The Railroad War Read Online Free PDF

from?”
    “That’s easy enough, Fanny,” he said, still lightly. “It came from the sale of some property that I no longer had a use for.”
    She closed her eyes for the space of a few breaths. Then, opening them, she glanced first at Pierce, then at the audience
     on the veranda which had been growing during the exchange. Then she spoke: “That money, that soiled wealth, came from the
     sale of human beings at one of the largest slave auctions ever held in the state of Georgia. That’s where it came from.”
    He shrugged. “Property,” he said.
    “More than four hundred men, women, children, and even infants auctioned at the Ten Broeck Racecourse. I can’t think of an
     act more shameful and more evil, Pierce Kemble.”
    Then she, having made her most important point, slipped a glance at Ashbel, who was standing in the background, studiously
     avoiding involvement in Fanny and Pierce’s current conflict. Taking his cue, Ash moved up.
    The audience on the veranda, he noted in passing, seemed more sympathetic to his brother than to Fanny. The gentlemen of the
     military tended to be conservative, and many of them, of course, were from the South. As for Ash himself, the question of
     slavery was a matter of relative indifference. He owned no slaves, since slaves were in no way useful or practical to him.
     And he believed that in time slavery would die out, for slaves would cease to be either useful or practical to the planters
     of the South. But on the other hand, he thought of himself as a realist. Some men would always dominate and control other
     men. This would happen no matter what name was given to the practice. It was true on his ships. It was true in an army. It
     was true in the fields.
    “Let’s end this discussion now, shall we?” Ashbel said brightly, leading Fanny away by the hand. “Ariel, Miranda, come. We
     must see about rooms. Pierce, Lam, would you be so kind as to see about the baggage?” And remembering Miranda’s burn, he turned
     to her. “How is your wound, my dear?”
    “I can scarcely feel it any longer, Uncle.”
    “Lovely,” he said. He was glad to see that Pierce had taken the hint and was making himself scarce.
    “She must rest now,” Fanny said, her interest in her daughter’s welfare rekindled. “I must tend to her.”
    “I’m fine. Really I am,” Miranda said. “I’ll just clean up and change. You needn’t bother yourself over me, Mother.”
    “No, no, no. I won’t hear of anything like that.” She lifted her hands for all to see. They were somewhat large and were her
     one unattractive feature. “These are healers’ hands. I have the healing touch.”
    “Actually,” Ashbel said, “the girl may be onto the right cure for what ails her, though she hasn’t actually articulated it.”
    “What do you mean?” Fanny said. Her hands were still raised, opened and with palms out. She liked the effect she made with
     them. “This girl needs rest and quiet and a mother’s care. There’s dinner and a ball tonight, and endless ceremonies tomorrow.”
    Ashbel continued, “If I may be permitted to disagree with a woman so beautiful and forceful as the great Fanny Shaw, I’d like
     to suggest an activity for Miranda and the other children rather different from what you have in mind.”
    “I can’t imagine what,” Fanny said, though she was willing to listen to his proposal. She was not immune to his flattery.
    “There are about four hours before nightfall and dinner. During that time, I’d like to see the three cadets and the two young
     ladies off doing something pleasant together—if young men and young ladies still find pleasant things to do with one another
     in these benighted times. There must anyhow be cool, dark paths to walk along in the primitive forests that surround this
     place. Or shady clearings to sit and converse in.” He laughed. “I wouldn’t find it hard to be persuaded to sit with a lovely
     young lady on some soft and grassy