davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1914-04-12
MAN, WIDOW-MAkER.

According to one of the latest in
dictments by Mrs. Charlotte Perkins
Gilman the tyrant man is respon-
Sible for the existence of widows.
Probably this cannot be denied, al
though it is the first time in our en-
perience that representative of the
feminist movement has made it d
matter of offense.
AS he is also blamed for not en-
tering with sufficient frequency into
the contract which makes widowhood
a possibility, what now shall the poor
man do?
The Washington times., 1914-04-12
A FUTILE INVESTIGATION

Dragging out the printed record of
what public men thought, or thought
they thought, when they were gen.
Grafton younger than they now are,
is about as futile an enterprise as
might well be conceived. \ Western
Congressman has dug up some OBJ
Servations of Thomas w. Wilson,
whom he Identifies as the present
Chief Executive of this country, set
down and published when Mr.. Viii
son was twenty-thrce years old. 1t
is alleged that these remarks reflect
on the Congress. They seem, in fact,
pretty well to state some of the most
serious weaknesses of our system of
parliamentary government. Young
Mr.. Wilson found that members of
Congress were apt too much to rep
resent merely local rather than ma
tional interests, without guiding or
harmonizing power. Well, what Of
that? Half the folks in Congress
will admit that that is true, and a
good deal more than half those out
side will agree.
Cabinet officers are charged, in the
observations by Thomas W. Wilson,
with being little more than chief
clerks of the executive departments.
Isn't that true? A Cabinet officer
who has an important legislative
program for his department, that he
wants to get written into the stat
utes, snd that the country needs to
have there, but who cannot get a seri-
Gus hearing in Congress, will admit
that that Characterization is not
very inaccurate. The guess is ven-
tured that there are some Cabinet
officers right now in service who will
make the confession.
Thomas w. Wilson opined that a
system of responsible government
through a Cabinet that should pur-
sue a program until it was defeated
in the legislative branch, and then
retire. would strengthen our system
vastly. For that suggestion, he is
attacked with the squelcher that
that is the way of some other gov
ernments; it is not the American
way" No, it isn't the American way.
1t is the way of Great Britain,
France, Canada, Australia, Italy and
almost every country that has real
parliamentary responsibility. 1t is
not the way of the United States,
nor of Germany, nor of Russia.
Which is, after all, the better model?
Responsible ministerial govern
ment need not be shocking to Ameri-
can ideas, and Woodrow Wilson need
make no apologies for the views that
Thomas w. Wilson entertained on
the subject. A good many other peo-
pie, who are more than twenty-three
years old, and who have seen a gen.
GRAFTON of governmental experience
since Thomas W. Wilson wrote those
quite agree with them.
The fling at ministerial responsible
ity on the ground that it is not the
American way" will carry little
WEIGHT nowadays
The Washington times., 1914-04-12

Mrs. William F. Draper, wife of the
former Ambassador to Italy. has prob
ably given more mask balls in Wash
ington than any other hostess and she
believes absolutely in the make believe"
For years back Mrs. Drapers costume
ball has been the most talked of and
biggest event of the Christmas holiday
season. She usually indicates to her
guests that they are to come In the
dress of either the moyen age or renais-
sance period. On the other hand. Count
ess day, wife of the naval attache of
the French embassy, who, too, cares
more for mask balls than any other
entertainment gives her guests a large
iield for selection. for she merely states
that II Is TO be mask party. Tney can
come In anything they like.
The costume which Mrs. Draper wore
to her last ball was magnificent me-
dieval model of violet velvet, opening
over a white satin petticoat embroidered
with crystals, and trimmed with a point
de venise Medici ruff. Her Medici cap
had pear-shaped pearl diadem. Her
jewels were her famous pearl necklace
Of pear-shaped pearls. four ropes of
pearls, a dog collar, and a bouquet cor
sage of pearls and diamonds. She car
ried bag at her side, according to the
custom OF the period. Her costume
represented Marie de Valois.
At the same party her daughter. Miss
Margaret Draper, represented Queen
Marie of Anjou, wife of Charles VII OF
France. Her costume was OF a hose |
colored brocade pettlcoat. embroidered |
with silver threads. Bands of ermine |
down the front of the gown and around |
the skirt added to its richness. The !
waist was caught together with gold |
cords with mock jewel bands upon the !
girdle. She carried a large aims bag at |
her side, and wore three strands OF |
pearls around her neck.
The Charm of the Bal Masque.
Every detail Of these wonderful |
gowns were selected in Paris by Mrs. |
Draper and Miss Draper, and they were |
made by Worth. Miss Draper's head !
dress was Of gold cloth, embroidered in !
jewels. Her lovely hair was braided |
in two plaits and worn down the front |
of the dress, hanging below her waist. |
Miss Draper appeared at a previous ball |
AS Marie Antoinette, and the white wig |
she wore was as perfect a specimen Of |
the wiSmaker's art AS was the be-
founced gown of the high art OF the |
great Worth who designed II.
There Is something so allurinS about |
these magnificent balls. You almost feel
that you are in a dream, and that these
folks whose features you recognize, de-
spite their masquerade, are not the real
The Washington times., 1914-04-12
Master Of Ceremonies.

