Release date is 2006-05-04

Emerson's Wife -- Colonel Kate's Protégée -- The Kid of Apache Teju -- A Blaze on Pard Huff -- How Colonel Kate Won Her Spurs -- Hollyhocks -- The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of Johnson Sides -- A Piece of Wreckage -- The Story of a Chinee Kid -- Out of Sympathy -- An Old Roman of Mariposa -- Out of the Mouth of Babes -- Posey -- A Case of the Inner Imperative

E-text prepared by Al Haines

"Emerson's Wife and Other Western Stories" by Florence Finch Kelly is a collection of short stories written in the early 20th century. The stories are set in the American West, incorporating themes of camaraderie, adventure, and the struggles within frontier life. Key characters such as Nick Ellhorn and Tommy Tuttle are introduced in a narrative that explores the implications of relationships, responsibilities, and personal choices, particularly as they relate to newfound complications brought on by marriage. The opening of the collection introduces readers to Nick Ellhorn, waking up in a hotel room with no memory of how he got there, revealing his state of inebriation and setting a light-hearted tone. As he contemplates his thirst for cocktails, his friend Tommy Tuttle arrives with pressing news about the dangerous Dysert gang, a criminal group terrorizing the area. The two men discuss the urgency of the situation and the desire to involve Emerson, their prudent friend who has just returned from his wedding. The narrative sets up an impending conflict while highlighting the dynamics of friendship, duty, and the shifting priorities resulting from Emerson’s marriage, ultimately foreshadowing the challenges they will face together. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Original publication data not identified