The Gay Cockade

Temple Bailey gathers a set of warm, lightly sentimental tales that trace the small dramas of love and ambition among ordinary people. In the title story, Jimmie Harding toils away in a dull government office while dreaming of writing for the stage, and his romance with the lively Elise gives shape to his hopes. The other stories move through similar territory, courtship, longing, and the quiet turns of fortune that decide a life, all told in the easy, companionable voice that made Bailey one of the most widely read magazine writers of her day. It is comfortable, old-fashioned storytelling with real charm. This free PDF and EPUB edition collects the stories for a new audience.