Heart's Desire
Emerson Hough
HEART'S DESIRE
The Story of a Contented Town, Certain Peculiar Citizens, and TwoFortunate Lovers
A Novel by EMERSON HOUGH
Author of _The Mississippi Bubble_, _The Law of the Land_, _The Girl atthe Half Way House_, etc
[Frontispiece: "He looked up--to see _her_ standing at his door!"]
New YorkGrosset & DunlapPublishersCopyright, 1903, 1904, 1905, BY THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY.Copyright, 1903, BY OUT WEST COMPANY.Copyright, 1905, BY THE RIDGWAY-THAYER COMPANY.Copyright, 1905, BY EMERSON HOUGH.Copyright, 1905, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.Set up and electrotyped. Published October, 1905. Reprinted November,1905: January, April, 1907; November, 1908.Norwood PressJ. B. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith Co.Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
THE LAND OF HEART'S DESIRE
_This being in Part the Story of Curly, the Can of Oysters, and theGirl from Kansas_
CHAPTER II
THE DINNER AT HEART'S DESIRE
_This continuing the Relation of Curly, the Can of Oysters, and theGirl from Kansas; and introducing Others_
CHAPTER III
TRANSGRESSION AT HEART'S DESIRE
_Beginning the Cause Celebre which arose from Curly's killing the Pigof the Man from Kansas_
CHAPTER IV
THE LAW AT HEART'S DESIRE
_Continuing the Story of the Pig from Kansas, and the Deep Damnation ofhis Taking Off_
CHAPTER V
EDEN AT HEART'S DESIRE
_This being the Story of a Paradise; also showing the ExceedingLoneliness of Adam_
CHAPTER VI
EVE AT HEART'S DESIRE
_How the Said Eve arrived on the Same Stage with Eastern Capital, tothe Interest of All, and the Embarrassment of Some_
CHAPTER VII
TEMPTATION AT HEART'S DESIRE
_Showing how Paradise was lost through the Strange Performance of aCraven Adam_
CHAPTER VIII
THE CORPORATION AT HEART'S DESIRE
_This being the Story of a Parrot, Certain Twins, and a Pair of CandyLegs_
CHAPTER IX
CIVILIZATION AT HEART'S DESIRE
_How the Men of Heart's Desire surrendered to the Softening Seductionsof Croquet and Other Pastimes_
CHAPTER X
ART AT HEART'S DESIRE
_How Tom Osby, Common Carrier, caused Trouble with a Portable AnnieLaurie_
CHAPTER XI
OPERA AT HEART'S DESIRE
_Telling how Two Innocent Travellers by Mere Chance collided with aSide-tracked Star_
CHAPTER XII
THE PRICE OF HEART'S DESIRE
_Concerning Goods, their Value, and the Delivery of the Same_
CHAPTER XIII
BUSINESS AT HEART'S DESIRE
_This describing Porter Barkley's Method with a Man, and Tom Osby's Waywith a Maid_
CHAPTER XIV
THE GROUND FLOOR AT HEART'S DESIRE
_Proposing Certain Wonders of Modern Progress, as wrought by EasternCapital and Able Corporation Counsel_
CHAPTER XV
SCIENCE AT HEART'S DESIRE
_This being the Story of a Cow Puncher, an Osteopath, and a Cross-eyedHorse_
CHAPTER XVI
THE PARTITION OF HEART'S DESIRE
_Concerning Real Estate, Love, Friendship, and Other Good and ValuableConsiderations_
CHAPTER XVII
TREASON AT HEART'S DESIRE
_Showing the Dilemma of Dan Anderson, the Doubt of Leading Citizens,and the Artless Performance of a Pastoral Prevaricator_
CHAPTER XVIII
THE MEETING AT HEART'S DESIRE
_How Benevolent Assimilation was checked by Unexpected Events_
CHAPTER XIX
COMMERCE AT HEART'S DESIRE
_Showing Wonders of the Thirst of McGinnis, and the Faith of Whitemanthe Jew_
CHAPTER XX
MEDICINE AT HEART'S DESIRE
_How the Girl from the States kept the Set of Twins from being broken_
CHAPTER XXI
JUSTICE AT HEART'S DESIRE
_The Story of a Sheriff and Some Bad Men; showing also a Day's Work,and a Man's Medicine_
CHAPTER XXII
ADVENTURE AT HEART'S DESIRE
_The Strange Story of the King of Gee-Whiz, and his Unusual Experiencein Foreign Parts_
CHAPTER XXIII
PHILOSOPHY AT HEART'S DESIRE
_Showing further the Uncertainty of Human Events, and the ExceedingResourcefulness of Mr. Thomas Osby_
CHAPTER XXIV
THE CONSPIRACY AT HEART'S DESIRE
_This being the Story of a Sheepherder, Two Warm Personal Friends, andtheir Love-letter to a Beautiful Queen_
CHAPTER XXV
ROMANCE AT HEART'S DESIRE
_The Pleasing Recountal of an Absent Knight, a Gentle Lady, and anAnanias with Spurs_
CHAPTER XXVI
THE GIRL AT HEART'S DESIRE
_The Story of a Surprise, a Success, and Something Else Very MuchBetter_
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Frontispiece: "He looked up--to see _her_ standing at his door!"
"'The umpire decides that you've got to check your guns during thegame.'"
"A voice which sang of a face that was the fairest, and of a dark blueeye."
"'Something has got to be did, and did mighty blame quick.'"
