{"id":181,"date":"2024-02-21T22:36:28","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T22:36:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/?page_id=181"},"modified":"2026-04-16T16:45:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T16:45:10","slug":"carries-song","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/?page_id=181","title":{"rendered":"Carrie’s Song"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Award winning Carrie’s Song<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Carrie’s Song at GooglePlay Books<\/a> (Ebook)<\/p>\n

Carrie’s Song Audio book at GooglePlay Books<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy Carrie’s Song here (D2D various ebook outlets)<\/a><\/p>\n

Carrie’s Song (paper back at Amazon)<\/a><\/p>\n

Carrie’s Song (Amazon’s Kindle)<\/a><\/p>\n

Carrie’s Song Print Book At Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Finalist in African American Fiction at Next Generation Indie Book Awards<\/p>\n

Accolades for Carrie’s Song:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Carrie’s Song is a delightful episodic tale of American history in the 1800s, as told from the point of view of a young African-American woman who was passionate about music and teaching, and who participated actively in campaigns in favor of the right to vote for women and against lynching. Bright and well-educated, Carrie eschewed the proscribed life of domesticity that was expected of her. She wanted much more. That Carrie Crawford was the author’s great grandmother, and she is portrayed with a certain wonder and reverence. Taylor also demonstrates facility in capturing the well-researched details of the time and milieu.”<\/p>\n

— Saralyn Richard \u2014 author of Murder of Principal and Bad Blood Sisters \u2014 2021 First Place Mystery\/Suspense Novel in Speak Up Radio Contest, and other notable awards.<\/p>\n

Carrie’s Song Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n

S<\/strong>tep into the vibrant and tumultuous world of Carrie’s Song<\/em>, a gripping tale set against the backdrop of 1890s Nashville, where the echoes of slavery still reverberate, and the fight for justice and equality hangs in the balance. In this captivating narrative, Carrie, a determined and resilient woman, navigates a life fraught with danger and obstacles as she strives to graduate from Fisk University, a mere three decades after the shackles of slavery were broken.<\/p>\n

The narrative unfolds with a chilling blend of murder, attempted rape, and knife-wielding thugs, forcing Carrie to confront not only the personal challenges of her education but also the harsh realities of a society grappling with its own demons. Fueled by a passion for justice, Carrie becomes a fearless foot soldier in the battle against the heinous lynching of people of color, and a staunch advocate for women’s right to vote. Her journey takes her through the heart of one of the most volatile periods in U.S. history, where societal upheavals mirror the tempest within her own soul.<\/p>\n

Amidst the chaos, Carrie finds solace and expression in her love for music. As she skillfully plays the piano and violin, her melodies become a testament to resilience and a call for change. However, her budding romance with Edward adds another layer of complexity, as he embarks on a perilous journey to the Spanish American War. Their love story becomes entwined with the larger tapestry of historical events, creating a poignant and deeply moving narrative that captures the essence of an era marked by struggle, courage, and the pursuit of a brighter future.<\/p>\n

Carrie’s Song<\/em> is not just a historical novel; it’s a symphony of emotions, a tribute to the indomitable human spirit, and a riveting exploration of love, justice, and the unyielding power of music in the face of adversity. Join Carrie on her extraordinary journey, where every note played and every step taken contributes to a timeless melody of hope, resilience, and the unwavering pursuit of a better world.<\/p>\n

The next book in the Flight of the Heart series is The Music They Made<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To receive Dale’s newsletters, write to her at Dale Marie at dmarietaylor@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Sample Chapter from Carrie’s Song<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Preface<\/strong><\/p>\n

Men grabbed him by his shoulders and shook him. \u201cYou will hang,\u201d one of them said. \u201cYou will know the pain. You will understand that you can\u2019t do as you please.\u201d They were seated on horses, all of them, their faces covered with masks. He\u2019d tried to outrun them, but it was useless. There were too many of them. Sam did not bother to speak. He knew it was pointless. His hands were tied behind his back. He had sent his wife and his children far away, having anticipated this event. One of the men threw a rope over the branch of a tall tree and made a loop.<\/p>\n

