April 2nd, 1864.—We did a mean thing yesterday. It being “all fools day”, we issued invitations to a favored few to supper. Then we went to work to play a joke on them. We induced Betsey, who keeps house for the Donelsons, to help us. We made pies, beautiful looking pies, but they were filled with cotton instead of fruit. Green corn had just filled out enough to eat, so we had corn fritters, but cotton was shredded through and through the tempting looking brown cakes. We had hot biscuits, but they, too, were tough and unfit to eat because of the cotton kneaded in the dough. A beautiful bowl of salad graced the centre of the table, but instead of lettuce, hoarhound had been used. Now Mother would never have let us do this but Aunt Margaret is very indulgent and allows her daughters to do pretty much as they please. The company arrived, three young ladies and three soldiers from Camp Randolph. We took our seats at the table and Aunt Margaret made the coffee and the dishes were handed to the guests. It was only when we saw the blank expression on their faces that we understood what an unkind prank. we had played.
Aunt Margaret arose to the occasion—Betsey must have whispered in her mistress’ ear, for she touched the bell, which sat beside her plate and Rose and Chatity came in and removed the dishes, which we had come to hate by this time, and Betsey followed, with old Aunt Prudy in the rear, with a truly good supper, a more bountiful one than we had provided and far better. Oh, how we thanked. Aunt Margaret and she did not scold us one bit.
Susan Bradford is 18 years old when this entry was made.