Gilded Age

Mark Twain

Description

The only book that Mark Twain ever wrote in collaboration with another author, The Gilded Age is a novel that viciously and hilariously satirizes the greed, materialism, and corruption that characterized much of upper-class America in the nineteenth century. The title term -- inspired by a line in Shakespeare's King John -- has become synonymous with the excess of the era.

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 avril 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781775452454
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE GILDED AGE
A TALE OF TODAY
* * *
MARK TWAIN
CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER
 
*

The Gilded Age A Tale of Today First published in 1873 ISBN 978-1-775452-45-4 © 2011 The Floating Press While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
*
Chapter I - Squire Hawkins and His Tennessee Land—He Decides to Removeto Missouri Chapter II - He Meets with and Adopts the Boy Clay Chapter III - Uncle Daniel's Apparition and Prayer Chapter IV - The Steamboat Explosion Chapter V - Adoption of the Little Girl Laura—Arrival atMissouri—Reception by Colonel Beriah Sellers Chapter VI - Trouble and Darkness in the Hawkins Family—Proposed Sale ofthe Tennessee Land Chapter VII - Colonel Sellers at Home—His Wonderful Clock and Cure forRheumatism Chapter VIII - Colonel Sellers Makes Known His Magnificent SpeculationSchemes and Astonishes Washington Hawkins Chapter IX - Death of Judge Hawkins Chapter X - Laura Hawkins Discovers a Mystery in Her Parentage and GrowsMorbid Under the Village Gossip Chapter XI - A Dinner with Col Sellers—Wonderful Effects of Raw Turnips Chapter XII - Philip Sterling and Henry Brierly—Arrangements to Go Westas Engineers Chapter XIII - Rail—Road Contractors and Party Traveling—Philip andHarry Form the Acquaintance of Col Sellers Chapter XIV - Ruth Bolton and Her Parents Chapter XV - Visitors of the Boltons—Mr Bigler "Sees theLegislature"—Ruth Bolton Commences Medical Studies Chapter XVI - The Engineers Detained at St Louis—Off for Camp—Receptionby Jeff Chapter XVII - The Engineer Corps Arrive at Stone's Landing Chapter XVIII - Laura and Her Marriage to Colonel Selby—Deserted andReturns to Hawkeye Chapter XIX - Harry Brierly Infatuated with Laura and Proposes She VisitWashington Chapter XX - Senator Abner Dilworthy Visits Hawkeye—Addresses the Peopleand Makes the Acquaintance of Laura Chapter XXI - Ruth Bolton at Fallkill Seminary—The Montagues—RuthBecomes Quite Gay—Alice Montague Chapter XXII - Philip and Harry Visit Fallkill—Harry Does the Agreeableto Ruth Chapter XXIII - Harry at Washington Lobbying for an Appropriation forStone's Landing —Philip in New York Studying Engineering Chapter XXIV - Washington and its Sights—The Appropriation Bill Reportedfrom the Committee and Passed Chapter XXV - Energetic Movements at Stone's Landing—EverythingBooming—A Grand Smash Up Chapter XXVI - The Boltons—Ruth at Home—Visitors and Speculations Chapter XXVII - Col Sellers Comforts His Wife with His Views on theProspects Chapter XXVIII - Visit to Headquarters in Wall Street—How AppropriationsAre Obtained and Their Cost Chapter XXIX - Philip's Experience with the Rail—Road Conductor—SurveysHis Mining Property Chapter XXX - Laura and Col. Sellers Go to Washington on Invitation ofSenator Dilworthy Chapter XXXI - Philip and Harry at the Boltons'—Philip SeriouslyInjured—Ruth's First Case of Surgery Chapter XXXII - Laura Becomes a Famous Belle at Washington Chapter XXXIII - Society in Washington—The Antiques, the Parvenus, andthe Middle Aristocracy Chapter XXXIV - Grand Scheme for Disposing of the Tennessee Land—Lauraand Washington Hawkins Enjoying the Reputation of Being Millionaires Chapter XXXV - About Senators—Their Privileges and Habits Chapter XXXVI - An Hour in a Book Store Chapter XXXVII - Representative Buckstone and Laura's Strategic Coquetry Chapter XXXVIII - Reception Day in Washington—Laura Again Meets Col.Selby and the Effect Upon Her Chapter XXXIX - Col Selby Visits Laura and Effects a Reconciliation Chapter XL - Col Sellers' Career in Washington—Laura's Intimacy withCol Selby is Talked About Chapter XLI - Harry Brierly Becomes Entirely Infatuated withLaura—Declares His Love and Gets Laughed At Chapter XLII - How the Hon. Mr Trollop was Induced to Vote for Laura's Bill Chapter XLIII - Progress of the Bill in the House Chapter XLIV - Philip in Washington—Visits Laura Chapter XLV - The Passage of the Bill in the House of Representatives Chapter XLVI - Disappearance of Laura, and Murder of Col Selby in NewYork Chapter XLVII - Laura in the Tombs and Her Visitors Chapter XLVIII - Mr Bolton Says Yes Again—Philip Returns to the Mines Chapter XLIX - The Coal Vein Found and Lost Again—Philip and theBoltons—Elated and then Cruelly Disappointed Chapter L - Philip Visits Fallkill and Proposes Studying Law with MrMontague—The Squire Invests in the Mine—Ruth Declares Her Love forPhilip Chapter LI - Col. Sellers Enlightens Washington Hawkins on the Customs ofCongress Chapter LII - How Senator Dilworthy Advanced Washington's Interests Chapter LIII - Senator Dilworthy Goes West to See About HisRe-Election—He Becomes a Shining Light Chapter LIV - The Trial of Laura for Murder Chapter LV - The Trial Continued—Evidence of Harry Brierly Chapter LVI - The Trial Continued—Col Sellers on the Stand and TakesAdvantage of the Situation Chapter LVII - The Momentous Day—Startling News—Dilworthy Denounced as aBriber and Defeated—The Bill Lost in the Senate Chapter LVIII - Verdict, Not Guilty !