Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-22
Wartime Dresses.

Wartime Dresses.
The social history Of the south during
the civil war VIII never be written. The
time has passed and the opportunity has
been wasted The people who are sun
living can tell some OF the incidents that
were stamped on their memories by stress
and strain. but the everyday happenings
the makeshifts. the, substitutes and tne
thousand little privations In domestic Ire
have surely passed away from US ana u
Is a serious misfortune that such history
cannot be recalled. because 1t is the every
dav life Of the everyday home that tells
the story OF a nations success or coun-
try's overthrow in decay.
I think there should be as many OF these
recoIIectious recalled as viii be possible IN
the brief time until taps" are sounded
and the roll call OF these wartime actors
shan cease on earth II would be very
s-rafIfvinr II our SemI-weekly readers
should send IN any accounts OF those old
time happenings. gathered from the sur
,-ivors OF the bloody war time. and In this
way preserve some OF the history Of the
home life OF the southern people VIII
they rot do so2 We should be Delighted
never shall forget some shoes made
for myself under the tutelage OF our over
saer's GOOD and capable wife, a lady as
vel. A pair Of soles were cut from a
stout dressed hide, and with an awl
row OF holes were pressed through the
edge on top OF the soles- A pair or shoe
tons were made from dark gray mixed
Jeans cloth. The bindings were strips OF
stout black cloth. generally gathered from
the scrap bag. where went for scores or
things that we now so TO the store 70 get
Everybody owned a last on which 70
frame the shoes, or could borrow the
proper size from their neighbors- The
r.yrarsaer's wife owned a "last" that. she
kindly loaned 20 me
With strong waxed cotton Irvine, carded
and spun at home, we together fastened
the soIes and the ''uppers" so that the
shoes were serviceable. One pair OF those
shoes answered for house wear in the
home all summer. They were not pretty,
/ admit, but they did good service, and
they beat no shoes out OF sight, for often
times very weary feet
A good friend. who owned tannery IN
I'll the Yankees burned IL UP, made me
present of enough leather 10 construct
pair OF shoes. and paid a country cobbler
$ in Confederate money TO fashion the
shoes with a cheap cloth lining, and
remember wore them one day 70 the
commencement exercises Of Wesleyan Fe-
male college. eve were refugees down in
that counrry.l Why2 Because I should
have been barefoot and at home other
wise, and / was as pleased as Punch TO
have 50 good a pair on my feet The
backing was made OF homemade syrup.
SCOT and apple vinegar. OF course you
know the shine was not there 70 hurt. but
the shoes were black. all the same
We had. thick woven homespun dresses
for winter and thinner ones for summer.
We deemed ourselves very fortunate TO
own scraps OF red flannel OF solid turkey
red calico for cording bands and belts as
trimming Fancy button molds were cut
from dry gourds and covered for decora-
tive purposes
Not q scrap of silk. merino. broadcloth
or domestic was thrown aside or wasted.
Everything was utilized.
When sewing machines were first manu-
featured 70 any great extent, before the
war. the waste OF spool thread was very
great SEINE merchandise had been pack
ed in this waste and shipped TO the south
and the storekeeper gave my mother lot
OF it-as he was a boarder in her hos
pitable country home just before the war
commenced After the war began, our
mother remembered the mass OF tangled
spool thread in her scrap bag. So when
1.-The push came 20 shove" Ito use a Mig
gerisml. she had an abundance Of store
thread" 20 be had for the picking out and
unravelling from the mass. We came in
for share 81 the thread. and it is ludi-
crous to recollect the multitudlnous places
thread waste 10 excellent purpose.
made a set Of Sunday shirts for my
husband and boy from window curtains OF
bleached domestic, and stitched collars
and wristbands with these ravellings with
my busy fingers. The old carriage cover.
that had been made OF excellent unbleach-
ed sheeting. was a find" that the entire
family was delighted 10 use. after being
made into winter underwear.
FwFF Al st,a
necessity for stockings was so great, and
the hose were so strong and durable. for
men at home and soldiers in the field. that
every woman and girl child kept the knit
ting needles clicking. Nobody expected TO
so anywhere 10 sit an hour. unless TO
church. that the knitting was not carried
and the occupation continued as at home.
When wool thread could be obtained we
knitted. or crocheted. shawls. nubias and
mems neciwesr for cold weather. after it
was dyed. Soldiers were furnished wooden
sleeping caps 20 keep ears from frost bit
ing in the freezes OF mid-winter when the
mercury was at zero and they lay on the
ground. Tens OF thousands OF woolIen
gloves were fashioned at home in the same
way. and box from home" carried I'M
mixed Joy into the camp when filled with
such creature comforts as a pair OF coarse
gloves. a pair OF coarse socks and some
heavy home woven and homemade shirts
and drawers.
declare IL makes me ashamed OF the
present generation TO see how few things
we try 20 manufacture in farm houses
now. when every Confederate home was
a hive OF human industry: while never
failing. unremitting self-sacrifice for the
dear ones in the field was the daily life
OF the women OF this country.
The bonnets and hats OF that era, II
brought forward now. would provoke a
smile and draw a tear at the same time.
The things were pathetic in their gro
tesqueness. and a street costume was like
Jacobs coat In its many colors. because
the garb stood for what the people had,
and not az all for what they preferred TO
wear. A dress hat made OF corn shucks
was not 70 be sneered at by any means.
and the young girls were as gay as larks
and as busy as honey bees, and as pretty