor the means for it. The
appearance of "Macaria," " from the eloquent
pen of Miss Evans, of Mobile, was welcome
exception to the literature of the times.
few books struggled to us through the
blockade. "Joseph tie Second and his Court, >"
and Victor HGgo's "Les Mis6rables," " afforded
us the Eost pleasurable recreation and enjoy
inent, and added a charming variety to our
reading. A few original novelettes appeared,
but there was little literary endeavor. Mental
improvement was pursued under difficulties
well-nigh unconquerable.
FASHION.
1t was not in the power of the ladies of Rich
mond to manufacture their domestic dresses,
as did the ladies in other parts of the South,
but they became proficient in making their
ing and mending and careful :. brush
ings and cleansing) appear quite as well as
they wished in the situation in which we were
placed. Luxurious dressing was altogether
given up, and for neatness, taste, elegance,
and refinement, even under the Confederate
dress, the Southern women would compare
favorably with those who never for moment
were shut out from the world of fashion and
indulgence.
Ill.
made hats, their homespun coats, or well-worn
broadcloth, brushed until the threadbare ap-
pearance indicated the length of time in which
it had been in service, or better, the coarse
Confederate grey was the fashionable dress of
the Southern gentleman.
DINNERS AND DIET.
Our style of living was quite as simple as
our dress. Hotels and boarding houses, in
consequence of the high prices and scarcity of
provisions, had ceased to furnish table d'i6te.
and keeping apartments was the fashiona-
BILE mode of living in Richmond. "We are
living in the Paris style," did not mean, how
ever, the luxury of a suite of magnificent
apartments where could be served to you all
the delicacies and luxuries of the season, but
generally the renting of a single room, which
served at the same time the purposes of
kitchen, dormitory, and parlor for the lucky
family that could secure even such comfort
able accommodations The simple dinner was
cooked i'll a saucepan on the CRATE, and often
consisted only of potatoes and q very small
quantity of meat and bread, varied with occa-
sionally fowl and tea.
AT weddings we were served with unfrosted
cake, and drank the health of the fair bride in
domestic wine, if wine at all could be procured
We knew nothing of dyspepsir, and the thou
sand ailments of an overcharged stomach were
unheard of. We practised a compulsory
system of ''Banting," and amused ourselves
at the many laughable, yet instructive, incon-
venlenees to which we were subjected When
invited to breakfast with an intimate friend,
the inducement to accept the kind invitation
was frequently, "I'll give you a cup of nice
pure coffee;" and for dinners we would some
times ask, "Win you give me something
sweetP (meaning dessert). eyes" ''Then
I'll come" There was something romantic,
something novel in this mode of life, and the
remembrance, though associated with much
that is painful, is on the whole rather pleasant.
Tea, sugar, wines, and all imported liquors
increased rapidly in expense as the supply
grew scarce, but not in the same ratio as
coffee, which had been in universal use at the
South-the low price at which it had been
purchased, and its stimulating and pleasant
effects, making it agreeable, necessary, and
possible for even the poorest to indulge in
its use.
The leaves of the currant, blackberry,
willow, sage, and other vegetables were dried
and used as substitutes for tea by those who
could not or did not feel justified in en-
couraging the exorbitant demands of success
full blOckade-runners and dealers in the article.
When sugar grew scarce, and so expensive
that many were compelled to abandon its use
altogether, there were substituted honey, and
the syrup from sorghum, or the Chinese
sugar-cane for all ordinary culinary purposes.
THE BREAD RIOT IN RICHMOND.
Another revelation is that of the so-called
bread riot which occurred in Richmond in the
spring of 1868. This event was limited at in
the dispatches and letters of the time, but nc
particulars were given; the Richmond press
suppressed the facts. Our author says
The rioters were represented in a hetero-
| geneous crowd of Dutch, Irish, and free ne
| groes-of men, women, and children-armed
with pistols, knives, hammers, hatchets, axes,
and every other weapon which could be made
useful in their defense, or might subserve
their designs in breaking into stores for the
| purpose of thieving. More impudent and de.
| fant robberies were never committed than
disgraced, in open light of day, and on bright
morning in spring, the city of Richmond. The
cry for bread with which this violence COM
menced was soon subdued, and instead of arti-
ces of food, the rioters directed their efforts to
stores containing dry goods shoes, ETC.
Women We're seen bending under loads of sole
leather or dragging after them heavy cavalry
boots, brandishing their huge knives, and
sWearing though apparently well fed, that
they We're dying from starvation-yet 1t was
difficult to imagine how they could mastlcate
or digest the edibles under the weight Of which
they were bending. Men carried immense