Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-26


We are getting advice on economy
from President Harding and all
along down the line. SO I am hold
ing a small place near tho end of
the line and will take the liberty
of telling our country home readers
what the people did before railroads
aand telegraphs ca me along, and also
what Georgia people did after the
close Of the Civil war, as to economy
in the home.
When I can first recollect there
were no blankets to buy, but the
thrifty housewives made what they
called "coverlids," from cloth woven
They were indeed excellent, strong
and warm. The wool thread that
made the filling, was dyed in vari-
Gus colors, if desired, but a great
dyed wool, perhaps black and some
white wool thread to design pat
terms in weaving.
When the coverIids were new and
fresh they were used like modern
bed spreads, perhaps laid on the out
side of snow-white home woven
counterpaneS. The white counter
panes were woven in patterns all in
white, and when son or daughter
got married some of both coverl1ds
and counterpanes were ready to be
given to the young housekeepers as
a wholesome start towards house
keeping. The very Well-to-do also
had plain cloth with cotton warp
and wool filling, made into bed
satisfactory bed covering in snowy
weather.
But the great mass of plain house
keepers felt obliged to make quits
and the quilts, both heavy and light,
were the main dependence. Not
".
nor a homespun scrap either: Inc
women always had something to do,
and never thought of idling away
any time, when the quilt scraps
were plentiful. Our young, people
that now dress up every afternoon
What? Did everybody work and did
nobody sit and talk without some
work hand?' WAS it all work and
no play?'
They couldn't afford to stop the
progress of the work because there
were no quilts to buy, and all the
bed covering had to be manufactured
had to be spun, woven and made by
willing women's fingers, all the
mems socks and women's stockings
especially for winter wear, were
knitted at home, and sheets and tow
els, tablecloths and underwear were
way. In my grandmother's early time,
the cotton was picked from the seed
by men and womer whites and
blacks, and then carded, spun and
woven and the work never let up
from daylight to bed time, except on
say. Sure it was hard work, but
our pioneer foreparents had no
other way to get things for common
use and veal and they made them.
Once in a while a silk dress or a.
broadcloth coat was purchased in Au-
guSta, and the dress and the coat
were expected to last for a blessed
long time. The housekeeper of today
has no idea Of what had to be done
IN those early homes to secure
enough wearing and changing clothes
and bed clothing for an average
family.
The homemade clothes were thick
and strong and could stand wear and
tear The half-Worn women's frocks
and mems breeches were cut down
for the children. and there were big
families as a rule. and there were
no such things as secondhand gar
ments. They were prime articles
when cut down and made over for
the young ones.
1t was a rejoicing time. indeed,
when cotton factories were built, and
"spunthread" could be bought for
the warp of such homemade cloth. 1t
was as great a discovery as a power
press for printers or moving ma
chine for farmers. There were no
labor-saving machines in those early
days. 1 was nearly grown before L
ever saw a sewing machine or 81
cook stove.
But, although it all was done in
a hard, slow, painstaking way, II
panned out we'll. The men planned to
work diligently from dawn till dark
and the women understood that they
must also keep up the pace to sue
coed in rearing and providing for
family.
The fortunes of early Georgians
We're started and carried to success
in that way. There was no time to
waste. and nothing else was wasted.
After the Civil war We that sur
vived its losses and desolations had
to make up our minds to do without
what we were Obliged to have
Money was so scarce and stuff so
dear, I saw the time when there
wasn't a mouthful of meat in the
house and no cash to buy at tn"
store; but we could make out for .
little spell on corn bread and
sorghum, and it is surprising how