The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1903-06-18
iNiMNMMNlNlNMNiNNMii'NmMMMMMNi
"HOMESIDE OF WARTIMES," /" in 13 Letters.
"Demoraidng Effects Of War; Songs Slangs Letter No. H.
Written by Virgil" for The Brandon News
NV lIN


ing at the feet of a negro, and on
which was inscribed Liberty and
White Wives. =
Averted effects will return, when
hindering covers are removed, hence
how carefully we should handle
those Intricate and troublesome prob
lens. The Immediate demoralizing
effect of the civil war between the
states was the throwing out of bal
ance nearly every wheel of southern
industry. The cultivation of the cot
ton came to sudden standstill for lack
OF a market, and other things essential
to producing it to advantage. Our
money system was deranged--in fact.
we had no money only in name think
OF salt bringing 500 to $50 per bushel,
cotton cards $40, to $75 per pair, a
common pine straw hat $5 to $40,
home made jeans 500. per yard, shoes
$40, to $40 per pair. My father sold
two milch COWS for 5000 in the sold
issue and the new wasn't much bet
ter. Notwithstanding as already
stated in former letter, we had good
preaching and, good meeting, morally
the county was dropping, parents
seemed to have been discouraged, and
In great measure threw down the
reigns of home government and the
boys, negroes and dogs had an open
field and fair play. The Sabbath
was not regarded at home or at war,
had no Sunday school or good Sunday
school literature as we now have.
Coonhunting, fishing, playing the
fiddle and banjo, and general muse
ment took the spare time of great
many young people. In this letter |
can only give you hint; it would
take book of enormous size to tell
all about those dark days of wartimes.
After the surrender i'll 1866, ''fiddling
and dancing was engaged in to an
alarming extent; whisky drinking also
was glorious (?) past time with a
great many people, church members
freasently leading. However we
fought it through bravely, until we
saw the morning light of better day
coming over the hill top of moral
difficulties. AS for songs. we had
good, bad and Indifferent all
kinds were composed by the soldiers
in the army, and carried home to be
caught up by the boys and negroes,
and all over the farms, up and down
the roads, all round the home, could
be heard Dixie, Bonny Blue Flag, etc.
Some of the songs were very feeling
and truthful. I can only give a few
specimens of the best songs, which
come from broken, bruised and dis
consulate hearts, for nothing in all the
world will give such a mellow cast
to Our songs as the thoughts of
home and loved ones. In the speci
mems | will give there was more
song than music, for our poor
boys felt very much like the cap
tive Jew, on the river Of Babylon,
Ps. 1877, they could not sing a sweet
southern song in strange land, =
they hanged their haIps in the will
lows of hope, willie they rested on
the banks of disappointment.
SPECIMEN I.
Little do good people know
What we poor soldiers undergo
Last lines,
! IF you want to know who composed
this song,
will tell you now, it won't take
me long.
1t was composed by A. P. Hight,
Standing guard one rainy night, =
etc.
Now think of the conditions under
which this poor fellow composed his
song, while the rich and more fol-
tunate were wrapped snugly under
quilt and coverleds and soft feather,
and between starched sheets, this
poor, sore hearted boy out in the driv-
ing wind and rain, no shelter, not one
to comfort him or encourage him, and
when his task was done no warm
breakfast, no good coffee, no dry clothes
no mother, wife or sisters welcome kiss
to meetlhim, nothing but musket
and sweet thoughts of home to fill
| his hands and heart, and as he tells
on in his pathetic lines, it was rain
ing down on him as though he was a
beast. Hundreds of soldiers will read
this and understand it better than the
/ writer, having been a comrade and
fellow sufferer in those times, (which
tried mems souls. While he was
/ d7HsSs CUR r7sI;, {
IN CURES WHERE AL ELSE FAILS. Sa
~ BEST Cough Syrup. TASTES Good. Use k@1
4 ESl In time. Sold by druggists. E
Z EN##9&EHNk@&8yX II N ID