Chapter I: Front Matter

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HEART'S DESIRE

The Story of a Contented Town, Certain Peculiar Citizens, and Two Fortunate Lovers

A Novel by EMERSON HOUGH

Author of _The Mississippi Bubble_, _The Law of the Land_, _The Girl at the Half Way House_, etc

[Frontispiece: "He looked up--to see _her_ standing at his door!"]

New York Grosset & Dunlap Publishers Copyright, 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 Press J. 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 the Girl from Kansas_

CHAPTER II

THE DINNER AT HEART'S DESIRE

_This continuing the Relation of Curly, the Can of Oysters, and the Girl from Kansas; and introducing Others_

CHAPTER III

TRANSGRESSION AT HEART'S DESIRE

_Beginning the Cause Celebre which arose from Curly's killing the Pig of the Man from Kansas_

CHAPTER IV

THE LAW AT HEART'S DESIRE

_Continuing the Story of the Pig from Kansas, and the Deep Damnation of his Taking Off_

CHAPTER V

EDEN AT HEART'S DESIRE

_This being the Story of a Paradise; also showing the Exceeding Loneliness of Adam_

CHAPTER VI

EVE AT HEART'S DESIRE

_How the Said Eve arrived on the Same Stage with Eastern Capital, to the 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 a Craven Adam_

CHAPTER VIII

THE CORPORATION AT HEART'S DESIRE

_This being the Story of a Parrot, Certain Twins, and a Pair of Candy Legs_

CHAPTER IX

CIVILIZATION AT HEART'S DESIRE

_How the Men of Heart's Desire surrendered to the Softening Seductions of Croquet and Other Pastimes_

CHAPTER X

ART AT HEART'S DESIRE

_How Tom Osby, Common Carrier, caused Trouble with a Portable Annie Laurie_

CHAPTER XI

OPERA AT HEART'S DESIRE

_Telling how Two Innocent Travellers by Mere Chance collided with a Side-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 Way with a Maid_

CHAPTER XIV

THE GROUND FLOOR AT HEART'S DESIRE

_Proposing Certain Wonders of Modern Progress, as wrought by Eastern Capital and Able Corporation Counsel_

CHAPTER XV

SCIENCE AT HEART'S DESIRE

_This being the Story of a Cow Puncher, an Osteopath, and a Cross-eyed Horse_

CHAPTER XVI

THE PARTITION OF HEART'S DESIRE

_Concerning Real Estate, Love, Friendship, and Other Good and Valuable Considerations_

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 Whiteman the 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 Experience in Foreign Parts_

CHAPTER XXIII

PHILOSOPHY AT HEART'S DESIRE

_Showing further the Uncertainty of Human Events, and the Exceeding Resourcefulness of Mr. Thomas Osby_

CHAPTER XXIV

THE CONSPIRACY AT HEART'S DESIRE

_This being the Story of a Sheepherder, Two Warm Personal Friends, and their Love-letter to a Beautiful Queen_

CHAPTER XXV

ROMANCE AT HEART'S DESIRE

_The Pleasing Recountal of an Absent Knight, a Gentle Lady, and an Ananias with Spurs_

CHAPTER XXVI

THE GIRL AT HEART'S DESIRE

_The Story of a Surprise, a Success, and Something Else Very Much Better_

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 the game.'"

"A voice which sang of a face that was the fairest, and of a dark blue eye."

"'Something has got to be did, and did mighty blame quick.'"

HEART'S DESIRE