The People's vindicator., 1878-01-26
DRESSING UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
Scanty Toilets Of Confederate Belies'''
The Cost Of Fancy Goods.

Mrs. N. F. Handy in Phla. Weekly Times.
During General Sherdan's last RAID
General Custer and his staff stopped
over night at the house ola planter in
Fluvanpa County. Nirginia. laugh
tj]y, vet courte, usly, after the f'Sh'""
of wcll.hred people VIII" can not he'P
themselves, the best in the house was
placed at their disposal. Among tie
frat of Clusters requirements was
bath, and tnhs aud water. with home
made towels, were readily f"'thc"n-
ing. Not 40, however, were sp"n2eS
and Turkish towels. At this the
General showed some anger, snppos'
sing the neglect intentional. when
his servant was assured by the lady
Of tho house that her stock of s"rh
articles was exhausted and con'd not
be replenished within the C"nfeae-
rate lines, master aud mau were IN
tcnsely diSgusted, and Custer express,
cd his establishment that civilized
people could exist without them.
Snonces were not to be had at ANY
price 10 Richmond during the war of
1854 5, the few imported to Charles
ton aud Wilmington being kept for
hospital use. The ladies knit bath
ing gloves of course cotton yarn in
garter. stitch, making close ribbed
surface with gave the desired friction.
The cargoes brought by the blockade
runners consisted chiefly Of muni-
tions of war, medicines aud staple
dry goods. Only occasionally pack
age Of fancy goods was included, and
these we're soon exhausted the de-
mand far exceeding the supply. HAIR
pins, needles, pins, scissors, combs,
&c., brought fancy prices. In Jann'
ary, 1865, common gnttapercha
tuck. comb bought to order in Will
mincton, N. G., cost $50-equal to
81 Is iu gold-at which price the
purchaser was glad to obtain it, Rich
mond and Charleston having been
previously ransacked IN vain in search
for one. A great deal Of smuggling
was carried on across the border
principally by women, aud the store:
bought BY the sutlers in the Fedora
army we're some small compensation
to even tho most rebcllious women fol
the presence of the army nndeI
whose shadow they came. Quilted
potticoats were the fashion then, a:
now, and many of them were made
to order for smuggling purposes. 1t
one the filling was skeins of tcwin!
silk, in another papers of quinine
and on with every thing which coul(
be crowded into small compass. La
dies who came through tho lines un
der flag. of-trucs were rieorous'.
searched; nevertheless, a great dea
that was contraband Of war cam
through with them. A school cir
acquaintance of the writer displaye'
much ingenuity on such an occasion
II brought my waterfall cushion full
of morphine to DR.. ---," she said
"The morphine was in tissue paper
over that laid dark cotton batting
and over that curled hair in an invhi
Die net. They made me take m.
hair down and shake it out. Mis-
Kerr carried dispatches to Beaure
gard in hers, you know. | tell you
though, l ,ras scared when the wo
man who searched me ran a hair-pi
through the cushion. l had dispatch
81, too, on thin paper, folded an
sewed into a pocket piu-cushion, bnt
as they were written with invislbl
ink and had takeu care to soil tn
cushion, l didn't feel frishtene
about them. 1t was risk, though
for if they had found them I shoul
have been sent to the Old Capitt
Prison"