The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-08-06
AUNT BECKY'S WAR STORIES

More About What the Yankee Rum
mers Did When They Passed
Through - News of Old Fork
Neighborhood-Crops Are Doing
Well-Cannlng More Extensively
Than Ever-Personal and Other
Tins
Correspondence of The Robesonian.
Old Fork (Maxton, r. y, Aug. /
Il guess the time has arrived when
my promise falls due to give the chill
dren some more Civil war stories,
and | scarcely know how to discrim-
mate in order to interest them most.
Perhaps they would like to hear some
more about what the Yankee Bum
mers did when passing through our
country, and how we all had to in
vent and develop every imaginable
resource by which to obtain many
of the necessities of life during the
war.
was just a few days ago relat-
ing to my grandchildren the art of
Confederate starch-making, which
was common thing on the South
ern plantations, manufactured from
Irish potatoes. The potatoes were
peeled and grated, placed in large
tub, and covered in clear water,
which was drained off and changed
for several days until the sediment
became perfectly white, when the wa
ter was all removed, and the starch
left TO dry IN great mass of snowy
whlteness, very beautiful and of fine
quality. Our Southern girls substi-
tuted this product for commercial
face powders" which were an un-
known luxury in those days, and the
homemade starch answered the pur-
pose most satisfactorily.
Ink was another scarce commodity
and those who were fortunate enough
to have supply on hand were in
flntely careful in its use. I was
going to the "old field" schdl and
every ink bottle had in it a wad of
lint cotton, in case it should be &C
cldentally turned over, which often
occurred, as we were all using the
same long flat plank as a writing
desk. and the cotton as an absorbent
would retain a portion of the fluid
but finally the supply was exhaust
ed and we resorted 10 oak balls and
poke berries thereafter to furnish MS
with the requisit- article. which
though not very satisfactory, was
made to answer the purpose. Quill
pens made from the wing feathers of
tne goose and red homemade ink,
were not very conducive to nice hand
writing, but many a Southern girl
penned with these implements loving
words to the soldier bows.
Syrup-making from the SORGHUM
cane was large important indus
try and this product was prime fac
tor in feeding both white and color
ed on the old plantation. especially
Inc children, who never tired of #
Hundreds of gallons were made. Int
tnere were no evaporators then, and
Inc process of boiling in pots and
Kettles was very slow and tedious. I
nave known full month to be con-
sumed IN syrup boiling, the work of.
ten going on until late at night,
The cane mill at our old home was
placed beneath the shade of a great
oak tree not far from the ohio
mousse, on the bank of the branch
and the children of both races were
tne only ones who enjoyed the an
nuai occasion, chewing cane, drinking
sweetened" water, and playing in
the branch. MY younger sister and
!! were very fond of syrup and hear
ang that the Yankees were approach
ing IN March 1865, and would prob
ably appropriate everything in Tho
line of food, we decided to hid awav
o-gallon jug of this favorite edible
90 we drew it from a barrel, filled