—Laura Free and ReceivesPropositions to Lecture—Philip Back at the Mines Chapter LIX - The Investigation of the Dilworthy Bribery Case and itsResults Chapter LX - Laura Decides on Her Course—Attempts to Lecture andFails—Found Dead in Her Chair Chapter LXI - Col. Sellers and Washington Hawkins Review the Situation andLeave Washington Chapter LXII - Philip Discouraged—One More Effort—Finds Coal at Last Chapter LXIII - Philip Leaves Ilium to See Ruth—Ruth Convalescent—Alice Appendix Endnotes
Chapter I - Squire Hawkins and His Tennessee Land—He Decides to Removeto Missouri
*
June 18—. Squire Hawkins sat upon the pyramid of large blocks, calledthe "stile," in front of his house, contemplating the morning.
The locality was Obedstown, East Tennessee. You would not know thatObedstown stood on the top of a mountain, for there was nothing aboutthe landscape to indicate it—but it did: a mountain that stretchedabroad over whole counties, and rose very gradually. The districtwas called the "Knobs of East Tennessee," and had a reputation likeNazareth, as far as turning out any good thing was concerned.
The Squire's house was a double log cabin, in a state of decay; twoor three gaunt hounds lay asleep about the threshold, and lifted theirheads sadly whenever Mrs. Hawkins or the children stepped in and outover their bodies. Rubbish was scattered about the grassless yard; abench stood near the door with a tin wash basin on it and a pail ofwater and a gourd; a cat had begun to drink from the pail, but theexertion was overtaxing her energies, and she had stopped to rest. Therewas an ash-hopper by the fence, and an iron pot, for soft-soap-boiling,near it.
This dwelling constituted one-fifteenth of Obedstown; the other fourteenhouses were scattered about among the tall pine trees and among thecorn-fields in such a way that a man might stand in the midst of thecity and not know but that he was in the country if he only depended onhis eyes for information.
"Squire" Hawkins got his title from being postmaster of Obedstown—notthat the title properly belonged to the office, but because in thoseregions the chief citizens always must have titles of some sort, and sothe usual courtesy had been extended to Hawkins. The mail was monthly,and sometimes amounted to as much as three or four letters at a singledelivery. Even a rush like this did not fill up the postmaster's wholemonth, though, and therefore he "kept store" in the intervals.
The Squire was contemplating the morning. It was balmy and tranquil, thevagrant breezes were laden with the odor of flowers, the murmur of beeswas in the air, there was everywhere that suggestion of repose thatsummer woodlands bring to the senses, and the vague, pleasurablemelancholy that such a time and such surroundings inspire.
Presently the United States mail arrived, on horseback. There was butone letter, and it was for the postmaster. The long-legged youth whocarried the mail tarried an hour to talk, for there was no hurry; and ina little while the male population of the village had assembled tohelp. As a general thing, they were dressed in homespun "jeans," blue oryellow—here were no other varieties of it; all wore one suspender andsometimes two—yarn ones knitted at home,—some wore vests, but fewwore coats. Such coats and vests as did appear, however, were ratherpicturesque than otherwise, for they were made of tolerably fancifulpatterns of calico—a fashion which prevails thereto this day amongthose of the community who have tastes above the common level and areable to afford style. Every individual arrived with his hands in hispockets; a hand came out occasionally for a purpose, but it always wentback again after service; and if it was the head that was served, justthe cant that the dilapidated straw hat got by being uplifted and rootedunder, was retained until the next call altered the inclination; manyhats were present, but none were erect and no two were canted justalike. We are speaking impartially of men, youths and boys. And we arealso speaking of these three estates when we say that every individualwas either chewing natural leaf tobacco prepared on his own premises, orsmoking the same in a corn-cob pipe. Few of the men wore whiskers; nonewore moustaches; some had a thick jungle of hair under the chin andhiding the throat—the only pattern recognized there as being thecorrect thing in whiskers; but no part of any individual's face had seena razor for a week.
These neighbors stood a few moments looking at the mail carrier