The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-09-08
A WOMAN CONQUEROR OF THE HARD
TINES.

Charleston IS. CO. News and Courier
At the request of several subscribers, VA
reproduce the article, giving an extract
of the "plucky widows" letter to Col
d. Wyatt Aiken, the original
of which has aroused 50 much sympathy
for this brave lady in her struggle to SUP.
port her family.
TRUE PLUCK.
While every section of our great coun,
try has been crying out hard time" for
the past four years, we question whether
the majority of southern farmers have
comparatively suffered sufficiently to
know the true meaning of the words,
hard times" Men who have worked
and made those around them work, have
thus far weathered the storm with but
tew privations. Others, tits true may
have worked and harvested literally, but
unfortunately not knowing what is the
meaning of practical economy, have, per-
haps, spent faster than they made, and
hence have become, annually mere and
more reduced in this worlds goods.
Then there were those who knew nothing
of labor in former years, and since the
war have yielded to the pressure of the
times and been reduced to want. This
has been the fate of many southern fami-
lies of as good blood az ever coursed
through human veins, and these natural
born gentlemen aud ladiesare to be pitied
in their poverty. Their former lives
were not calculated to prepare them to
battle against the trials that cruel war
has brought upon them. But they are
really admirablein their present destitute
condition, for not a murmur escapes one
of them. Occasionally there crops out
from among this class an individual whose
pluck cal but excite the admiration of
all who him Or her. And justsuch
a person is a lady acquaintance of Col. D.
W. Aiken, on the lower coast of South
Carolina, with whom b ehashad some cor
respondence latterly. and who wrote as
follows on the 18th of June:
II am living On a single acre of land,
which I expect to buy if l ever can raise
the money; price fifty dollars. This acre
| have had plowed, for which I paid, and
with a wheelbarrow, chip manure and
rotted pine straw, I, myself, have made
so many Irish potatoes that after grab
bing for six weeks to supply MY table,
where z and nine children sit regularly,
I have in the past few days dug over three
barrels. / have corn taller than my head,
early COW peas, tomatoes turning, okra
in bloom, and had over one hundred
head of beautiful young cabbage, some
squashes and cueumbers destroyed by
my neighbours pigs. Iamnot in despair,
however, for as soon as my friends finish
setting out their slips I will buy enough
for quite a patch, and pay for them in
labor returned by working on thesewing-
machine. Some persons cay | am fanatl-
cal. Be it SO: better than gadding about
and consuming precious time in idle.
ness. | am quite Indifferent to
the taunts / hear of such work being
unladyiike. / am only doing what has
to be done, and / would like to have it
nicer, butthereisno alternative. With all
my striving / find but little margin for
clothing, and none for the education of
my little children"
The writer Of the above is a widow
with ten children, nine at home, and the
majority of tkem girls. She is accom-
plished and refined, and has seen far
better days. Without her knowledge or
consent we publish the above extract
from her private letter, that it might
encourage many a one now sittingon the
edge of despair, or shame into more
active life some of the many drones who
have, in almost every community Of the
south. Is there not some good Samari-
tan among our readers who will loosen
his panCa strings and contribute enough
money to pay for that acre Of land ?
We received yesterday two additional
contributions @ help out the "Plucky
Widow" The total amount received is
as follows:
Previously acknowledged so
San Army Officer ................... 3 90
g Big Jack Pot,' whatever that may
-
Total. .......$27 90