Helen Dortch Longstreet

Travail of the New Slavery: a Novelette Helen Dortch Longstreet

This story by Helen D. Longstreet is a commentary on the serious social issues of the early twentieth century. Her two-part narrative takes place in Blue Ridge mountains of North Georgia. Part one involves Margaret's romance with her lover, Captain Pulliam, and the tough choices she must make for her family. The second part describes the efforts by Katy to help her brother, little Billy Elrod, who is dying from a consumptive disease caused by a cotton mill somewhere near the Tallulah River. A big city power company has dammed the river above the beautiful Terrorah Falls he loves so dear. A powerful storm breaks the dam and lets the river run free again in the spectacular gorge. Billy is eager to see the misty rainbows above the falls one last time . . . .