E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 15159-h.htm or 15159-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/1/5/15159/15159-h/15159-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/1/5/15159/15159-h.zip) 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