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    LovelyMay

    Stories 93
    Chapters 1,516
    Words 3.4 M
    Comments 0
    Reading 11 days, 19 hours11 d, 19 h
    • PART. I  -Buttered Side Down Cover
      by LovelyMay "BUTTERED SIDE DOWN" opens with a bold statement about the allure of New York as the quintessential setting for magazine stories, then promptly shifts gear, revealing the narrative will not bow to this cliché. Instead, it transports us to Chicago, specifically to the Nottingham curtain district, an area characterized by its ubiquitous “Rooms With or Without Board” signs, smoke-stained curtains, and a strong favor for dishes like creamed cabbage over finer delicacies. Here, we meet Gertie, a diligent…
    • PART. II -Buttered Side Down Cover
      by LovelyMay "The Man Who Came Back" from "Buttered Side Down" delves into the life of Ted Terrill, who struggles with his past as a convict. After serving time for embezzling bank funds in a failed speculation, Ted returns home with the intent to leave immediately after visiting his mother's grave. His prison term had been unconventional—no prison pallor or shorn hair for him, thanks to the reformative approach of his prison's superintendent. His involvement in sports and the lack of typical convict features allowed…
    • PART. III -Buttered Side Down Cover
      by LovelyMay "The chapter from 'Buttered Side Down' titled 'What She Wore' delves into the complexities of dressing characters in literature, focusing on the protagonist, Sophy Epstein. Sophy, a young, underpaid shoe clerk in a downtown loft, dons a provocatively tight and sleazy black dress, much to the internal disapproval of the protagonist. This attire showcases her societal and economic struggles, symbolizing her rebellion against the plight of overwork and underpayment prevalent among women of her…
    • by LovelyMay "To give him back to you," explained the girl. "Cavalier--or Chum or whatever you prefer to call him--is yours. I can't take from you the only friend you have. Please don't make it harder by refusing to understand. I want you to have him, with my blessing. And—please take this," she added, handing Link a bulky envelope. "You won it. We have no right to it. It's the prize money and the cup too. They’re yours. And Chum is yours.” Ferris, overcome, could only stare from the girl to Gault and back to…
    • by LovelyMay Luck transformed the fortunes of Link Ferris and his faithful dog, Chum, transforming their once mortgage-stricken and isolated farm into a beacon of prosperity in just three years. This attracted the community's attention, including Dorcas Chatham, with whom Link, an improved and happier man, fell deeply in love. Despite their budding romance, Dorcas's aversion to dogs, stemming from a childhood incident, presented a stark ultimatum: Link must choose between her and Chum. The loyal collie, sensing his…
    • PART. IV -Buttered Side Down Cover
      by LovelyMay In "A Bush League Hero" from "Buttered Side Down," Edna Ferber tells the story of Ivy Keller, a recent homecomer from a select school for young ladies, who soon finds herself infatuated with Rudie Schlachweiler, a local baseball pitcher. Ivy's transformation from an uninterested homebody into a devout baseball fan serves as the backdrop for a tale that explores themes of hero worship, young love, and the eventual confrontation with reality. Rudie Schlachweiler, lauded in his small town both for his…
    • by LovelyMay Yet it must be late, because he was beginning to feel very pleasantly befuddled. His hosts, with every evidence of regret, heard his stammered statement that he must leave them. They tried to persuade him to stay for just one more drink. But Link was firm. Then, with a shock, it came to his muddled brain that perhaps he had overstayed his time; that possibly the store might already be closed for the night. At the idea, he was wide awake and anxious. He bade his new friends a regretful and somewhat hazy…
    • PART. VI -Buttered Side Down Cover
      by LovelyMay In "One of the Old Girls" from "Buttered Side Down," we meet Effie Bauer, an accomplished and prosperous department store employee well-versed in the latest trends in fashion and personal adornment. Despite her professional success, Effie's personal life has not followed the conventional path of early marriage and family; she has remained single into middle age, not out of choice, but due to a lack of opportunity in her younger years. Effie is portrayed as a capable and independent woman, yet one who…
    • PART. V -Buttered Side Down Cover
      by LovelyMay In "The Kitchen Side of the Door," the grandeur of New Year's Eve in New York contrasts sharply with the gritty reality behind the scenes in the kitchen of the Newest Hotel. Amidst the chaotic celebrations marked by debauchery and excess among the rich and glamorous, Miss Gussie Fink, the kitchen's checker, stands as a beacon of order and diligence. Despite the surrounding decadence, including a Russian Grand Duke look-alike enjoying champagne from a lady's slipper, and other guests indulging in the…
    • PART. IX -Buttered Side Down Cover
      by LovelyMay In the bustling and diverse essence of South Clark Street, Chicago, marked by its eclectic mix of cultures and faces, lives Tony, the unique newsboy with a stand that seems to bridge the global divide. Tony sells newspapers from every conceivable place, making his stand a cornerstone for those yearning for a slice of home, wherever that may be. He is a testament to the fact that, despite his rough exterior, the heart of the community pulses through the tales shared and the papers sold. The story unfolds…
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