Another cleared his throat as though he wanted to speak. His eyes darted around as though he were afraid of his companions. Finally, he croaked out, \u201cHey, Jim, ain\u2019t this here a white man?\u201d Jim glared at the offending questioner but said nothing.<\/p>\n

The horse under Samuel skittered and tried to shy to the right as the men prepared the hangman\u2019s noose. He sighed as he prayed for deliverance. To have come so far. So much done, but now, his land and his property were in the hands of these thieves. Little did they know that he had outsmarted them. Sam had seen the trouble brewing in the little community where he lived. These same men had thrown rocks through the door of his dry goods and hat shop. They did not know that he had wealth hidden and that he had arranged for his family to escape with some of it. When the noose tightened around his neck, he thought of his wife\u2019s sweet face and her beautiful singing voice. Those were his last thoughts as the men slapped his horse and the noose cut into his neck.<\/p>\n

CHAPTER ONE<\/p>\n

1896<\/p>\n

Carrie ran her fingers over the yellowed keys of the piano, easily playing her favorite Beethoven composition. She continued playing one piece after another \u2013 Chopin, Mozart, Brahms and Schubert \u2013 from memory, while her mother, Emma, grandmother, Caroline, and Miss Esther chatted quietly and drank tea. Carrie wore a blue wool dress, tied in the back with a ribbon. Her hair was pulled up into a Gibson Girl hair style with the front of her hair pulled into a tight roll. Her delicate brown fingers flew across the keys.<\/p>\n

Emma, Carrie\u2019s mother, dressed in a gray wool dress that allowed for the growth of the baby she carried. The empire waist was fitted just under the bodice. Her grandmother, Caroline, dressed in a black wool dress with gray lace adorning it. Her grandmother was heavy chested, so the dress accommodated her fuller figure.<\/p>\n

Carrie, her mother, Emma and her grandmother, Caroline made regular visits to see Miss Esther, who had lost interest in playing the piano or working in her garden since the Civil War. Esther, the white half-sister to Carrie\u2019s grandmother, Caroline, had given Emma sheet music and a newer piano, while keeping the older one at her own home for visits just like this one.<\/p>\n

Carrie was to play while they visited; Carrie\u2019s brow wrinkled as she had another of those visions. This time, it was of Esther, her grandmother\u2019s sister. She took a deep breath and willed the image away so that she could continue to play. To distract herself, Carrie focused on the recent argument she\u2019d had with her mother.<\/p>\n

It was 30 years after slavery had ended and Carrie\u2019s grandmother, Caroline, had married\u00a0 Esther\u2019s family friend, Samuel. But, in 1896, it really should not matter, Carrie thought. Things were changing.<\/p>\n

Carrie\u2019s family should not be friendly with Esther and should not play a servant\u2019s role. Carrie wanted more than was implied by Booker T. Washington, who urged all Negroes to learn a trade, domestic for women and menial labor for men. She wanted to graduate from Fisk University.<\/p>\n

It would be a first for her family. Just 30 some odd years after slavery ended \u2013 she would be the first in her family to earn a college degree. But would she be able to do it? No one seemed to take her seriously. Her mother wanted to her to learn to do housework \u2013 to wash clothes, to tend to babies, to clean houses. But she wanted to play music. Her heart was in the music.<\/p>\n

The pressures were mounting. She taught school to be certain that she contributed to the household; also, it was just necessary. Her father would tolerate her impractical notions about playing music if she made money as a teacher.<\/p>\n

It was a good thing to do \u2013 teaching. So many Negroes hungered to learn to read, write and cipher. She sighed. Working and trying to get her college degree at the same time was tiring. But it had to be done. Could she do it? Could she graduate? Would there be obstacles in her way?<\/p>\n

