Crimson Stained the Bayou Pines
A Novel of Political Struggle in the Deep South
by
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The stranger panned his eyes left and right surveying the Sodom that lay at his feet. …
The vast majority of the businesses and shops that could be seen were constructed of wood—a material that was evidently extremely abundant in this part of the world. The facades of the buildings so closely resembled the images he had seen of western towns that for a moment he thought he had stepped off the train and into a paperback novel where Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett would feel at home. …
The young man could not help but reflect upon the story of Jesus overturning the money-changers’ tables in the Great Temple of the Lord. Money was being made here, and a great deal of it—but not by the people he was currently watching. The scene being played out in front of him troubled his soul deeply. Any doubt he had concerning coming to Lake Charles vanished when he saw the misuse of humanity before him.
This was why Eugene V. Debs had seen fit to send him to this godforsaken place. He was to be a missionary for all that was good on this earth. He was here to bring light to the darkness. He only hoped that the people were ready to embrace his message.
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About the Book
In the early 1900s, socialist Walter Dietz arrives in a remote section of the American gulf coast. Lake Charles, Louisiana, is a small Cajun town, bustling with lumberjacks and wealthy sawmill owners. At the time of Dietz’s arrival, the economic affluence of the wealthy is increasing, widening the social gap between the business owners and the men working in the pine woods to the north.
Dietz sees this widening gap as an opportunity—an opportunity to become a different kind of missionary. He will not spread the Christian gospels of old in this tiny bayou town; instead, he will spread the political ideals of socialism. As word of his “preaching” spreads, Dietz finds himself surrounded by curious disciples. Even as his influence expands, he cannot foresee the damage his words will ultimately cause.
A study of socialism and emotional components of the human condition, Crimson Stained the Bayou Pines presents a historical narrative focused on early twentieth-century America. Dietz’s journey into the Deep South will have catastrophic consequences for the town of Lake Charles, but are his words to blame? Or are new ideas always judged with an iron fist, especially when steadfast intolerance governs the souls of men?
About the Author
A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, author Brian Harrell discovered that a house he was renovating was once owned by a local historical figure, Walter Dietz. An in-depth study of Dietz, including extensive university archives, led to the creation of this novel. Dr. Harrell currently practices medicine in Lake Charles.