Sally Dows

"Sally Dows" by Bret Harte is a story that transports readers to the war-torn South, focusing on Sally Dows, a resilient Southern woman. The narrative begins in the aftermath of a devastating battle and follows a young artillery officer who becomes captivated by a photograph and letter addressed to Sally from a fallen soldier. Shifting to a train bound for Redlands, Georgia, the story introduces Colonel Courtland and Mr. Drummond, who discuss the struggles of rebuilding the South and Colonel Courtland's thoughts on Sally Dows, while we learn about her determination to revitalize and modernize her family's estate amid the devastation of war. The arrival at Dows' Folly brings the promise of personal entanglements and paints a picture of a post-war society grappling with loss and the evolving nature of relationships.