Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-20
WAR TIMES IN GEORGIA.
The Experience of Southern Children in
War Days-A Reception under Difficult


War Days-A Reception under Difficult
ties.
AS my home at the time was in
Marietta, Ga, quite near Atlanta, and
directly in Sherman's line of march,
writes Southern girl in the Wdtchndn,
l saw great many strange and exciting
things, and suppose that is the reason /
remember my life there so we'll; for,
although very small girl at the time, it is
far more wildly real to me than the
events of last year.
l can picture to myself distinctly the
quaint figures of my little playmates, for
invention, like charity, begins at home,
and we little ones showed the first fruits
of our mothers talents in that direction.
We always wore "hOmespun," and as the
cloth stood a good deal of wear our
dresses were made large enough to last
two seasons. Some OF us wore shoes, but
they were such odd-looking things, made
of coarse leather and only reaching our
ankles. AS the leather shOestrings wore
out they had to be replaced by the cover
ing from the wires of hOop-slIirts, dyed
black. Our stockings were knit Of plain
white yarn, also hOmespun. For "eVery
day" we wore calico sun-bonnets, but on
estate occasions" hats braided at home
from the palmetto straw. AS one thing
after another gave out the women We're
dlh dlS G0udl W TIC emergency anu QUICK
in finding substitutes, just as our great
grandmothers did during the Revolution.
American women are, l think, quite re-
markable for that sort of thing. My
mother must have been unusually clever,
for / remember so many bright things
that she did. Trifles never seemed to
daunt her. Our table was always de-
ightfully served although her inventive
faculties were constantly called upon to
lv in III
is one very clever thing that / recollect
about her. She had sent out invitations
for very large and 'swell' party; for
Marietta was quite gay at one time, as a
number of refugees, besides a great many
officers ION leave" were in town, and my
mother, who was delighted to be able to
collect together so many charming people,
determined to give something very grand.
Her preparations were an completed, as
she supposed, on the morning of the APP
pointed day, and she was actually arrang-
ing the flowers in her rooms when she
received the very depressing tidings that
not candle could be found in Atlanta for
love or money. Most women would have
despaired at such ill-luck as this, and
would have sent Immediately to inform
expected guests that they need not come;
but my mother did nothing of the sort.
She put on her thinking cap" at once.
wine-glasses possible. These she filled
with pure white lard, and every one who
could be spared on the place was set to
work cutting out little round pieces of
paper about the size of a half dollar.
Each of these she twisted in the centre to
form taper, and placed on the lard in
the glasses, ready for use, for she meant
to light her rooms with them. We always
had used. them in the bedrooms and for
sickness, as they would last all night, and
candles were far too precious to be wasted
in that way. But the idea of making them
ornamental was mothers, and you cannot
realize how lovely the house looked that
night. She had placed them everywhere,
and had built pyramids of lights, banked
in with flowers, in every available nook
and corner. The room and halls were
brilliantly lighted by the tiny flames, which
seemed to me to be flashing from floor to
ceiling in every direction, and looked like
some lovely fairy scene, far prettier than
any ballroom have since seen,