Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-06-30

the furnishing soldiers who called at the house
FOR food
Every week vegetables, poultry, mutton, etc.,
were brought to Valley Force by the generals
own people, either from his farm eight miles
from Morristown N. j., or from the Livingston
manor house, for our heroes of the Revolution
had to supply their own raticns, and this one In
particular, who raised regiment and equipped
1t at his own expense was never repaid for food
or services, by an ungrateful country
Daily Lady Kitty would sally to the camp with
basket filed with goodies on her arm, followed
by servant laden with clothing for the soldiers.
1t was long, cold walk from her home to the
camp, but the young girl braved 1t in spite OF
snow and storm The doors of hui after hut
would Re gently knocked at and the inmates ques-
toned as 10 their most pressing needs No one
can imagine what blessing these visits were to
the suffering men. There was hardly one who
was not afflicted with .frosttites,s and for these
Lady Kitty had sovereign cure learned from the
old squaw This, with other remedies drawn
from the handy reticule, were lavishly given with
many CHEEKY word or laugh at the travelling
drug shop. The baskets containing delicacies for
the very sick were soon emptied and besides
many mans heart made glad by the Gift
of warm worsted comforter for his neck or
pair of knitted stockings or r1ittens. Then there
were underclothes made from the fleece of the
sheep raised the Jersey hills, the wool having
been SPUN In tenants houses and woven on The
looms that groared and creaked INCREASINGLY.
This was the work of the women who stayed at
home. while the men folk struggled with the
horrors Of army life.
The fingers of the women Of the day were
never idle. We are told on page All of MIR.
Irving's life of General Washington" that his
wife, "set example to lady visitors by diligent-
ly plying her needles knitting stockings for poor,
destitute soldiers" And, indeed, womens busy
needles clicked far into the night even when
frugal housewives only permitted the blaze Of
the fire to light the rooms for candles we're luxu-
ries in those days. although they were home
made. and these self-sacrihcing denied
themselves every comfort they could In hopes OF
being able TO relieve the needs of the soldiers,
and many candle that had been made in the
family kitchen, and perhaps from bayberries
picked by delicate fingers. found its way to The
huts of the men. Most of these were illiterate
fellows who had obeyed the call to arms, leaving
their families in distant parts of the country.
Lady Comforter" as she was called by the men,
would ask each one about Ids life and suggest
that she would write letters to his home-borlid
family or friends Pen. ink and paper would be
whipped from the great reticule hanging by her
side. and a dictation taken down. which must
have given pleasure and hope at many desolate
Preside. The ladies were cheered in their benevo-
lent work in the camp by the concentrations of
the commanderin-chief who could not be fl
GENTLY grateful for these illustrations
The young aide-de-camp, James Monroe (,yho
was recruiting his strength sitter a severe wound
received during a late sbattle) was detailed to
accompany the young lady on her daily rounds.
to report officially on the condition OF the men.
This duty was not uncongental to the young yir-
ginian. and the one bright spot in the dart Gays
of suffering for the men In carp was wa ching
the courtship of their future president and his
engagement to Miss Nanny Browne soon
duly announced and hurried arrangements made
for wedding IN the spring at the home of her
aunt. Mrs. Van Horne. She could not have asked