Page 109 - Arkansas Confederate Women

94 Confederate Women of Arkansas

saved all her corn.
From the pen in the woods she carried the corn, shelled
it and filled the hogshead, which she covered so dextrously with
dirt and leaves that even she had some difficulty in finding her

buried treasure.

In spite of the stories circulated by a traitorous tenant
who had shared her bread and partaken of her kindness, Mrs.

Parker kept the corn unmolested until Confederates came home
"in the gloom of defeat."

And during the spring peace was made. Small allowances

from the underground hogshead were issued to the starving

neighbors by this kind-hearted woman.
Jealously did she guard this "trust fund" and not a grain

was squandered or lost, but went as a blessing to succor the
perishing at her door.

PRIVATIONS BORNE WITH A SMILE.

By Mrs. De Fontaine.
"The boys at the front were the first consideration. After

their wants were supplied, only what was left could be utilized
by those at home. To do without was part of a Southern wom-

an's religion.

"One velvet jacket came out triumphant at the end of the
war, having done heroic dut}r for five girls of the family on all

festive occasions.

"If there were two girls in the family, we went out sing-

ly, in order that the same dress might do double duty. We

borrowed, loaned, patched, lengthened, shortened, turned and
twisted our garments until there was nothing left of them.

RICHMOND"A belle at a party, usually the gayest of the

gay, was asked why she was not dancing. 'Dancing/ she said,
'Good heavens, I am only too thankful that I can breathe. I

don't even dare to laugh for fear I should burst this girl's dress
to pieces and it is all she has.

"In the absence of men, the women undertook their du-
ties, and many a fine crop was planted and harvested by them.

—"Two Georgia women did what no other woman in the

world has been credited with cleaned out a well, and did

it well."