Carrie felt there should be more to life than domestic work. After all, her grandmother had been enslaved \u2014 their lives had been nothing but domestic work. It was time for a new day. But it seemed she was trapped in expectations of the day. The argument she\u2019d had with her mother just an hour ago reverberated through her as she played.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to be a domestic worker,\u201d Carrie said quietly. \u201cI want to graduate from Fisk, study, play music, travel. I want to see the world, to teach students to love music and poetry. I want to see art and to create it. Why can\u2019t I do those things?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause, dear, we must know our place in time,\u201d Emma said, sighing as she poured water into the sink of the little kitchen. Carrie cringed and turned her back on her mother. She felt a little guilty as her mother was several months pregnant and she did not want to upset her. Her mother was too fond of taking a conservative viewpoint, like the famed Booker T. Washington.<\/p>\n

They had left the argument where it was to make their Sunday visit to Esther, her grandmother\u2019s half-sister, who was now unable to hear well or to do for herself. The women always brought her prepared food and a little something more from their garden.<\/p>\n

Esther thought of her life before things became so different, before slavery ended, as she looked at Caroline, her half-sister. \u00a0She wondered what had happened to Caroline\u2019s husband, Samuel.\u00a0 Something deep and tender moved within her as she spied on her sister\u2019s grandchild, Carrie. Samuel, who had been a friend of Esther\u2019s family, would be so proud.<\/p>\n

The emotions were so profound that she found herself wanting to touch her grand niece\u2019s beautiful dark skin, to listen to her sing, to spend hours talking with her. The rivalry that darkened relationships between half-sisters born during slavery was not there for Caroline and Esther. Thus, Esther saw Carrie as a niece.\u00a0This was not a good time to make their relationship clear as Caroline was mulatta.<\/p>\n

Esther\u2019s childhood with Caroline was fraught with tension and secrets; Caroline was Esther\u2019s only sibling. Esther remembered her tendency to wait on her younger sister, something that disturbed visitors who came to see the family.<\/p>\n

Their playful girl games \u2014 having tea, running through the fields after butterflies and tossing a ball \u2014\u00a0gave them endless hours of happiness. They shared so much in the way of looks; if it had not been for Caroline\u2019s olive skin, they might have been twins.<\/p>\n

Caroline and Esther never knew that there was a difference between them since their father treated both girls well. The war was not over when their father, Robert, became ill.<\/p>\n

His wife had died when Esther was born, so Caroline\u2019s mother, Ella, cared for the two girls as though both were her own. It was for that reason that when Caroline became of age, the neighbors were pleased to see Samuel showing an interest in her.<\/p>\n

The Africans who lived in the neighborhood whispered of the family\u2019s dotage on Caroline \u2014 of her pleasant but seemingly prissy exterior. To them it seemed ingenuine, but that was truly who Caroline was \u2014 the protected and loved daughter of a doting father.<\/p>\n

Many people thought the relationship was odd, but they were not the only family that hid their esteem for family members who were a little darker, a little different. Where they existed, they were a closely guarded secret. As long as the European and African family lived an otherwise unblemished life, living separate lives, in separate quarters at least outwardly, they could live unharried.<\/p>\n

Esther tried to talk her sister out of marriage to Samuel, but Caroline was happy that someone showed an interest in her. It seemed that nobody would. Her light brown skin and European features marked her as a mixed child.<\/p>\n

Since Caroline was so deeply loved by her sister and father, no one dared suggest she attend the social events hosted for young girls of African descent. Esther monopolized Caroline\u2019s attention. Neither girl had much of a social life outside of the home, and as they grew into their late teens, it became evident that they might become spinsters.<\/p>\n

