June 2, 1862
Frank Jones left. Today for the first time in my life I weighed out the plantation Allowance. The Conscript having taken the overseer, Patrick has concluded, as we have only a Corn crop, to manage it with Henry. So the task devolves upon us, half a pound a day for every one above ten years, those younger being fed at the Nursery & with the children who work out, and their portion is weighed together & apportioned according to age & requirements by the old woman presiding. It is said to be more than any other laboring class on the glove gets regularly. Think what the Irish get—“Potatoes & porid,” the French—“the bread & grapes,” Italians—Maccaroni & olive oil, the Spanish—Black bread & Garlic, the Sweedes—but it is useless to go through the catalogue. The object of their misplaced sympathy, the poor negro, fares better than any of them & has as much freedom. The name only is wanting & there is much to superficial thinkers in a “name,” Juliet to the contrary notwithstanding.
A few words on the back of an express notice from Halifax excited us greatly—“Fighting at Richmond yet,” but as there was no mail we were left to conjecture & found it most agreeable to place an omitted negative before “fighting,” & there was none to contradict us! So we had it all our own away.
Source: Edmondston, Catherine Ann Devereux, 1823-1875, Journal of a Secesh Lady: The Diary of Catherine Ann Devereux Edmondston 1860-1866. Crabtree, Beth G and Patton, James W., (Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1979). http://nc-historical-publications.stores.yahoo.net/478.html
