The Carson House and The Old Fort Mountain Railroad: A Stage Play and a Scripted Novella

By Freddy Bradburn

Part history, part fiction, part satire, in the comic tradition of Kurt Vonnegut, Gore Vidal, and Joseph Heller, The Carson House and the Old Fort Mountain Railroad are two works connected by two generations of characters that turns history on its ear. Both stories are fictional accounts of two major events in McDowell County in Western North Carol

• Language: English
• Publisher: freddy bradburn susan yergler
• Release date: Sep 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9798218039790

Book preview

1

John Carson Buys A Slave Who Really is a Princess

The Carson House

A Stage Play by Freddy Bradburn

Cast of Characters

John Carson-Owner of the Carson House and slave owner. Born in 1752 in Ireland.

Kadella-Slave bought by Carson. A former princess from West Africa. Purchased around 1798.

Young Sally-10-12 year old version of Sally Carson.

Sally Carson-Daughter of John Carson and Carson’s deceased first wife, Rachel.

Young Davy-10-12 year old version of Davy.

Davy-son of Liam who is in charge of the stables at the Carson House.

Liam-Blacksmith in charge of the horses at the Carson House.

Lily Whitefeather-Wife of Liam, a full-blooded Cherokee.

Mary Moffett McDowell Carson-John Carson’s second wife.

Eli-slave and friend to Kadella.

Samuel Price Carson-son of Mary Moffett and John Carson. Born in 1798.

Emma Trout-Mountain girl who falls in love with Samuel.

Emma’s mother.

McEntire-Husband to Sally.

David Thoreau-Quaker minister who helps on the underground railroad.

Andrew Jackson-Friend to John Carson.

Davy Crockett-friend to John Carson.

Fatima-house slave at the Carson house.

An Auctioneer

Although based on actual history and some historical characters, this is primarily a work of fiction.

Part I

(Platform center stage-Kadella center stage on auction block. John Carson and small group of men bidding on her.)

John Carson

I bid two hundred dollars.

Kadella (to audience)

That’s the first words I hear from John Carson. Plum romantic ain’t it? Me standing half naked on a platform. Looking him straight in the eye like I could stab him. Looking at him like the princess I was. Platform reminded me a little of my daddy’s throne back in Africa.

My daddy was a king and I was his daughter. But a war broke out with another tribe over this or that. They was always fightin about something. But my daddy didn’t know that the other tribe had sold out to the white man. These slave traders.

Bidder

I bid two hundred and twenty-five!

Kadella

My daddy got killed in the battle and I got captured and they put me on a ship like I was some kind of animal. Shipped me to Charleston and stuck me on the auction block. I didn’t speak much English. Just the few words I’d learned on the boat. Old man helped me down in the hole of that boat. He teach me as much as he could. But he got sick and died and they threw him overboard right into the ocean. I’s a young girl of 18, and I’d seen a few wars amongst our tribe, but I ain’t never seen any cruelty compare with this. It was just getting started.

John

Two hundred and fifty dollars.

Kadella

When they threw that old man into the ocean without a prayer or a word on his soul--well, it made the soul of the world angry. My momma was a healer on the island and knew all sorts of herbs and potions and incantations and things, and she had taught me since I was a little girl. And living by the ocean, I learned a lot bout the soul of the world. Most white men don’t know nothing bout the soul of the world. They got their Jesus, but he a pale rider to some of the deities I was acquainted with. And the white man don’t seem to have any respect for things of the world. Always trying to tame it or subdue or make money out of it, or selling it, like they sellin us.

Bidder

I bid two hundred and seventy-five dollars.

Kadella

Human beings--treating us like their work animals. Those work animals more human than these white men. Anyway, I saw em roll quite a few dead people off that boat, and no wonder the way they had us crammed in there, and each time an albatross appeared and followed the boat. I knowed it was a sign. The poor soul of those dead people flying off, but not too far. Remembering, remembering.

John

I bid three hundred dollars.

Kadella

Man on the platform picking and prodding me. It was all I could do to keep from slapping his ugly old face. All these fat, slobbery white men were bout the ugliest things I’d ever laid eyes on. And speaking of eyes on, John Carson sure had his eyes on me. And he bought me for three hundred dollars. I figured that was a bargain for a princess, and while he was ugly, he wasn’t as ugly as all those other loud, ugly, white men.

Auctioneer

Sold! To Mr. John Carson for three hundred dollars!

John Carson (to audience)

I knew I was going to bid on her as soon as she stepped up on the auction block. She was young, and beautiful and had a regal bearing about her. I would tell my wife that I bought her to help her in the house with the sewing and quilting. The way this slave glared at me when I bid. What was I getting into? This group was from West Africa. This girl was dark and her glare reminded me of the hateful Cherokee.

It is a strange sensation to buy another human. They are human, especially the women, but they aren’t human like us. Three hundred dollars is a lot to spend, and I am frugal. That is why I treat my slaves well. It is not a system I particularly like because of all the trouble these slaves can cause. It is not like having a good horse or mule. I wish I could get the horses to do the work. I am fond of horses. But I treat my slaves well. It is an investment. The whole institution of slavery is rather odious, but it is the way things work. So be it.

