
"I'VE GOT TO GET TO GLOUCESTER, SIR!"
BY - ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS
ILLUSTRATED
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON MCMX
ILLUSTRATIONS - "I've Got to Get to Gloucester, Sir!"... Frontispiece - The Flowers in the Front Yard were Knee-Deep in Snow
A CHARIOT OF FIRE
THE FLOWERS IN THE FRONT YARD WERE KNEE-DEEP IN SNOW
In a fog‑laden September night, a weary traveler bursts into the bustling Beverly station, frantic to reach Gloucester before it’s too late. The White Mountain express has vanished, leaving him stranded with a dying child at home and a timetable that offers no mercy. As the ticket master shuts the doors, the desperate father scrambles for any means to cover the fourteen‑mile distance, confronting indifferent staff, a chaotic baggage room, and the bewildering maze of the town’s stables.
The narrative captures the tension of a race against time, painting vivid scenes of clattering luggage, a frantic bull‑terrier, and a lone groom who must decide whether to aid a stranger in crisis. Through sharp dialogue and atmospheric description, the story immerses listeners in the urgency of a man’s desperate quest, the harsh realities of early‑20th‑century travel, and the fragile hope that a simple horse might become his chariot of fire.
Language
en
Duration
~36 minutes (35K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Al Haines
Release date
Nov 8, 2010
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1844–1911
Best known for the hugely popular novel The Gates Ajar, this American writer blended emotional storytelling with bold ideas about faith, grief, and women’s lives. Her work helped make her one of the most widely read and discussed authors of the late 19th century.
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