LONG WAY FROM HEADQUARTERS

A Texas soldier, trudging along one day all alone, met a Methodist circuit rider and at once recognized him as such, but affected ignorance of it. "What army do you belong to?" asked the preacher. "I belong to the - th Texas regiment, Van Dorn's army," replied the soldier.

"What army do you belong to?"

"I belong to the army of the Lord," was the solemn reply.

"Well, then my friend," said the soldier, "you are a long way from headqauarters."


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SOUTHERN WOMEN WALKING TO MILL NEAR DARDANELLE

SOUTHERN WOMEN WALKING FIFTY MILES TO MILL AND CARRYING SACKS OF MEAL BACK HOME - By E. E. Collier, near Dardanelle

Before the Federals occupied this country, I had accumulated a large amount of corn and wheat. To show the condition the country was in, I can truthfully say that for over two years I never saw a man come to the mill except armed squads of scouts, and not customers. Our customers were women altogether. I have seen as many as forty-six women at the mill at one time waiting their turns. Some came as far as thirty-five and forty miles. Two women would get two wagon wheels, sometimes one would belong to the front and the other to the hind part of the wagon. Then they would yoke up two yearling steers, and put a line on each one. One woman on the right side and the other on the left to hold the cattle in the road, and drive to mill and back again with their load. Often they came without any grain but none ever went away without breadstuff. Again some would bring two or maybe three yards of home made cotton cloth to pay for their meal or flour. The price was a dollar a yard. Those who came a long distance and had to stay all night were always taken to our house. Women came in bunches from Dover in Pope county and crossed the Arkansas River; from Lanes Bottom; from Johnson county and from Scott county. A party of thirteen women came once from Scott county, some fifty miles or more on foot and each one got all she could carry on her back. Many women once in good circumstances were reduced to this extremity.