who gave the bride away" asked
Mrs Evans Of her daughter. who had
just returned from the wedding
Her little brother replied the
daughter: ''hc stood up in the middle
of the ceremony, and yelled. 'IIurrah,
Blanche. you've got him at last! -
New York Evening Post.
The Washington herald., 1914-12-27

on returning from their scout to their
post In Fairfax County the troopers re-
ported that according to all accounts
Mosby's wound was mortal. Reports Of
the same tenor were received by Gen.
Sheridan from Gen. Torbert's column,
and Gen. Sheridan reported to Washing
ton that "Mosby's wound Is mortal"
When the facts were known, Maj. Fra
zar's superiors spoke bitterly Of his stu
pldity'' in allowing Mosby TO slip through
his fingers.
Gen. Torbert tried hard to ind Mosby.
but the rangers friends kept him well
concealed. As soon as the Federal troop
ers had left Lakes house Mosby Ras put
into a wagon and concealed in nearby
woods.
Thence he was taken TO n house Of a
widow named Glascock, about two miles
on. There he lay three days, apparently
near death. but q surgeon having ex-
tracted the bullet, he rallied enough to
permit his being taken by easy stages to
his home near Lynchburg.
Although Col. Mosby's wound was seri-
GUS. he wRs destined to be back In the
saddle before spring.
The Washington herald., 1914-12-27

thoughts that were not frightened by
any hope or good cheer from home.
One command. the Washington Ar
tillery Of New Orleans, whose members
had been accustomed. to celebrating the
holiday in particularly joyous and law
ish fashion In their Louisiana homes
found that their Christmas dinner con-
sisted OF piece of bread to each man.
They had been told that a special din
ner was to be sent them from Richmond
and visions OF roast turkey and plum
pudding had hovere-- before their eyes
for q week prior TO the holiday.
They had seen these deIlcacIes hanked
by fowls and roast Virginia hams and
had felt as they thought OF them like
letting a loop out Of their belts, as they
hoped to do after their Christmas din
ner.
When Christmas came and with IT
only a piece OF bread for each man-al-
though bread itself wss a luxury-there
was a cry Of disappointment throughout
the camp. Some Of the enlisted men got
full loaf. but others got only a slice.
They displayed to eacn other the little
pieces Of bread that were their Christ
mas cheer, saying that they intended to
keep them as souvenirs Of the war.
Spread in . Prison Camp.
Federal prisoners in the South, and
there were thousands Of them, made
shift to celebrate the day with the best
Of their scanty rations. In some cases
good friends sent delicacies from home
to prisoners confined at Richmond: but
the thousands In the prisons farther
south. at Danville, Salisbury. N. c., and
various points in South Carolina, were
completely out Of touch with home.
The melancholy condition of such as
these is well described in "reminiscences
published in the history OF the Eighteenth
Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers. A
number Of men Of this regiment were in
prison camp at Florence. s. c. At
Thanksgiving time they had talked of
home. One Of them said: We'll. boys.
it's about time that the folks at home
are getting through their Thanksgiving
dinner"
The group OF emaciated men who heard
this remark looked into each others sal
low faces and were silent. Then one OF
them spoke: Boys don't let's talk of
home. It's no use" Then he added: Il
want my bones laid in Pennsylvania
One. more cheerful than the rest. sug-
gested that IL they lived until Christmas
1t might be possible to have a special
Christmas dinner. A plan was then
formed of saving from their rations six
spoonfuls of meal and horse peas a day
one spoonful for each man in their
mess"
BY following religioUsly this practice
they accumulated by Christmas Day
enough food to make a compound. or
pudding, for the mess
They also saved every twig OF fuel
that could be spared from cooking their
daily portion OF meal and peasc, to fur
nish the fire for their Christmas dinner.
The food was cooked in a piece of roof
ing tin. shaped into 4 pan which they
called n ''gunboat~ The pease were
dark-skInned and gave the compound a
purplish hue, but when IL was tasted II
was declared delicious. Coffee" was
made by burning cornmeal on a piece of
tin and boiling II.
The dinner was such a success that
one of the men exclaimed an hour after
eating: Boys. I'll think OF that dinner
as long as l live. Why, / amt hungry
YETI
The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
SAVANNAH SHERMAN'S
CHRISTMAS GIFT.
December Is.