Neither might have cared since they spent their time in the company of one another just as they had as children, reading, playing music and sewing. Both girls were educated at home by their father and by trusted tutors. However, Caroline was always cautioned to hide her education. The vast home library kept them busy for hours. When Sam began to call on Caroline, Esther realized that she was headed toward an adult life without ever having been courted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you need to be married at all?\u201d argued Esther, glaring at her sister through eyeglasses and over the top of her book.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve told you for the last time, I want to find out what it\u2019s like to be loved like that. It\u2019s my decision,\u201d Caroline said, returning the glare with a short glance. \u201cYou can marry too, Esther. What about that boy who came to the holiday party? He was surely interested in you, but you wouldn\u2019t return his letters or notes or even go on a buggy ride with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have more important things to think about,\u201d Esther said. \u201cBesides, if I go down that road, there\u2019s no turning back. Once you begin, your destiny is fixed with children and familial obligations. I want to write and read and continue my collection of butterflies. If I stop to get married, I won\u2019t be able to do that. Besides, I haven\u2019t met the man who\u2019s going to let me have my way. When I do, maybe I\u2019ll consider a buggy<\/em> ride.\u201d She leaned over her book and stuck out her tongue at her younger sister, widening her eyes as she said, \u201cbuggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEsther, you\u2019re so impossible. You\u2019re one of the prettiest girls in the county, yet you hold yourself so aloof. You know what Andrew Marvell would say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, seize the day, but why should I when I have you to do it for me?\u201d she winked at Caroline, and they never returned to the subject. But when Caroline was ready for her big day, Esther did all she could to make the affair a special occasion.<\/p>\n

Esther found a way for Caroline and Sam to have a real marriage like any other couple. It could be done if the antecedents were hidden, which Esther arranged through friends. Esther baked a cake and invited their close friends to the house for a reception. Though Ella was ill and near the end of her days, she too made an appearance for the couple\u2019s reception. The young people chatted, played cards, and whispered to each other. When everyone went home, Ella pulled Caroline aside a pressed an ancient shekel coin into her hand. She smiled at her daughter and said nothing more. Caroline knew what to do with the coin.<\/p>\n

William rubbed down the horses that had brought them to Esther\u2019s house. The days were getting shorter and the weather chilly. He thought about his origins and wondered why his mother insisted on visiting Esther. William and his mother came from East Tennessee to Nashville following the disappearance of his father, Sam.<\/p>\n

William took pride in the idea that he had opened his first bank account at a penny savings bank and began building his business. Soon, William and Emma married, she at 16 and he at 21, and they began to have children. Carrie came first, then Willella. William stood outside the house where his mother\u2019s sister lived, waiting for the women to finish their visit.<\/p>\n

He could not abide visits to Esther\u2019s house. Slavery had not been over long when Esther was insisting that his mother come visit. He was just a boy then, but he had to come along.<\/p>\n

People around here did not like this kind of friendship. It made William nervous. The women seemed to be determined to live dangerously. William shook his head and walked the horses to the back stables where Abner was tending to the livestock.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill,\u201d Abner said, nodding. \u201cThe women folks up at the house visiting?\u201d William nodded. He led the four horses to the trough to drink and unhooked them from their traces.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo telling how long they gonna be,\u201d William said. \u201cMight as well make the horses comfortable.\u201d Abner nodded and walked over to where William was preparing to unhook the horses so he could finish watering them and lead them out to a pasture.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you been doing lately, Abner?\u201d William asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing but tending to things for Miss Esther, that\u2019s all,\u201d Abner said. \u201cShe got some notion in her head she want to go into town from time to time. So\u2019s I drive her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good, good,\u201d William said. \u201cWhat about that woman you was seeing when we last came over here, what\u2019s her name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJohanna,\u201d Abner said. \u201cWe got married, one on the way.\u201d Abner grinned.<\/p>\n

\u201cCongratulations, Abner,\u201d William said, smiling. Abner pointed to the back of the barn where there was a path leading to his home.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on over,\u201d Abner said. \u201cJohanna always got some victuals on the stove.\u201d William wasn\u2019t hungry, but he agreed to visit with the couple while his mother, wife and daughter visited with Esther.<\/p>\n

