Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-25
Expert Syrup Makers

N. Holland, or Dallas, Ga, route l,
have been sending to me a fine
sample Of their up-country syrup
raised from superior sorghum cane
seed, understanding as they do that
their aged friend greatly appreciates
the kindly attention.
Somehow they have succeeded in
clearing the beautiful syrup of al
notes or specks and it is as good
looking as the South Georgia sugar
cane syrup and it will keep fol-
years until it crystallizes into sugar
1t makes also splendid molasses
candy.
They know how to do it and ]
believe it is the best looking
sorghum syrup I ever tasted or ex.
amined in my life.
If they have discovered any new
process L wish they would publish
their invention. Certainly they are
export sakers of homemade mo-
lasses.
Does Anybody Remember a
Piggin?"
There are still a number Of people
as old as myself and perhaps they
will laugh to have me remind them
of the old-fashioned water bucket
known as a piggin.
In the olden time people made
search for springs to get water
for drinking purposes and watering
stock. 1t was a great find, when
the pioneers could build near a bold
spring Of good clear water and lind
what they were obliged to nave,
pure water, for such domestic pur-
poses. Then it often happened that
number Of water buckets were In
demand-all made in the neghbor-
hood by experts in the business.
Some were called pals and others
were named piggins-an made OF
woodland they had to be well made
to stand the constant wear and tear.
Those pals and, piggins were
frequently secured with soap and
sand-just as the plain chairs and
tables were secured with soap and
sand, at regular in ervals, to keep
them in clean order. A regular
cleaning day-almost emptied those
primitive homes Of all their simpl
furniture-to be rubbed and scalded
-soaped and secured to make the
wood as white as it was possible to
cleanse. it. Pals and piggins under
went the same experience. These
were great times for houseclean-
ing. These times came frequently,
as the log cabin homes were gen.
orally erected with two big rooms,
with wide covered passage between
and the people lived and ate and
slept in them and raised big families
in such close quarters.
There were outside shelves.
wherein these pals and piggins
were placed, when the drinking
water was brought from the spring.
Gourds of small size We're carefully
raised for drinking cups-and es-
pecially for holding soap and even
lard-when the mammoth gourds
were dried, properly scraped and cut
to contain such household necessi-
ties. Before tin basins came to be
plentiful small shallow piggins
were used to wash face and hands
and to wash the plowman's dusty
feet, also the bare feet of the kids,
who thus prepared for the nights
regular rest.
And do any Of you remember the
battling stick?" Washing days
were strenuous days and there was
always a strong bench on which to
place the heavy, dirty garments, as
taken from the boiling suds in the
wash pot. Then the battling stick
played it's part. The beatings, forced
out the grease and dirt along with
the soapy suds-and that battling
stick was in evidence all the time.
The battling stick was generally
Of hickory wood or hard oakland
sometimes played a sorry part in
matrimonial infelicities. Everybody
could flourish battling stock.
Along in March the careful house
wife could begin her annual soap
boiling and the wash pot with the
battling stock Ito stir the boiling
soap in the big fire place. performed
very successfully in chimney corner
Battling sticks and piggins have
gone the way of the world into Gin
nocuous deseuetude." The colored
laundresses still have the stick
sometimes but the piggin gave place
to nice Yankee made metal handles.
And then we oldtimers secured the
brass on the buckets as we secured
the brass on the andirons and brass
candlesticks of the later period.
Trying to Aid Old COnfederates
Copying from letter addressed
to me by Thomas E. Richardson,
judge Of probate, Sumter, S. C., he
writes:
"My Dear Mrs. FELTON,: 1t is with
pleasure I write to inform you that
your efforts of June, July and ALL
gust of last year to call attention to
the needs and necessities of the
poor old Confederate sold 'er
(Thomas A. Roberts,, of Vidalia,
Ga, have borne fruit and that two
or three days ago I received a COM
munication from the judge Of pro-
bate of Horny county, Conway, S.
c., inclosing me an affidavit from
two old Confederate soldiers as to
Mr.. Roberts services during the
Confederate war. In the same letter
the judge of probate testified in his
own letter to the good reputation
that Roberts bore before he left
South Carolina to go to Georgia,
These letters forwarded to Judge
Mcintyre, of Vidalia, with recon-.
mendation Of my own and account.
ing for his absence without leave
from his command from September,
1864, to April 8, 1865.
The Hon. w. G. Cain, Of Sumter,
S. c., route 1, is subscriber to Tri'
Weekly Journal and clipped your
piece about Mr.. Roberts and sent
it to me last summer, asking me to
try my hand in getting up the
proofs, etc. I herewith inclose you
copies of the papers sent to him.
Illustrating the truth, that time
All THIS JEWETRY FIR