
Ryeville, a sleepy Kentucky town clinging to its century‑old traditions, suddenly swells to five thousand residents, its streets buzzing with the promise of change. The story opens on the porch of the old Rye House, where weathered veterans of both Union and Confederate armies swap colorful war tales, their camaraderie a testament to the healing of old wounds. Their lively banter, full of swagger and nostalgia, paints a vivid picture of a community where history lives on in every cracked chair and creaking railing.
Into this tapestry steps Cousin Ann, a spirited newcomer whose arrival stirs the town’s rhythm. As she makes her way to the sprawling Buck Hill farm, her presence begins to ripple through the close‑knit circle of elders, shopkeepers, and hopeful youths. Listeners will be drawn into a world of porch conversations, lingering legends, and the subtle ways a single person can reshape the heartbeat of a place that thought it knew itself.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (285K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2009-03-29
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1868–1947
A lively early-20th-century writer of girls' fiction, sequels, and series books, she moved easily between humor, mystery, and family stories. Her career also took an unusual turn into film censorship and newspaper reviewing in Richmond, Virginia.
View all books
by Emma Speed Sampson

by Emma Speed Sampson

by Emma Speed Sampson

by Emma Speed Sampson

by L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum, Emma Speed Sampson

by Emma Speed Sampson

by H. De Vere (Henry De Vere) Stacpoole

by Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary) Yonge