Caroline was pleased to find that her son, William, and her grandchildren had hope. William stood outside of the house with the horses rested, fed and watered. He helped Caroline down the steps of Esther\u2019s house. Esther did not look as good as Caroline had hoped. The lung problems were back. She knew it. But Esther was not one to complain.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look happy, William,\u201d Caroline said. \u201cUnlike your daughter who has been out of sorts the whole time I\u2019ve been visiting my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

William frowned and looked at Carrie as if to say, This is not like you. Carrie held her head down and her skirts up as she skipped down the steps. But suddenly, she turned about, ran to Esther and took her hand. \u201cBe careful going up and down steps,\u201d Carrie whispered, smiled tightly and squeezed the older woman\u2019s hand gently.<\/p>\n

Carrie stood there a moment looking into Esther\u2019s rheumy brown eyes, then turned away and bounced down the steps again. With her father\u2019s help, she climbed atop the carriage to sit with him. William motioned for Emma to remain on the porch while he helped his mother, Caroline, into the Brougham.<\/p>\n

Then, he raced up the steps and helped Emma as well. He handed Emma into the carriage and waited for the ladies to say they were ready to depart. Emma placed a hand on her large stomach, smiling as she felt the baby kick.<\/p>\n

Esther stood on the porch, holding a handkerchief in the air as she waved to her sister and her sister\u2019s family. All of Esther\u2019s family was gone. The war had taken some; others had been felled by disease. Caroline and William were all Esther had.<\/p>\n

Caroline\u2019s son and daughter-in-law were doing what they could among the throngs of other Coloreds who were fighting to make a living in Nashville.<\/p>\n

It worried Caroline that lynching was not challenged and that William or even one of her granddaughters might be a victim of the hatred that boiled up after the war ended. But she had to focus her attention on feeding her family and being certain they were well.<\/p>\n

As the carriage ambled along toward Nashville, Carrie peered ahead. She frowned as she saw a gathering of whites around a little church. Colored people were arguing with the whites. The little church was ablaze and had been set on fire by the whites.<\/p>\n

Carrie nudged her father\u2019s arm. \u201cPapa, hang back a while,\u201d she said. Carrie sat on the bench seat with her father, hoping that the noise did not mean trouble for her family, but knowing that it certainly did for the Blacks who were gathered ahead.<\/p>\n

Another of those headaches had pinched behind her eyes. This time a sense of dread accompanied it so that she wanted her father to wait. William pulled the horses back and to the side of the road, well away from a throng of white people who waved torches and shouted at the Colored folks. Her grandmother stuck her head out and motioned to Carrie.<\/p>\n

\u201cCarrie-girl, you come on down from there and wait inside the carriage,\u201d her grandmother said. Her father helped Carrie get down from the bench seat and helped her into the carriage with his mother and wife.<\/p>\n

A trickle of whites appeared to attempt to subdue the rowdy white group and to help put the fire out.<\/p>\n

The Colored church members raced back and forth to a little creek carrying water to fight the fire that was attempting to engulf the little church. After Carrie was settled, her grandmother peeked out the side of the carriage and motioned to her son.<\/p>\n

\u201cWilliam,\u201d Caroline said. \u201cBe careful.\u201d William nodded and went to find out how he could help. The little church had been painted white and had been built in a clearing. It was not larger than 500 square feet with a small porch and plain windows on the side. The roughhewn boards suggested that the parish members might have built the church from nearby trees.<\/p>\n

Many of the Colored men were dressed in their Sunday best of black pantaloons and a white shirt. Their women folk, some of them dressed in dark wool dresses and others in colorful greens and blues, hung back some distance with children clutched tightly to them.<\/p>\n

