The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-19
MEMORIES OF
SCHOOL GIRL II
She Tells About the Devotion
and f-Denial 81 Carolina
Women in tile Sixties.
HAD SOLDIERS AID SOCIETIES
These Speedily Organized and
Did Active Work Gloried
iii Their Work.

5t4 +. II / &
f. "a TIillsboro Schoolgirl who was ac-
tually a schoolgirl ut Iillsboro In war
times has written for the Charlotte OBJ
server n charming article. telling OF the
devotion ana self-denial8of the Carolina
won,en in the sixties. The article follows;
Hazy ideas of the secession OF South
Carolina and of North Carolinas con-
seryatisln wore suddenly crystallzed into
vivid realities In the minds of little North
Carolina girls BY tho news that Lincoln
had called for 1,5oo troops from our state
To- fight against the secessionists.
-t;oyernor Ellis S proclamation Il and call
for 5000 volunteers and the secession OF
North Carolina on May 20, 1861, thrilled
The, hearts of Tar Heels from Murphy to
Manteo The girls threw themselves
heart and soul into the cause SO ar
IDENTIFY espoused by their fathers, pro
Tiers, cousins, uncles ana lrlen l. WY
X quickly enlisted. Nothing was 5t 100 cl e'tir
", = 8.acrjfice for their equipment.
"a When our boys went to the front they
Knew that the love, prayers, courag Sc talla
6 confidence OF the women and girls az
n home were behind them always.
The boy or young man VINO ialeo ~
respond to his scountry's call was made
n TO feel very uncomfortable The girls
could never let him forget their prefer
Il cncc for those who wore the gray, nor
their feeling that he had fallen far snort
OF their standard of patriotism.
Soldiers aid societies were speedily
formed and we're actively at work during
the prolonged struggle. They round
abundant work FOR willing workers. Ti-
bleclotis were cut into bits and picked
to pieces by busy fingers, while Others
carded the rawlings into lint 70 dress
wounds. Sheets were torn into strips ana
firmly rolled as bandages for surgeons
to use. Linen towels and feather pillows
were collected TO send to the hospitals
Carpets and blankets We're sent TO the
front. Women and children could use
homemade cotton cloth and tackled com-
forts and cheerfully suffer privation ~,
perchance, the soldier nara lol couio
be alIeyiated.
Aunt Abbey House" as tho soldier
: boys called her, used to make regular
pilgrlmages to the front, carrying boxes
of food and clothing to tho boys mo
country was secured for good things 70
send. Such primitive daintles. dried fruits
ssges, cakes sNeetenetl With sorghum,
with dried cilefries and dansons for rails
ms, and watermelon rind for ctron,
canned fruits and pickles. Soap was es-
K pecially desirable for every ona, Every-
Lining that love could suggest or inGe-
\ ul1ity devise, from the scant supplies that
Z grew weekly more meagre as tho plock-
ade shut us in from tho wide world, Waa
sent In those boxes.
How we gloricd In all this! How firm
WAS our faith that our cause Woulu
triumph. because We knew it to be just
Tile God OF battles was on our side, and
did we not have the Christian heroes.
Lee and Jackson, In Virginia, with many
another elsewhere2 How, thell could We
fail2
Mrs Governor Graham was president o
the Soldiers Aid Society in Illllsboro.
All the women and girls old enough to,
do anything belonged to IL. The school
girls attended weekly meetings, and each
OF us was expected to make soldiers
garment every week We learned 10 knit
in the dark, while studying. sitting in
the class or walking along the street.
Some of MS could easily knit n course
yarn sock IN Il day, and go TO school, too.
Mrs. Graham was an impartial judge OF
all sewing No shoddy or careless work
escaped her critical eye. Many times did
she make US pull out our stitches and
put them In with greater care. Tho
Ipatrons had relief squads of girls under
their direction. who accompanied them
on certain days OF the week TO the rail-
road station, a mile or more distant
carrying pitchers OF buttermilk. baskets
OF tomatoes or fruit, and biscuits for any
( sick or wounded soldiers who might be
passing through, We used to walk
through the cars. fiji canteens. distribute
fruit and biscuits. give an encouraging
glance or kind word and always grleve
that we had not more TO give.
Once. ny mistake, VIC got into car
filled with Yankee soldiers, prisoners
going TO Salisbury, They begged us for
mix Int with flashing eyes and tilted
chins, we said: mo. there ia not enough
tor our own boys. and wen not give
you any The longing look of oqe poor
boy IN blue, as he implorngly held out
his canteen, has never been forgotten
by one of What group of girls. The dire
need OF our own boys and the persis-
tent refusal Of the Yankees to exchange
prisoners had hardened our hearts
against anything blue"
No beauty or belle In Partisan gown
mas ever more richly ROBBED than those
North Carolina girls IN their first home
spun dresses, woven at homo and made
by their own hands. How proudly they
we're worhs-how much tho hogs admired
,t theni
Sewing cotton was very rare, and sew
Ing silk aimost out OF The question, Every
end OF thread Was carefully boarded
Sometimes la few spoois OF blockade
cotton were obtained at fabulous prices
50 per spool.