The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-10-11

the main under Federal control, took
up the fad, black walnuts were substi-
tuted for the butternuts, and they made
even handsomer pins 1t Is commen-
tary on the then prevailing state OF
things that the old men made the
breastpine, which were given by lads
too young to fight to young women Oh
every age The old men Licked occu-
patton, the lads lacked skill. In COM
bination they decked their womenklnd.
Time was SO tense then, measured in
deed by heartbeate that any sort of
light and amusing work was little short
of a godsend.
These southern butternut pins had
overshadowing rivals in the black jew
elry, which came out of northern prls-
ons. The twelve thousand odd men
who went from Fort Donelson to Camp
Douglas found a great resource in carv-
ing and inlaying rings, pins and
brooches, made from hard black gutta-
percha buttons. They had only their
pocketkniyes, and pocketkniVes even
were by no meane universal. Buttons
were not easily come by, so it was the
part of wisdom to spend as much time
as possible over each one. with mn
mite pains and patience, deft-fngered
prisoners scraped out rings, shaped the
rings properly to fit some well-remem-
bered finger and then began inlaying
them on top with bits of shell or bone
or mother-of-pearl. The mother-of-
pearl came out of other buttons poughI
from a friendly sutler. Prisoners who
had friends within the Federal lines re"
ceived money from them, and divided
with their fellows whose homes were
farther south.
Much of the button carving was
rude, evidently nothing more than pas
time work but some Of 1t reached the
level of artistic handicraft and was,
drawbacks considered. really wonder
full. One man, working with only a
two-bladed knife, and a darning nee
die punch, sent to his baby, whom he
had never seen, loeket formed or two
bigeish fat buttons, inlaid with pearl
star in the center. The two were ingen-
iously cased with a strip of tin cut
from a sardine box, and beaten into
rim-shape. 1t was held together at the
bottom by the wire that served as
hinge. AT the top there was black
ring cut out of a waistcoat button, with
pearl dots tnlaid all around 1t worked
in a looped wire which ran through the
casing tin. Inside the locket was lined
with faded velvet that had originally
done duty in daguerreotype case.
The lining and the inlaying were held
In place with glue, which the locket
maker had obtained by saving the
bones of his meat ration for week,
and boiling them steadily for day and
night.
A favorite ring device was double
heart inlaid between a star and cres-
cent moon Two hands closely clasped
ran the double heart hard. The fancies
in earrings and brooches were various.
The commonest earring was halt
moon, shaped from button edge, IN
laid with pearl dots of tiny stars ana
finished with q beaten silver wire clasp
to go through the ear Others had
round black knob upon the silver ear
piece. with a cube pendant, inlaid with
stars, moons. hands, hearts, even heads,
upon its various sides Round brooches
were high In favor with the whole
world then, SO many Of the piacK
brooches were big buttons, carved INTO
delicate openwork and underlaid with
bits of gilt paper tinfoiI or silk. 9th
ers were cut In points or scallops
aroun theedges, or else inlald In points.
Still others were shaped into books, pre-
Bibles, and had white cross
upon the upper side. Other mailer
books were made for watch charms or
pendants to necklaces, and not rev
bore almost microscopic monoefanls.
Drums, tambourines and banjos We're
all improvised In the camp, but the
greatest musical triumph was fiddle
The man who made 1t worked with
caseknife struggled away from mess
earned his wood by volunteer help TO
the commlssary, and made his glue by
boiling bones with bit of sheepskin
thrown in He was six months at work
before he was ready for the strings.
Though he had no pattern other tran
the memory of his beloved instrument
at home he kept the right proportions
and turned out a recognizable hddle'
When he had bought strings of the suit
Ter and plundered enough hair from the
tails of commissariat horses to furnlsh
forth his bow he was easily the happl-
est man in all the camp.-NeW YORK
Sun