The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-08-30
Some War Experiences in the South.

As my home at the time was in Mari
eta, Ga, quite near Atlanta, and directly
in Shermans line of march, writes q
Southern girl in the Watchma's, l saw a
great many strange and exciting things
and suppose that is the reason | remember
my life there so well; for, although very
small girl at the time, it is far more wildly
real to me than the events of last year.
1 can picture to myself distinctly the
quaint figures of my little playmates, fol
invention, like charity, begins at home, and
we little ones showed the first fruits of oui
mothers talents in that direction. We
always wore "homespun, and as the cloth
stood 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 covering from the wires
of hoop-skirts, dyed black. Our stockings
were knit of plain white yarn, also hone-
spun. 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 were always equal to the emergency
and quick in finding substitutes, just as our
great grandmothers did during the Revo-
luton. American women are, think
quite remarkable for that sort of thing.
My mother must have been uncommonly
clever, for | remember so many bright
| Il, Al. L.
to daunt her Our table was always de-
lightfully served, although her inventive
faculties were constantly called upon to
supply some need in the kitchen
There is one very clever thing that | re-
member about her. She had sent out in
vitations for a very large party; for Mari
eta was quite gay at one time, as a great
number of refugees, besides great many
officers 'on leave were in town, and my
mother, who was delighted to be able to
collect so many charming people, deter
mined to give something very grand. Her
preparations were all completed, as she
Supposed, on the morning of the appointed
day, and she was actually arranging the
flowers in her rooms when she received the
very depressing tidings that not a candle
could be found in Atlanta for love or mon
ey. Most women would have despaired at
such ill-lu6k as this, and would have sent
immediately to inform expected guests that
they need nok come; but my mother did
nothing of the sort. She put on her
thinking cap" At once. She sent far and
near to borrow alf$he 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 al night,
and candles were far too precious to be
wasted in that wry. But the idea ofNmak-
ing them ornamental was my mother's\ 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 rooms and halls
were brilliantly lighted by the tiny flames,
which seemed to me to be flashing from
floor to ceiling in every direction, and look
ed like some lovely fairy scene, far pref
tier than any ballroom have since seen.