
Emma McChesney runs a bustling New York office with the poise of a seasoned conductor, directing the Featherloom Petticoat Company while keeping a keen eye on every sales route. Her partner, the ebullient T. A. Buck, constantly interrupts her with jokes and rumors, but Emma meets each intrusion with a sharp smile and an even sharper retort. The opening scene captures their lively banter, hinting at the delicate balance Emma maintains between fierce business ambition and a lingering affection for her son.
When Buck bursts in with gossip about a rival tailor’s flamboyant white suit, Emma instantly switches from conversation to investigation, dialing the tailor and plotting her next move. This snap decision reveals her relentless drive to stay ahead in a cut‑throat market, while also exposing the subtle undercurrents of jealousy and loyalty that color her relationships. The scene sets the stage for a journey that will take Emma from the crowded streets of Broadway to the far‑flung horizons of Buenos Aires, promising both business challenges and personal reckonings.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (237K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Charles Keller. HTML version by Al Haines.
Release date
1996-03-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1885–1968
Known for big, vivid stories about American life, this Pulitzer Prize-winning writer helped inspire classics including Show Boat and Giant. Her books mix sweeping settings with sharp attention to ambition, family, and change.
View all books
by Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury) Cobb, James Oliver Curwood, Edna Ferber, Peter B. (Peter Bernard) Kyne, Meredith Nicholson, H. C. (Harry Charles) Witwer

by Edna Ferber

by Edna Ferber

by Edna Ferber

by Edna Ferber

by Edna Ferber

by Edna Ferber