The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-03-30
SCBSTITCTES AND MAkE.SHIFTS
OF THE LATE WAR.

SCBSTITUTES AND MAKE.SHIFTS
OF THE LATE WAR.
by Mary ". Early, Of Lynrhhurg,
Virginia.
Substitutes Of every kind came
extensively iuto vogue in the South
dnr'ng the late wal, ranging from the
representative sent to the field by him
VIII" preferred substituting discretion
to val"r t" the rye which people were
forced, with a very wry face, to sub.
StItute for coffee. other substitutes
tor coffee also came int" use, such as
chestnut, wheat and sweet potato cot.
fee, which, by those who, like the
MarchioneSs. could make believe
strong," might have been supposed to
represent Laguayara. Java aud Mocha.
For molasses we had sorghum, made
from the African sugar cane, and
toward the close of the war, when we
were cut off from tho far South, and,
consequently, from sugar in i great
measure, h"usrkeepcrS were in many
cases forced to use sorghum in it's
place, and not only did they use it to
s"eeten coffee, but the mole enter.
p'iSing among them used it in making
preserves, cakes, cheese cakes and
various kinds of desserts, all Of which
succeeded passahIy well except jelly.
which, i'll the language of Miss Allcott,
"refuscd to jt|I."
SKlLLFUL HOUsEKEEPERS.
Housckeeprrs certainly had all
their inventive faculties called into
play in Those days. know some
who were sufficiently ingenious t"
make macaro"i out Of strips of dried
dough, while the soap for the family
wash was made of shucks b"iled in
10y, with the addition Of u little
grease. Dried cherries took the place
IF raisins in f'uit cake while apple
brandy, home distilled, became "the
national nectar" varied by cider. and
home made wine. Fortunately, how.
ever, We did not have to resort to
any substitute for poultry, meat or
grain or any of 1.-THE kindly fruits of
tue EARTH indigenous to our soil.
FARMING.
Great exertions were made in these
times of revolution to keep up agri.
culture in the rural districts, for, in.
deed, never were it's products more
needed than in this time OF war and
blockade. If tho gentleman Of the
house was in the army, then his wife
and young sons would endeavor to
carry on tho farming operations as
well as they conld, and considering
all the difficulties country people had
to contend with, they kept up agricul
ture wonderfully we'll. To the credit
Of the negroes be it said that they
went about their work as peacefully
and respectfully as ever, seeming to
think aud Care very little about their
own destinies at stake. Makeshifts
and substitutes had to be employed
in farming as well as in other de-
partmepts. Machinery and gear ran
very low, especially toward the close
Of the war, at which time remember
tn have seen farm horses bridled with
ropes and mules wearing shuck COL
lars which they wOuld MUNICH socia.
bly, off each Others necks, as they
stood in the shade, resting at noon
day.
CLOTHING.
But, after all, clothes were "the
tug Of war; Never we're more Gu
rious garments seen than those which
before the end Of the war 'we'e worn
land thankfully worn) By the first
people in the land. Before tho strug.
gle terminated, many \ country lady
might have been seen artayed in
homespuu, while u gentleman clothed
in a coat made of a solid gray or
brown shawl would have been con.
sidered an absolute dandy. A pic.
ture rises to my memory of good
mother who cut up her piano cover
IA bright purp|e) aud made Of il a
suit for Der little buy which made him
the envy Of the neighborhood--a suit
"buttoning in font and baggy in the
reverse aspect" as the suits Of rustic
youths are wont to I've.
LADIES' ATTIRE.
The rare wiudfall of a new ribbon
or new pair Of kid gloves made q
young lady the envy Of her whole
circle of female friends. Occasion.
ally articles of this kind ran the
blockade and gladdeued the hearts Of
Southern maidens. Sometimes North
erners would send parcels Of such
things to their Southern friends and
relatives when an opportun'ty'for do
ing 80 occurred. know q young Ia
dy in Richmond whose Philadelphia
relatives sent her among other articles
a plaid ribbon, which then and there
WAS almost as rare badge rs that Of
the Star and Garter. Before a week
was over almost every one Of this for.
tunate young lady's female friende
had been allowed the privilege Of
wearing this ribbon. The writer her.
self wore it one night TO one Of the
hahds0mest entertainments Of that
season (winter of 1864 s. and it SER
we'd to brighten up a himsy brown
silk, checked with black, tor which
the wearer had paid \ hundred dol
lars a yard.