Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-04-16

The finest and most even flax thread
nearly as strong az wire and quite as
smooth and fine as sewing SIR, was
made in Virginia, and now there is none
50 good In the market
HOW WE LIGHTED OUR HOUSES.
Lamp wicks were plated by hand.
and the oil was tried out Of refuse pork;
sometimes wild myrtle berries were
stewed until they yielded pale green
wax. which made beautiful and aromatic
candles The oil Of peanuts served also
for illuminating purposes. When none
Of these were 20 be had, the resinous
pine-"fatI pine"-was cut into snlinters
and burned one at a time, while the
Over-wOrked women sat around the hick
ering light and sewed until late In the
I once saw five soldiers wives max
ing clothes by this light, and while they
worked they talked over the chances Of
their "men" coming home alive. u
don't expect NINE said one, but God
knows ! do mot want 70 complain. Since
my baby died he hasn't any Occasion to
come" BY occasion" she meant induce
mont.
During all these laborious occupations
the children had TO be clothed. generally
without the assistance Of sowing ma
chine-they must be- watched, fcdl taught
and disciplined. Night schools were es-
churches. where the ragged children were
taught by the young ladies'.
Great barrels Of soap were made OF
the refuse of hogs killed for family and
plantation use Was toilet soap reQuir-
ed. the need was supplied each time that
n h0in{cured ham was boiled for family
use. aid the Od-fashiOned sweet flowers
and herbs Of the garden furnished the
perfume.
Inc principal food in every house was
pork or COrned beef This meat was
cured under the supervision Of the ladies'
of the family, and hams, sausnges and
"spareribs' were prepared In the most
dainty manner.
Pork. sugar, sorghum molasscs, corn
meal, fowls eggs, butter-overything pro,
ducCd on the plantatiOn--were exchanged
with grOccrs for other commodities. Any
surplus of cottons, buttons aud such Ike
diapers stores were exchanged in the
same way.
Fcw sources were invented to add zest
to our poor fare, and some Of these have
been accepted by the world of gOurmets
Wine was made Of plderberrics, bitter or
anges or wild cherries
Hundreds Of gallons Of blackberry
brandy were manufactured and sent to
the hospitals for the soldiers.
OUR COFFEE AND TEA.
In order that the wounded might have
tea and coffee, substitutes were made
for home use Of sassafras leaves, balm or
sage, and even orange leaves were STEPPED
In hot water sweetened with sorghum
molasscs
For coffee parchcd sweet potato shaw.
ings, pBrChcd corn or wheat and purched
carrots We're used.
All the coffee, tea, white or brown
sugar and every other scarce luxury was
sent 10 the soldiers "lteal coffee and
ft.p af. 4
wounded-not for people in health.
READING MATTER AND STAItVA-
TON PARTIES.
The strong tension upon the nerves Of
the women was relieved by pleasant
new books or magazines. The news
papers were annals Of ardent cndcAvur
some triumphs but also of sorrow
wounds aud death.
During the war the first volume OF
Les Miscrnbles' was suugglod into
the C0ntcderucy. The educated women
eagerly read IL between stitches. The
more Ignorant men aud women read tho
title and one at least said, "Now | won.
der who has took TO writing about Lce'n
miserahlcs! We knowed they want com
Portable, but what's the use of tcllin' IL
everywhere"
Al work and no play began to tell
l1lOn our nervously organized women
~ the soldiers were h0me, TO reunions
~ He'd, from the absence of any refresh
nent save cold water starvation
parties"
TO these came the young officers who
/ danced as gaily as though there were nc
scrricd ranks OF the enemy confronting
them TO do battle TO the death, perhaps
on the morrow. There were charndcs
private theatricals aud tableaux. One
lovely young woman who has since
hloomed into an nuthoress of much re-.
nown, personated q marble Niobe ON.
bracng her stricken children. and the
sculptQrs OF antiquity have left us no
| more beautiful statue.
OUR HOSPITAL NURSES.
The hospital nurses were largely wo-
men, and mostly ladies.
What they did Is recorded In the "book
| OF life, hut mortal pen would fail to
! deWct their loving service amidst the
horrors of military hospitals near the
| battle fields. The food was generally
| prepared by private families: dclicntp
preads strong brothR, or ounces of the
precious real tea and coffee" were daily
taken IN baskets, and the soothing voices
OF the nurses could he heard whispcrino
hopes OF victory and home, or murnurinc
| comforting texts from tho scrinture
while the suffering were fed. or cooling
lotions poured upon the dressing of their
NhNlluh.
/ wish Il were possible 70 pivo tbc
names of these devoted women who
ministcred 10 the wounded. soothcd No
| dying and received little tokens nnd In "A
messages for their absent families. The
list would be too long hcre. but their
| nnmcs are household words IN every
| southern home-and "when shall their
glory fadef"
HOW DEFEAT WAS BORNE.
How can Justice be rendered IN tho
| wives Of the common soldiers9 On thnsn
| women frll the burden of deprivation mn
| he0rl OF. I'm silence thcy sownd mud roam
! cd the land clothed and tended tbcir
| children, buried them whom they SINK
| under want and exposure. or themselves
/ iaid down In solitude nud died
| ~ WIS the exception whom tho mon In
| the field know the trials 10 which tbeir
| wives were subjected The women wprp
| vocal Tn hone, silent IN dispair Tho
| wives OF the common soldier lnbornd
and sorrowed without the expectntinn of
! clrthy honor or eclat For II the mon
] OF their household persisted In hnttlp II
! was only collective glory" acduireJ for
! the army. for their cause. NOT for Thorn.
! selves; nnmelcss grave their shorn
| When the last sad days of tho str,,g.
! gle drew nigh and the very heart was cost
! ful
When the young and old non-com.