The Great American Pie Company

"The Great American Pie Company" by Ellis Parker Butler is a funny story set in a small town, about a pie-baking competition between two men, Ephraim Deacon and Phineas Doolittle, that grows into a huge plan to control the pie market. The story shows the American dream of starting a business with a funny and teasing tone. It starts with Eph, whose wife makes amazing pies, which makes Phineas, who also wants to sell pies, jealous. They joke around and then think about working together. This leads to a crazy business plan where they want to buy everything from farms to railroads. The story follows their funny journey as they think about their pie empire, showing the problems of competition and the funny parts of small-town living. In the end, their plans are questioned when they face the dangers of business and workers' unions, leading to a funny but disappointing end to their big dreams.