Fifty years ago today Christmas was
observed joyously in the North and with
gloom and hunger in the ranks of the
Confederate armies.
Gen Sherman's announcement of his
splendid Christmas gift Of the city OF
Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and
plenty Of ammunition, also about 5000
bales of cotton"-the climax Of his tri-
umphant march from Atlanta to the sea
reached Washington at 6:45 D. m. on
Christmas Day. 1t delighted the North.
confirming a feeling among the people
that the end of the war was now indeed
m sight.
Christmas sermons and prayers con-
tained feeling references to the hope OF
peace. Lincoln. at the White House, on
Christmas night. was like a man who
had thrown a great load of his shouI-
ders. His message of congratulation to
Sherman was one of joy.
In the South the holiday was the sad
dest that had passed since the war be-
gan. The Confederacy was exhausted
and the inevitable end of the struggle
for Southern independence, which had
been apparent to officers in the field for
two years, was now clear to most Of the
people.
Gen. Gordon's Coffee.
Gen. John B. Gordon. in his "Remi-
niscences," writes feelingly of the last
Christmas Of the war, which he says
came while the army OF Lee was light
ing IA nine within and Grant without
its lines.
The old-fashioned Southern celebra-
ton of the holiday was impossible in
any part Of the South. Even those who
find sufficient means for its celebration.
and they were not many, were i'm no
mood for celebration. The cloud Of dis
aster was now hanging black over the
Gonfederacy.
The Confederate soldiers at the front
expected little In the way OF Christmas
luxurtes from home and their hapless
condition led them to pass the holiday
in joyless state OF mind.
Gen. Gordon, whose wife had been his
companion throughout the war, cele-
brated the day at his headquarters by
varying his meagre fare with some ex-
ceIlent coffee. which Mrs. Gordon had
carried with her through all the vicissi-
tudes OF campaigning since 1851. 1t was,
she said. used ito celebrate our vic
tories in the FIRST years and to sustain
US In defeat at last"
GeR Gordon declares that never was
the aroma of coffee so delicious to his
nostrils as that which rose from the
Steaming pot In his headquarters In that
last Christmas Day Of the war.
The Confederate soldiers In the ranks
ate their scanty rations with gloomy
The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
'SHERIDARS ARMY IN WINTER
QUARTERS.
December u.

