
Ann, a sharp‑witted but penniless heiress, discovers that love isn’t what will save her—she needs money, and fast. When a mysterious rumor about a legendary Golden Bird reaches her ears, she throws herself into a frantic quest, believing the fabled creature can turn her fortunes around. Along the way she dives into the world of poultry, learning the surprising economics of raising hens and how a modest investment can yield unexpected profit.
Her determination puts her at odds with Matthew, a well‑meaning suitor who can’t see past his own expectations, and forces her to confront a family teetering on the brink of ruin. As debts mount and an uncle’s wagon rolls in with the promise of a new start at the crumbling Elmnest estate, Ann must decide whether the promise of wealth will outweigh the cost of her own ideals. The story captures her spirited gamble, the colorful characters she meets, and the lively humor that colors her daring, early‑stage adventure.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (250K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by David Garcia, Josephine Paolucci and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Kentuckiana Digital Library)
Release date
2005-10-30
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1872–1924
Remembered for warm, witty early-20th-century novels, she brought small-town Southern life to the page with humor, romance, and an upbeat spirit. She was also a trained artist, and that visual eye helped give her fiction its vivid charm.
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