The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-07
WARTIME LIFE IN
SOCIAL RICHMOND
Scenes in Confederate Capital
When Pleasures Were Few
and Far Between.
SOUTH'S WOMEN IN DARK DAY
What President Davis and 9th
ers Thought Of Bellies OF
the Gloomy Period.

the Gloomy IcrlOQ.
Whenever the social life of the Con-
federate wartime period is, recalled,
a tribute paid to the devotion of the
Southern womanhood of that trying
time by President Jefferson Davis /
comes into mind. Mr. Davis said, re-
ferring to Southern women:
.'All they had was flung into the
contest--beauty, grace, passion. orna-
ments The exquisite frvolities so
dear to the sex were cast aside; their
songs if they had any to sing, We're
patriotic; their trinkets We're flung into |
the crucible; the carpets from their
floors were portioned out as blankets
TO the suffering soldiers of their cause;
women bred to every refinement OF
luxury wore homespun, made by their
own hands
las accepting every sacrifice with
5unconcern, tightening the tragic en-
vironment of war by every art, bland
ishment and pleasure, the wartime
women of the South deserved to rank
with the highest heroines of the grand
est days of the greatest centuries"
snatchcs OF Gnicty.
From Mrs. Lee and her daughters to
the humblest country matrons and
naidens their busy needles We're
Stitching day and night General Lee
said he could almost hear, in the
stiffness OF the night, the needles
click as they flew through the meshes.
Il Every click was prayer, every stitch
tear.
1t seems hard to realize that in the
intervals OF marching and fighting, the
Southern women and their soldier
sweethearts found time for dancing and
< love making. Blu; they did, and the
brief snatches Of gaety seemed all the
brighter, because they were so brief
and so rare.
During the Civil War, among the
many lovely women who We're the
bellies Of Richmond, Miss Constance
and Miss Hettie Cary, who came
through the lines from Baltimore TO
lend grace and enchantmcnt to all
circles which they adorned with their
presence, shone pre-eminent.
Miss Constance Cary was a blonde,
with very regular features, and fault
less figure She married Burton Harri-
son, the private secretary of President
Davis After the War between the
States was over she and her husband
settled in New York City, and Mrs.
Harrison has attained a brilliant repu-
latlOu as u WTlleE-
-. Beautiful Hetty Cary.
The late ,.Dr. James McCaw said he
considered Hetty esary one of the hand
soonest women he had ever known. Dur
ing the winter of '52-'63, she arrived In
Richmond from Fort McHenry. near
Baltimore. Md, where she had been
+ kept in durance, for wearing n white
apron trimmed with red ribbons, the
Confederate colors being red and white
Miss Pegram at this time had very
T Fashionable girls school on Frank
lin Street, between First and Second
Streets, occupying two houses in wha,
was then and is now known. as LindeI
Row.
One Of the characteristic entertain
ments Of thai time is thus described
by Mrs. D Giraud Wright. who quote!
from letter, written by school cir
present,;in these words;
I'VE had n glorious timeplenty o.
ice cream cake and officers; the latter
predominating. When the evening WAS
little advanced we were honored by
the presence Of the beautiful Mis-
Hetty Cary, and we danced until nearl.
3 o'clock
Miss Wright says Of Miss Cary: 20
Rll the women have ever met | thinl
abe was the most beautiful. She com
bined with great loneliness of person
briliancy of wit, which made he
remarkable. At this time, having JUS
come through the lines she was dress
ed in the last mode. and shone re
splendent in an exquisite violet noir
with pink roses in her hair. Thi
EAST was Titan tinted and ripple,
hack from her fair, low forehead, He
complexion was lilies and roses, an
her figure magnificent. She was, in
deed beauty.
III Is told 'of Miss HetW Cary tha
on one occasion. when federal trooT
were passing through Baltimore, si
stood at an open window of her hon
and waved a Confederate flag. One
the officers OF regiment passing b.
low, noticed the demonstration al
q calling it 10 the attention OF The co
cnel, asked Shall ] have her arrested
The colonel glancing up AND catchir
a glimpse OF the vision 81 defiant low
Illness, answered emphaticalS. no 81
is beautiful enough 10 do as 81
pleased"
IA There has seldom been seen an a
Bsmbly Of more beautiful girls tht
were gathered al Misa Pegram's seho
even IN city so famed for love
women 40 Richmond
And on Franklin Street IN the I'll
winter afternoons when the sun Shon
no one would have found fault wi
the figures OF the promenaders "
NJ Tent grace and distinction 10 the pi
l@ ture IN 6186l.lsee and later
Charming Iietty Cary and her han
some lover GclefalsJohn Peefarn. We
often seen In the thr6ne. When I
Il Rev Or Minniaeroda gave them |
blessing IN marriage, they were {
counted the abandonment couple Il