Fifty years ago today the soldiers Of
Gen. Sheridan's army were experiencing
discomforts in bitter weather at their
winter quarters in the vicinity of Win
chester, in the valley OF the Shenan-
doah.
Following the battle OF Cedar Greek on
October Is, Sheridan had remained on
the famous field. In November he had
withdrawn his army from the scene OF
its victory to Kernstown, about three
miles south Of Winchester on the Valley
Turnpike.
Sheridan considered his campaign in
the valley at an end. The whole coun-
try for 100 miles south OF his position had
been stripped OF its crops. All barns.
mills, and haystacks had been destroyed
and all stock driven on.
Grants declared purpose at the be-
ginning OF the season OF making the VAL
ley Of the Shenandoah a desert waste
into which a crow must carry his own
provisions had been effected.
The army of Gen. Jubal A. Early
which had been defeated by Sheridan IT
Cedar Creek had withdrawn up the VAL
ley toward Staunton. Gen Early was
now detaching troops to send to Gen.
Lee. at Petersburg. the division c; Gen.
J. B. Kershaw, Of Longstreet's Corps
having been the first to so.
Sheridan had also begun early m De-
cember to detach troops, forwarding the
Sixth Army Corps by way OF Washing
ton to City Point and Petersburg.
/. Picket Duty in Winter.
Although each general thus recognized
the end of the grand campaign, there
was much arduous duty performed by
soldiers OF both sides in the sharp De-
cember weather in the valley.
Sheridan's superb cavalry command was
engaged in various scouting expeditions
and raids into the territory east OF the
Blue Ridge Mountains. The remnant of
the Confederate cavalry was also active,
making raids, through the AIleghanies
into West Virginia.
Pickets were constantly on the alert in
front Of various Federal and Confeder-
ate positions in the valley.
. Picket service was usually arduous at
this time. The winter had come early
and was extremely severe. The winds
from the snow-cad and ice-bound peaks
Of the Alleghanies cut like a knife. Snow
covered the ground and the ponds and
streams were frozen
The soldier who had a comfortable
log hut in which to spend his hours of
duty considered himself fortunate. Equip
ped with a mud chimney, in which a
roaring fire could be kept, such a habita-
ton was delightfully."- warm and cozy.
Wood was not plentiful near the camps.
however, while logs for the building OF
the huts had been hauled with log chains
more than two miles over frozen ground.
Ohhcers on n Clark"
To the enlisted men and officers picket
duty in severe weather became mo-
notonous and they longed for diversion
Even Winchester, with its hostile pop
ulation and its empty shops, was an at
traction that few could resist. A visit
to New York in other times would not
have proven more satisfying.
Although discipline was strict in the
army. onIcers found many occasions to
visit Winchester and the bar of TayIor's
Hotel, the towns chief hostelry, was
crowded night and day.
Occasionally young officers yielded to
the temptation Of a clandestine visit to
the town.
The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
BULL RING" PRISONERS AD.
MINISTERED TO.
.-... December q.

Fifty years ago today agents Of the
Sanitary Commission were engaged in
ministering to the wants Of the soldiers
of Grants army at CSy PORT and in front
of Petersburg, extending their good work
not only to the men on duty and the sick
IN hospital, but to the unfortunates who
were incarcerated in the army prison,
which was known as the Bull Ring"
Probably in no army that fought in the
war was there a greater percentage of
worthless characters than in that which
followed Grant to Petersburg. The pay
ment of bounties had drawn into the
army in 1854 the chan Of city population.
10 mingle with the pure wheat of the
veteran volunteers who had responded
to their country's call earlier in the war
and fought for their country without
thought Of extra pay.
z The worthless bounty-jumper-for a
Tsyreat part Of the men who enlisted for
bounty hoped to desert-found his moral
level in the army as quickly as he would
have found Il in any new community in
time Of peace. ..---
As q result, the army prison was often
full. The misery of the place, a cheer
less barrack OF boards, watched by q
Gordon of sentries, appealed to the kind
ly hearts of the sanitary commissions
agents, and they ministered as readily
10 Ine prisoners as 10 Ine Seu-respect-
ing men, in the ranks.
Proceeding on the theory that good
may be found in everybody, II II be dill
gently sought. and that the social out
cast has physical and spiritual needs as
vital as those Of his more respectable
brother. the agents of the commission
did everything in their power to better
the condition OF the prisoners.
Some of the most vivid sidelights on
One such is described in the history
OF the 18th New York Volunteers CThird
Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth
Army Corps). 1t was innocent enough,
but none the less relished for being sub
rosa.
A captain and a lieutenant slipped into
the town at nightfsll On q voyage of
discovery. The streets were deserted
for the thermometer was at zero.
Discovering a dim light in a cellar,
they peered in and saw an aged negro
woman in front of a hot fire mixing
batter for pancakes
The two soldiers Immediately entered
the cellar. representing that they were
powerful fond of pancakes" By
judicious display OF greenbssk they
negotiated for the entire supply. which
The Washington herald., 1914-12-27

