Muddy River Running

<p class=ql-align-center><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Catherine Howard (author) through the wide-open eyes of Laureen walks you through the unstable and unpredictable time of the post-civil war era. Although Laureen's journey includes the rocky terrain of despair sprinkled she walks boldly as a prisoner of hope. </span></p><p class=ql-align-center></p><p class=ql-align-center><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Laureen struggled to adjust from a life of comfort to one of poverty after the Civil War. When offered a chance to leave the South she eagerly accepted despite the uncertainty ahead. Having never traveled far or made decisions independently-especially without considering her sister-in-law Florence-this journey marked a profound shift. Aboard the Sultana she encountered unfamiliar aspects of life and began to experience a new kind of freedom-one rooted in personal choice rather than social or familial obligation. As she moved further from her past her confidence grew preparing her for the life-altering disaster that awaited.</span></p>