Warp and woof were finely spun,
and beautiful combinations of colors ventured upon, although older
heads eschewed them, and in consequence complacently wore their clean,
smoothly-ironed gray, "pepper-and-salt," or brown homespuns long after
the gayer ones had been faded by sun or water and had to be "dipped."
Hats and bonnets of all sorts and sizes were made of straw or
palmetto, and trimmed with the same. Most of them bore cockades of
bright red and white (the "red, white, and red"), fashioned of strips
knitted to resemble ribbons. Some used emblems denoting the State or
city of the wearer, others a small Confederate battle-flag. Young
faces framed in these pretty hats, or looking out from under a
broad-brim, appeared doubly bewitching. Ladies worked early and late,
first upon the fabric, and then upon beautifully-stitched homespun
shirts, intended as gifts to favorite heroes returning to the front.
During the winter nights the light of pine-knot fires had sufficed,
but now Confederate candles were used. It did seem as if the bees were
Southern sympathizers, and more faithfully than usual "improved each
shining hour.
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