the least inviting side OF army life are
provided by workers for the commits
sion. One OF these. william Howell
Reed. kept a journal, and embodied II
In a book. Hospital Life in the Army
of the Potomac" that was written while
the scenes he described were fresh m
his mind. In this he described the dis
tribution Of gifts from the commission
to the army prisoners.
Clofhing the Needy
with q large quantity OF wooden
shirts and drawers. stockings and
towels. paper and envelopes. we entered
the inclosure." wrote Mr.. Reed. TT
was a pen Of filth and vermin We stood
upon a raised platform. looking down
upon the yard
The ofhcer in charge ordered the
men out of the barracks and they
impression of those faces as they were
turned up. each eager for something
where they an needed so much. The
men came shufiiing out of the building.
with that listless air. which showed
how Indifferent they were 70 their
fate; couples chained together; men half
naked came alone; clad In every variety
OF garments-FederaI uniforms and Con-
federate--the blue and the yellowish-
over their shoulders, some with a gunny-
bag for q jacket, others with their cot
ton drawers and with feet tied up in
bagging to serve as shoes and stock
ings; without hats, with uncombed hair,
ragged, filthy. all alive with vermin.
Here were hardened criminals-the
outlaws OF society-reckless and defiant,
many OF them under sentence OF death,
yet unconcerned about their fate. and
49,
dered for tomorrow or were indefinitely
postponed. There were sixty or seventy
others. who knew that after trial their
crimes would be expiated on the scafiold
or that they would be shot to death by
musketry,' yet who accepted their lot
with a profane bravado which made one
shudder.
Facing Death DeAantIy.
The line was formed and our distri-
button began. One by one. they came
forward. To the first, 'Unbutton that
blouse and let us see what you require.
II was stripped open and he was naked
to the waist. A shirt for you The
next man, with gunny cloth tied over
his feet, sore and bleeding with the cold.
"A pair OF stockings The next. compare
lively comfortable, Only a towel The
next, with only a thin pair of drawers
And so. one by one, the men pressed
forward-some with meal sacks for a
blanket. others without even this pro-
lection, breaking the line in their eager
ness to receive something to keep them
warm a shiYering, suffering crowd,
pinched by the frosty morning air: their
hands and feet and bodies blue with
cold.
They moved about the yard. IL for
nothing more than to keep up a brisk
circulation; men OF all ages. from the
gray-haired to the youngest lads, and
some so utterly broken in spirit that
they had evidently resigned themselves
TO whatever might be in store for them.
''One man, who previously had only
the thinnest clothing, without shirt or
drawers, sat at night In his bunk. with
his hands folded up under his jacket,
which he frightened about him, crying by
the hour together"
The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
FEDERALS AT FORT HILL EN-
JOY THEMSELVES.
December u.

Fifty years ago today the men gar
risoning Fort He'll or. as was Us
proper name, Fort Sedgwick, on the Fed
eraI lines at Petersburg, were enjoying
camp life in spite of annoyances from the
Confederates in Fort Damnaton' oppo-
site them.
The lines were here nearer together
than at any place in front of the be-
sIeged city, and consequently Fort Hell
was an intimate target for Confederate
artillerists. II was, without question
the hottest" place in Virginia in spite
of the winter SHOWS and frosts Whlch
visited II.
The men who garrisoned the fort in
the winter of 1916 were called upon
10 endure hardships such as were dupli-
Gated for few veterans of the war. Con-
slant exposure TO danger, so many night
alarms that il finally became part OF
the routine to turn out in the wee smA'
hours, an according lack of sleep, save
now and again in the course Of the day.
and then IN stuffy bomo-proofs. COM
prised the usual round OF life.
All through the winter, from late NO
yernber until spring, the Seventh Rhode
Island and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania
Volunteers Of Gen. John /. Curtin's Bri-
gade, Potter's CSecond) division OF the
Ninth Corps were stationed in Fort
Sedgwick to hold the outer lines and
support the batteries In the main WORKS
The story of their experiences Is one OF
the most interesting Of the war.
In the BOmb-proofs.
Fort He'll" was built across the Je-
rusalem plank road,-southeast of Peters
burg. On its right-rear was Fort Rice,
in its left-rear Fort Davis, both Federal
works, and in its front. less than l,aO
feet away, the Confederate Fort Damna-
ton, or .Rives Salient Between the in
trenched picket lines of the Federals and
Confederates Ii was scarcely l50 feet.
The fort was a maze Of earth para
pets, bitches, drains, covered ways, mag
azines, and bomb-proofs, all arranged in
such confusion that a stranger could
scarcely md his way about. Its irregu-
lar front, about a third OF a mile long.
was amply covered by abattis and che
veau-de-fris.
Life in the bombproofs was not the
most pleasant that army life afforded.
These structures were Of all sizes and
shapes, but of similar construction.
First a pit OF the required size, about
three feet deep, was dug. Then the
walls were reared, heavy umbers set
close together, supporting a roof Of logs.
several layers deep. each laid in criss-
cross fashion. Finally, over all. was
thrown up a great mound of clay. so
tough as to stop the most penetrating
missile.
Entrances to these structures were