Ellen Kempton Journal, Mss_64

Wednesday Apr. 26. Yesterday Mr. Ev. went off hunting around on some of the plantations to find if possible, some stray article of furniture, he returned bringing something which I have been fitting up & which we shall use for a table, a [lower?] shelf, hid by the net curtain I have arrainged, will be useful as a "tuck away place," this stands between the two long windows. Then took two boxes some of our things came in covered them with calico Mr. B. brought, and really when I came into the room to look & admire it did really look cozy & rather homelike. I have not written of the washing of the floors we had done Monday. Many of the women in the neigh borhood & around came offering their services, & Mon. we had three at work chiefly washing floors. I showed Betsey the room, told her how I wanted it done. She continually answered "Yes Mum," I saw that a large quantity of water was hot, leaving her a few moments to attend to other calls, returned found she had from some source supplied herself with a large tub full of cold water, a large coarse bag, & a long handle broom, in the tub was a shallow tin dish, [well?] she began, the tin dish was the first article called into use, dipping it full of water & throwing it on the floor then swashing it around at a fearful rate with the broom, at this juncture I left in despair, she was too-old, I thought, to suggest a new way & my clothing was in great danger of a dunking - There were calls here & everywwhere, "You want this room swept maam"? "Where's your broom"? We haven't one among us. So suggested they try and borrow one in one of the cabins, but there was only one woman who owned one, but she kindly loaned it & soon the rooms had a more comfortable look. during this running up & down stairs I had a letter home lying on my table in which I wrote between times. Going again to the woman washing the floor

found she had gone through with process no 1. & was now with her dress above her knees, & the large bag under feet, moving them back & forth & this was probably the moping process. When she left the floor, calling it finished, it looked so wet one would hardly step on it but with all the windows open & the sun shining in it dried before night. But the hardest was to find some one who could clean the paint, of the many who came all shook their heads saying, "I no do such work as dat. I works in de fields" & so the paint is yet uncleaned. Today Mr. Ev. nailed up two boards in our sleeping room which we use for tables. Our toilet arrange ments are not very extensive. Only one tin wash basin which Miss Sbrought, no pitcher, in the morning the one who rises first has the first bath, then 'tis filled with water again & left at the door of another & so the basin goes the rounds. If we had only known what we needed how much we might have brought for our comfort! The only mirror we can boast of is a little thing three inches by two! Thursday Apr. 27. After brakfast Mr. Blake, Miss Stanton & I went to look a large, barnlike building we saw a little distance from the house thinking it might be a good place for her school but found it occupied by several families, it was formerly a cotton gin house. This noon an Auntie came bringing a chicken under her arm as a present for us. It has been cool & pleasant and this eve. have a fire in the grate which makes the room cheerful by its bright light really brilliant compared with our usual one candle. We were disappointed today in not sending out letters, we hoped one of the officers would be up & we could send, this is our only way, this

they may remain at camp a week or more waiting for the steamer to come & no one ever knows with any certainty when it is coming-- This morning Friday 28. Mr. B. took our letters went to Mr. Alden's , the Sup't's, he may not come back before going to Chs'ton. This afternoon walked to some woods, which looked near, but there being no path but through a newly planted cotton field, the walk was tiresome, jumping from one hill to the other. 'Tis peculiar to me, their long rows, looking like new made ground, like acres of graves. I hoped to find these woods pleasant as they looked, but the growth of briery vines and tangled underbrush made it impossible to even enter them, was disappointed in finding no flowers at all, but we shall have a few blackberries there, found one ripe. As we look around begin to fear we shall not find a second place for a school. Saturday 29. In one of our walks found a man who had a little crockery. We wished to buy it as our store is quite limited, having but one plate for each & no dishes, we have not cups for all, and this seemed like a fortunate find for us. The man does not use it but keeps it rather for ornament, 'tis some which formerly belonged to his master. This morn. he brought it for us to look at and we purchased 4 tea & 4 coffee cups & saucers. 4 breakfast plates & some deep plates for dishes. A few white china, with gilt bands with the letters G. M. M. The others are fine brown China curiously figured, in the center of each piece is a device and around it the words, " Prospiceve quam ulcisci" initial letters, GFCM. This trading took a long time, the man had so little idea of the value of things, and almost no idea of the value of our "greenbacks," one has to have patience, & I thought still more as after he was gone I was trying to teach a woman how to wash the floors without throw ing water upon them but she did not understand, and after a little questioning found she had never _____________________________________________________ Note: The Latin quote in line 19 means "Take Precautions"

washed any floor except that of her rough cabin, and had never done work in a white person's home, having always worked in the fields. We almost despair finding anyone around us who can do our washing decently, as yet have not been able to. We were just starting for a walk when Mr. B. returned, no boat so had not been to the city. Among other thing brought us a loaf of bread, the first we have had seen since being on the Island. Immediately prepared a lunch for Mr. B., with pride spread out our new china which quite astonished him, "This is gorgeous" said he. really 'twas the first time our table had had a civilized appearance at all. I do hope our meals from crocked tins are about over, but yet there are thing which we must put on in the same dish in which 'tis cooked over the fire. He could not resist the temptation of eating though sparingly of that loaf of bread. Just started on our walk again when Cap. Stones & Mrs. Wight rode up. They made but a short call complimented us on the improvements we had made & congratulated us on our success in making things look comfortable. They gone, though 'twas rather near sundown, started again, this time Mr. B. joined us went to a cluster of of cabins we could see from the house, just beyond them found an old Plain house which would be a good summer schoolroom, & Mr. B. decided this was the place for Miss S. It is a large open room with seats around & a few in the center, lighted by windows with no sashes, simply board shutters. A family occupies the upper part found they had a nice easy chair for which we bargained, as we as yet have no chair. Returning found a [man?] who had some corn blades of course they were several years old as no crops have been gathered on the Is. for three years, but we were glad to secure a load for our

bedsacks, at first the man could hardly be persuaded to part with them, but when we told him our pitiful story of not having slept on a bed since being on the Is. his heart was toutched & now, we have for tonight, the luxury of one sack filled with blades. Two luxuries in a day. Three, in fact, China, bread & a bed.

Sunday 30. Rose early but breakfasted late. While standing on the back stoop saw a white man coming it proved to be surgeon Fish, from camp, whom we had not met, after sitting awhile with him, the children began to come, whom we had invited for Sunday School, perhaps 'twould be more strictly speaking a sing, all went in the other parlor where our seats were, Mr. B. lead the singing, talked to them about the song, "Joyfully Joyfully onward we move." They learned one verse. One young mother, Bess, sat the while nursing her child as composedly as if at home. All seemed earnest to learn & some had sweet voices though they would accent some of the words strangely. "I have a Father in the Promised Land" is a great favorite with them. At sundown had a meeting in the same place for the older people, not many came, we think we shall not find it advisable to continue this meeting as we find the people in the neighborhood go to a church three miles distant, they do not get back till late, probably a greater number came the first time from curiosity and interest in us. Mr. B. read 54 Is. 13 Matt. Remarks on Gal. 6. 7 & 8., sang "Coronation," at the close, "Old Hundred."