something better than the "lil'
critter" as reward and encouragement for Jack's active philanthropy.

If any practical woman reading this should try to comprehend what it
would be to undertake to clothe and keep clothed thirty thousand human
beings for a year, and to do this from the charitable gifts of the
people, which gifts had all done more or less service before--often
pretty thoroughly "ractified"--this woman will not wonder that sewing
societies suggested themselves to us at headquarters.

The women were called together and this suggestion made to them, with
the result that an old time "sewing circle" was instituted in every
community. Its membership, officers, dues, and regulations were properly
established--one-half day in each week devoted by each member to the
work in its sewing-rooms, with a woman in charge to prepare it. The
clothing was given out to them as received by us. Many a basket came
proudly back to show us the difference between "den an' now"--good,
strong, firmly mended garments. Ragged coats and pants disappeared from
among the men, as no longer "'spectable fo' de fambly."

Provision was also made that the little girls from ten years old should
attend and be taught to sew. Many a little dress was selected at
headquarters for them to make over or repair.

I wish I could do fitting justice to the band of women volunteers who
stood by me through those long months. Some had commenced with me when
society belles, years before, now mistresses of their own palatial
homes; some had come from under the old historic elms of Boston, and
some from the hard-fought fields of Britain's Africa, and wearing the
Victoria Cross. To them, white and black were the same, and no toil too
hard or too menial.

The money contributed and received for the entire relief of ten months
was thirty thousand five hundred, and a few additional dollars and cents
which I do not at this moment recall. It aggregated one dollar apiece
for the entire maintenance of thirty thousand persons for ten months.

It is the general custom in this part of the country for the merchants
to furnish supplies to their patrons, and wait until the gathering of
the crops for their pay. But when we left these people at the beginning
of their harvest, not one family in twenty-five had contracted a debt
for supplies: an experience before unknown in their history.

A report was made and passed into the hands of our legal counsellor,
who, on seeing th