March 13.—A bright, beautiful day. A woman has been here with a young child, begging me to give her any kind of work, as she has nothing for herself and child to eat. She had just come from Atlanta, and represents the distress there as being very great. I am sorry that we have no work for her. We have many negroes, and nothing for them to do but sewing, as we have no patients. After this woman left, two others came and begged me to give them work just for their shelter and food. How sad all of this is! I have not been long in finding out that there are many worse off than myself.
A number of negro women are at work quilting comforts. Dr. de Yampert wished to have the cloth for them dyed; but most of the Confederate dye does not stand. The comforts are made out of unbleached homespun, and the raw cotton is put in them in lumps, and they are tacked about a foot apart; when washed they are not fit to use.
Cotton goods of all kinds are very high; but I am told that the government manufactories in Georgia, and, I believe, in the other states, sell goods to soldiers’ relatives for nearly one fourth what they can be bought for in the stores.
