Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-01-09
UNDER THE BLOCKADE.
INGENUITY PRACTiCED By SOME
WOMEN IN WAR TIMES.
Difficulties Experienced In Providing
Ltgf,ts-Tallow and Lard Gave Out and
Beeswax and RoSin We're Uset-Songs
Printed on Wall Paper.

Beeswax and Ro~in We're USe,l-sones
Printed on Wall Paper.
Has proper estimate ever been placed, !
wonder, upon the large amount Of wit sharp
ening, tho constant exercise and consequent
development Of Ingenuity practiced by the
fair ladies of tho Confederacy during the last
years OF the warf
Tho exigencies of the time wore great, for
the outside resources of the south-slim at tho
start, II one will recall the small number of
manufactures to he found In that section
were dwintlling fast away, and often such
supplies rs could be developed at home and
among families were the only ones that could
be relied upon
These supplies included articles Of every
nature, from food and clothing for the fam
ily down to toys for the children. The ques-
ton of dress became Ierplexe0 ono after all
ports were blockaded by northern vessels and
all frontier ports were held by northern
TROOPS and wonlan's wit was severely taxo1
in order to make good appearance from the
material at her command.
CANDLE MAKING BEES"
Tho subject of lights WINS another with
which it was found difficult to contend. Tai
low was used freely during the first years of
tho war; old candle molls were brought out
from their hiding places and put to use, and
"tallow dips became as familiar to us as
they had been to our forefahcrs But the
source of supply of these lights of other
days" soon became exhausted and wolnan's
ingenuity was again put to tho test. Lard
also had been In frequent use, and favorite
light was q saucer or can filled with this
melted substance wherein floated a burning
sycamore ball It, too, was growing scarce
however, and II new material must be evolved.
Several things wcrc tried. hut mixture of
beeswax and roEin was found best of them
ell. Through this mixture, when melted a
long coil of candle wick was drawn again
and again until thoroughly coated, and In or
der to make this coating "vcn several persons
stood in Il row holding the wicking at short
intervals and shaping the wax upon it as it
passed through their hands. The position Of
greatest honor and difficulty in this under
taking was conceded to bo the one next to
thu pan containing the heated melted mix
turr
When cold, this waxen rope was wound
row after row, around II bottle, with the free
end put through n strip OF tin with Il hole in
1t, In order to hold it upright These candles
gave forth n meoger but steady light
"CMtdle making bees were quite the style,
ami young lnAics and their military be,nx
"on leave" managed to extract n grcat deal
of mrrlirocnt from them. The refreshments
were usually fruit and peanuts
A light for sick rooms consisted Of n scrap
of paper cut like a miniature cap and set in Il
saucer Of lard. When the point of this little
cap was well oiled and lit it gave forth suf
ticient illumination to SEQ n watch or drop
u l,.,
n lady friend Of ours illuminated her house
beautifully for mn evening party with these
tiny jets of flame. She borrowed wine
glasses from far and near, converted them
into these little lamps and placed them in
pyramids on mautles, brackets and all avail
ablo places. The effect wGs very novel and
pretty Those who lived in the Pine regions
obtained their hight from the picturesque
and cheerful glow Of pino knots but it was Of
80 ilickerinS q nature Us to bo very hard upon
the eyes if reading, writing or sewing was at
tempted.
A vision Of a bclatel war time supper,
eaten under the fantastic glare Of a pine
torch, hel.l by negro boy at the end of the
table, stands out in bold relief on the tablets
Of my memory and | can SEQ as vividly as il
today the faces of those about the board, be-
meath the wavcring Rembrnndtee4ue shadow
of the torch.
PAPER WAS SCARCE.
Paper grow very scarce toward the close Of
tho war, aud newspapers made their appear
ance on wall paper whiie the familiar songs
Of the poriod, such as "Lorcna, "Eichmond
on tho James" ""All Quiet Along the Poto-
mac Tonight" Crock Ne . Sleep" and
"When This Cruel War Is Ovcr' were print
ei on sheets much reduced from the usual
size, and Of a very coarse brown paper Err
velupcs were always turned and thus made
to do double duty, and where letters were
written in pencil the first writing was erased
usually with a piece of an old rubber shoe>,
and the same paper used for the reply.
School books of an ancient date were
brought to light, and while in some schools
but one text book Of Il certain kinl was used
for an entire class, the pupils of another class
werc, perhaps each supplied with different
to1t book on the SAME subject. The greater
number Of the remedial agents Of the time
were prepared by the ladies, for regular
drugs had been mado contraband and We're
exceedingly hard to procure Fhxseed, dried
blackbcrries, slippery elm and other such ma
tural remedies as the country afforded were
kept on hand in most families Healing
herbs were largely cultivated, and often
times the simplest remedies, such as pine
water or shuck tea, We're made to serve
timely and efficient turn.
Sick and wounded soldiers were common
inmates of private dwellings, and roll Of
lint and bandagos were usually kept with tho
medicine ready for immediate use.
And thus woman, in every capacity, as
faithful nurse, cheerful providcr for the
house. loving worker for the absent. md
brave bearer of tho great sorrow and priva
ton wrought by the war, shone forth with
tie soft and steady brilliancc of star during
the dark and troubious times of the Confel-
eracy.--Jenuio S. ,Jutlson III Pittsburg Bulle-
tin.