Howard D Hellman

Crown Thy Good Howard D Hellman

Young, urban, and wealthy Matthew Slade is sent to the isolation of the Hudson River Highlands of New York State where he is to learn about his family's ice business while being removed from the temptation of enlisting to fight for the preservation of the Union. Once there, he discovers a calling in a different direction, one that places him in contact with the small population of the remote hamlet called Doodletown. Matt becomes a quasi-woodsman and his neighbors begin to acknowledge the outside world and its ways. Along with the residents of Doodletown, throw into this social potpourri a stubborn Irish boat builder, a curious black man who survived the Manhattan Draft Riots, a young Italian widow, two smart negro servants, and caring but meddlesome grandparents. The large differences between characters are diminished as the lives of the characters are drawn together. Crown Thy Good is a story of acceptance of change and of the mutual respect and understanding among people that most of us know is possible.