Some were discarding overcoats as the fire grew more intense. Though it was a damp late spring day, the cool weather did not seem to help keep the fire contained.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened here?\u201d William asked as he helped carry buckets of water from a creek to the church. An old black man spit and looked sharply at William.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou from the city, ain\u2019t you?\u201d the old man said. William nodded as he splashed water on the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese here folks don\u2019t want us to be learnin\u2019 our childrens,\u201d the old man said. \u201cThey\u2019s trying to burn down our church cause that\u2019s whar we learnin\u2019 the children how to read and write.\u201d William frowned as he saw some whites standing about and cursing at the increasing numbers of Blacks and whites who came to help put out the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey cain\u2019t stop you if you don\u2019t let \u2018em,\u201d William said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou right \u2019bout that, young man,\u201d the old man said. \u201cAnd thank ya kindly for stopping to help.\u201d William nodded. He went to the carriage to tell his mother, wife and daughter what had happened and to get some of the cool tea his mother had brought along for the trip.<\/p>\n

In about an hour, more people, white and Black, showed up to help put the fire out and to help the Black church members bring out benches and pews.<\/p>\n

The church entrance was badly burned, but much of the building had been saved. William shook hands with the men of the church and walked the half mile back to the carriage where his family waited. He climbed on top of the carriage. His mother was tired and irritable. It was time to get them home. After they had passed the church, Carrie knocked on the top of the Carriage roof. William knew what that meant. She wanted to rejoin him on the bench seat.<\/p>\n

William\u2019s thoughts turned to the ways he and Emma had struggled to make certain that Carrie had a good education. He maneuvered the carriage around a large pothole and clucked to the horses. The days were turning cooler as fall was near.<\/p>\n

\u201cPapa,\u201d Carrie said. It was more like a question. He knew that Carrie had questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy were those white people trying so hard to keep those Colored people from having a church?\u201d<\/p>\n

He explained that the church members were also attempting to teach their children.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t they just move to Nashville where there are public schools?\u201d Carrie asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCarrie-girl, when it was time for your schoolin\u2019, me and your Mama decided to send you to the school for Colored children, one new for the education of the children of slaves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I know that many of the people who come to my school to learn to read and write are much older than they should be,\u201d Carrie said. \u201cIt\u2019s like they never had a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d her father said. \u201cColored people be punished if they try to learn readin\u2019 and writtin\u2019 because if they know how to do that, they might find a way to escape.\u201d Carrie sat there for a moment digesting that information. The sound of the horse\u2019s clop clop in the dirt and the smell of clean earth filled the air. Her father flicked the reins gently on the backs of the horses to shoo away horse flies.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour grandmother\u2019s sister, Esther, offer us to a tutor for you and Willella at the mansion, but your grandma want me and your mother to teach you as much as we could at own home first,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He explained that the Catholic Church had Sunday schools where many Colored people were taught to read and write. Caroline and her family were among those who benefited. From there, Caroline had hounded William to learn to read and write and be certain his family was educated too.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did you and Mama know how to read and write?\u201d Carrie asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a matter of holding yourself up, Carrie-girl,\u201d her father said. \u201cIt was important to us that you know how to dress and how to act. Your Mama sewed clothes for you so you look neat and clean, and sometimes you were the only girl dressed good. We don\u2019t know what we should. We learn a little bit here and there. You been showin\u2019 us how to talk and I try, not always perfect, but I try.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father said that in 1886, when Carrie was 8, his mother, Caroline, was among the elders that went to the city aldermen and asked that a high school be established for Negro children. Though Carrie was young then, her parents had high hopes that she would go quickly to the next level of her education.<\/p>\n

Carrie remembered that when she had turned 10, she had excelled in arithmetic, writing and music. She was allowed to teach her peers. By the time she was 15, she had mastered the subjects that had been offered at the local school for Colored children \u2014 geometry, physical geography, civil government, English, Latin, physics, chemistry and ethics.<\/p>\n

Children of the time were to demonstrate how well they could carry themselves in the hostile environment that was the Reconstruction era. They were to show whites that they could conduct themselves with decorum. Carrie\u2019s grandmother knew that her granddaughter\u2019s attitude was the result of the pressure of the times.<\/p>\n