Unchain her please. What’s your name, girl?

Slave Trader

Her name, Kadella. She don’t speak no English as far as we can tell. Congratulations, Colonel Carson. You just bought yourself a princess.

John

A princess? I thought she didn’t speak English.

Trader

She don’t. They told us when we put her on the boat. Daddy was a king. And just wait, she sure acts like a princess. Princess of slave ship.

John

Well, I bought a slave about five years back from the West Indies. Fatima will teach her some English. Kadella! Good you recognize your own name. Come with me. I’m taking you to your new home. You’re mine now. (Exit all but Kadella. She walks while speaking.)

Kadella

And I rode in his wagon for three days. Each day took me farther away from the ocean and into these dark hills. When we arrived, his home was just a large log cabin with open fields near a river. It was surrounded by dark hills and wilderness.

(Enter Eli, Liam. Kadella and John.)

John

Eli, this is Kadella. Take her to the slave quarters and give her to Fatima. Tell Fatima to clean her up and then bring her to me at the barn.

Eli

Yes sir, Mr. Carson.

Liam

Got you a pretty one there, John. You got some jobs in mind for her.

John

Claims she’s a princess. Sure acts like it. Stared right through me the whole trip. I understand she can sew, knit, and quilt and so she’ll be working with Fatima. She’ll train her. She don’t speak a word of English yet.

Liam

Anything else in mind?

Carson

I hear what you’re saying, Liam. My first wife dying so soon and me marrying Mary Moffitt because she’s the only woman of substance around and her a widow too.

Liam

Not exactly a love match as we say in Ireland.

Carson

No but she’s a devout woman who will give me a few more good sons. And she’s happy and busy with the house and her religion.

Liam

Yep. She’s all the time praying with her Bible down on her knees, but married to the likes of you, I reckon she’ll need all the prayers she can get.

Carson

Yes. That’s the only time she’ll get down on her knees. You know a man out here on the frontier has certain needs. Don’t let Mary Moffitt see her yet. Mary being with our first child and us not married that long. Well, buying a young, light-skinned negress might not go over too well.

Liam

If you say so. I don’t reckon Fatima is going to be all that pleased to see, what’s her-name?

John

Kadella.

Liam

Kadella, the princess of the Carson House. Fatima might get jealous.

John

She’ll be fine. She has no choice in the matter anyway. By the way, how the horses lining up?Today is Thursday, right? Lost track on the trip to Charleston and then the trip back. We’re having the big race on Sunday.

Liam

Things looking good. Your horses ready. Ginger raring to go. Lily Whitefeather says the weather looks good. No rain.

John

How is it Lily can tell the weather four days out, and always be right?

Liam

Well, she’s Cherokee and it’s just built into them--to her anyway. Built into the generations, I guess. Like the Irish and whiskey. Speaking of which, we got a new batch aging and you’re getting ready to tap into the Belfast batch.

John

Irish eyes will be shining. Good to be home. Better go up and say hello to the missus, then I’ll come down and deal with Fatima and Kadella.

Liam

I’ll put the horses up. I’m taking my boy, Davy, fishing at the river later. Taking your daughter too. Regular Tomboy that girl. (Carson exits)

2

Sally and Davy Meet Kadella

(Fatima, Sally, Kadella, Davy. Music playing in the background.)

Fatima

That party going strong now. Now they want us out of sight, especially Kadella here. Don’t want them to start a bunch a gossip bout a pretty new slave Mr. Carson just bought, but she a good worker I can already tell.

Sally

My name, Sally, Sal-ley, and this is Davy, Da-vy.

Kadella

Sal-ly. Da-vy. I speak some English, but sometimes it’s better to pretend I don’t. My name Kadella.

Fatima

We help you learn. Sally gonna help teach you. She can talk up a blue streak.

Davy

Ain’t that the truth. Sally knows how to talk.

Fatima

Kadella made her scarf here. Isn’t it beautiful?

Davy

She really a princess?

Fatima

That’s what Mr. Carson claims so we gonna play that up as much as we can. I think Mr. Carson likes the idea since he all the time drinking and gambling. It’ll make a good conversation topic for him. He’s always talkin up what he’s got that others don’t.

Davy

Where she from?

Fatima

Africa.

Sally

That’s a continent.

Davy

I know that. I ain’t completely ignorant.

Sally

You did not. I seen that look on your face. I seen that look in our little school plenty of times. When you were there, and not off fishing somewhere.

Davy

You’re just jealous cause you have to go to school and I don’t. . . Listen, I hear my daddy’s fiddle starting. The dance is starting. Let’s go watch awhile.

Sally

Yes. They get a little whiskey in em and it ain’t exactly dancing. It kinda genteel up at the house but when they outside those frontier men start buck dancing. Well, it don’t resemble any dancing I ever seen.

Fatima

You just be careful and don’t get seen by anybody. I’m supposed to be putting you to bed here soon.

