I heard such a good joke last night! If I had belonged to
the female declaiming club, I fear me I would have resigned instantly through
mere terror. (Thank Heaven, I don't!) These officers say the women talk too
much, which is undeniable. They then said, they meant to get up a sewing
society, and place in it every woman who makes herself conspicuous by her loud
talking about them. Fancy what a refinement of torture! But only a few would
suffer; the majority would be only too happy to enjoy the usual privilege of
sewing societies, slander, abuse, and insinuations. How some would revel in it.
The mere threat makes me quake! If I could so far forget my dignity, and my
father's name, as to court the notice of gentlemen by contemptible insult,
etc., and if I should be ordered to take my seat at the sewing society —!!! I
would never hold my head up again! Member of a select sewing circle! Fancy me!
(I know “there is never any gossip in our society, though the one
over the way gets up dreadful reports”; I have heard all that, but would rather
try neither.) Oh, how I would beg and plead! Fifty years at Fort Jackson, good,
kind General Butler, rather than half an hour in your sewing society! Gentle,
humane ruler, spare me and I split my throat in shouting “Yankee Doodle” and “Hurrah
for Lincoln!” Any, every thing, so I am not disgraced! Deliver me from your
sewing society, and I'll say and do what you please!
Butler told some of these gentlemen that he had a detective
watching almost every house in town, and he knew everything. True or not, it
looks suspicious. We are certainly watched. Every evening two men may be seen
in the shadow on the other side of the street, standing there until ever so
late, sometimes until after we have gone to bed. It may be that, far from home,
they are attracted by the bright light and singing, and watch us for their
amusement. A few nights ago, so many officers passed and repassed while we were
singing on the balcony, that I felt as though our habit of long standing had
suddenly become improper. Saturday night, having secured a paper, we were all
crowding around, Lilly and I reading every now and then a piece of news from
opposite ends of the paper, Charlie, walking on the balcony, found five
officers leaning over the fence watching us as we stood under the light,
through the open window. Hope they won't elect me to the sewing society!
SOURCE: Sarah Morgan Dawson, A Confederate Girl's
Diary, p. 98-9
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