\u201cI sometimes feel better talking to Grandmother Nana,\u201d Carrie said. Her father nodded and clucked to the horses. The sky appeared cloudy as though it would rain. \u00a0Carrie felt herself pulled between two forces of the time \u2013 one espoused by Booker T. Washington and the other by W.E.B. Dubois, who was an alum of her school, Fisk University.<\/p>\n

She and her mother, Emma, often argued the subject behind the closed doors of their modest home at Jefferson Street. Caroline tried to keep the two women from getting too worked up.<\/p>\n

When they returned home from their visit with Aunt Esther, William took care of the horses in the barn where he housed horses, carriages and wagons that he used in his coal delivery and transportation business.<\/p>\n

Caroline could see that Carrie was getting worked up for another confrontation with her mother. Carrie felt compelled to press her point. Willella greeted her at the door to the back of the house. She was dressed like her sister.<\/p>\n

Willella, Carrie\u2019s sister, had stayed at home while the three women had visited Esther. Caroline, the elder Mrs. Crawford, sat beside Willella helping to prepare green beans for supper. Emma and Carrie picked up their argument right where they\u2019d left off.<\/p>\n

The kitchen smelled of stewed chicken, potatoes and greens. Willella changed her clothes and took a seat in a corner of the kitchen where she snapped off the ends of green beans and snapped them in half. She rolled her eyes at her older sister as she watched her mother and sister argue.<\/p>\n

Though Emma was seven months pregnant, this did not slow her down. William came in from having seen to the horses. Two of his crew members for his business, Crawford Coal and Cabs, had stayed in the barn and were taking care of the horses and cleaning the carriage.<\/p>\n

William had cleaned himself up and was trying to read a newspaper, as he often did. He tried to pretend that he did not hear his wife and daughter bickering.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut mother,\u201d Carrie continued. \u201cThis is a matter of conscience. It\u2019s important to do what you think is right for yourself, not what others think you should do. I want to play the piano, teach, see the world, not work as a domestic. Isn\u2019t that what you would do if you could?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWatch your mouth, young lady,\u201d Emma said, putting her hands on her ample hips. \u201cI want you to be happy, but it\u2019s time you faced facts. Colored folks are struggling enough to get by. Not everybody can be a teacher. I\u2019m proud of you for teaching at the school; I know you\u2019re capable, but I\u2019m just saying that you need to face facts. Try to do something more than just keep your head in them books \u2026 in the clouds. Learn how to sew, cook, clean. Be practical. Life may demand it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Buy Carrie’s Song here (D2D various ebook outlests)<\/a><\/p>\n

Carrie’s Song (paper back at Amazon)<\/a><\/p>\n

Carrie’s Song (Amazon’s Kindle)<\/a><\/p>\n

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Carrie Crawford<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Carrie and Edward<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Carrie with her Fisk University classmates and Mrs. Scribner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Carrie’s Song<\/em> and other books by Dale Marie Taylor are published by Narrativemagic Press. narrativemagic.com<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Carrie’s Song at GooglePlay Books (Ebook) Carrie’s Song Audio book at GooglePlay Books Buy Carrie’s Song here (D2D various ebook outlets) Carrie’s Song (paper back at Amazon) Carrie’s Song (Amazon’s Kindle) Carrie’s Song Print Book At Amazon Finalist in African American Fiction at Next Generation Indie Book… Continue reading Carrie’s Song<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":102,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-181","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"post-thumbnail":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"q48ru","author_link":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/?author=1"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"                Carrie’s Song at GooglePlay Books (Ebook) Carrie’s Song Audio book at GooglePlay Books Buy Carrie’s Song here (D2D various ebook outlets) Carrie’s Song (paper back at Amazon) Carrie’s Song (Amazon’s Kindle) Carrie’s Song Print Book At Amazon Finalist in African American Fiction at Next Generation Indie Book……","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=181"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/181\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":420,"href":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/181\/revisions\/420"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/daletaylorbooks.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}