Sally

Ah don’t worry. Momma will be in bed with her Bible and earplugs. She wouldn’t be caught dead anywhere near the drinking and partying, and she being pregnant, she tires out real early.

Davy

Come on. They got the bonfire going. They starting to jump around. The sight of that would scare off any respectable Cherokee.

Fatima

Speaking of. How’s your momma doing? I don’t see her much.

Davy

Well, she don’t get out much. She got her own garden and spices and Cherokee things. She love papa but she misses her people. Talks about wanting to go back. Have papa work for himself nearer the nation. She ain’t too keen on Mr. Carson, and ol Andrew Jackson came down to the cabin today looking for papa. She despises Jackson.

Sally

Well, you just discourage such talk as that. You can’t be leaving me. Who’d I fish with and make fun of. Anyway you don’t want to leave Pleasant Gardens.

Davy

Pleasant who? What’s that? Pleasant Gardens?

Sally

That’s the name Mary Moffitt brought with her. Carson let her re-name the place. Small sacrifice for all the other stuff he gets away with. Gentleman farmer marries genteel well-connected neighbor with the McDowell pedigree.

Davy

Pedi what?

Sally

Pedigree. Her name. The McDowell name. You must of been absent from school that day too.

Davy

Prob’ly. Pleasant Gardens? Sounds like a cemetery to me. So come on, Sally quit a-yammering. The fiddle and the whiskey and the dancing, well, they be raising the dead.

Sally

Father always scheming. That’s the politician in him. He’s off to Raleigh next week, not that I ever talk to him. Come on, I’ll race you. (they run off.)

3

Drunk Andrew Jackson

Sally, Davy, Andrew Jackson.

Sally

Davy, when we going over to see the new slave? I can’t wait for you to see her.

Davy

You know they busy right now preparing for the dance and the big ta-do tonight. We’ll wait until the dance starts and everybody’s occupied dancing and getting drunk.

Sally

Yeah. I reckon. You gonna fiddle any with your daddy tonight?

Davy

Nah. I ain’t good enough yet, but he teaching me. I can play Turkey in the Straw tolerable well. But everything else sounds like two cats mating.

Sally

Yeah, I heard you the other day. I’d say more like nine cats mating. Two doesn’t give that racket justice.

Davy

You’re funny, Sally. . . Oh no. Look who’s stumbling down the path. If it isn’t the honorable scalawag, Andrew Jackson.

Jackson (a little tipsy)

Hey young’uns, what have we here? Conspiring on some great adventure, I suppose.

Sally

I suppose not. I suppose you’re here to lose more horse races.

Jackson

I remember you. You’re Carson’s youngest. You ride pretty well too, for a girl. I’ve got some of your father’s excellent whiskey. I’m looking for Liam so he can look over my pony for tomorrow. Who's your friend here?

Sally

This is Davy. He’s Liam’s son. I darest say he could out ride you.

Jackson

Don’t be impertinent child. Where’s your father then, laddie? I need another drink with a good Irishman who knows his horses.

Davy

He’s down at the stables. That’s a Cherokee pony you got there. What’s you do, steal it?

Jackson

Devil tongued young'uns. Be glad I’m in a charitable mood today. How’ja know it’s a Cherokee pony?

Davy

My momma is full blood. She knows her horses too.

Jackson

Then you’re a little half breed then aren’t you.

Sally

Pardon us, sir. We don’t like that term round here. Matter of fact, Liam might just whip your scrawny ass for insulting his wife that way.

Davy

My Cherokee momma could whip his scrawny ass.

Jackson

Be glad I’m in a good mood angelic children or I might. . .

Sally

What? Challenge us to a duel?

Jackson

Wash your mouth out with soap. But I’ll leave that up to Carson, who has killed a few Indians in his time, but never you mind. I will take my whiskey and pony now to the stables and bid you a fond adieu.

4

I Always Catch More Fish Than You

Enter Davy, Liam, Sally with fishing poles.

Davy

Where are we fishing today, father?

Liam

Where Buck Creek flows into the Catawba. So come on and don’t tarry. There might be trout for dinner, laddie, and don’t let Sally catch more than you, right Sally?

Sally

Yessir, Mr. Liam. I always catch more than Davy.

Davy

You do not.

Sally

Do so. How many did you catch when we went yesterday?

Davy

I don’t know, that was a long time ago. Five or six.

Sally

You caught four and I caught six. It’s like our birthdays. I will always be older than you. I’m eleven and you’re ten.

Davy

Next month I’ll be eleven too, so we’ll be the same age.

Liam

Argued like a real Irishman’s son. Now stop your prattle, we are here and you don’t want to scare the fish away arguing about how many fish you’re going to catch. You two together put Blarney Castle to shame. Now bait your hooks and have at it. I’m going on up the river a bit.

(Liam exits)

Sally

We been sitting here half an hour and nary a bite. Oh wait! I got a bite. Got it. Look at that Davy, a big brown. That’s a nice one, ain’t it.

Davy

It’s alright, I reckon. Nothing special.

Sally