
A fierce February blizzard blankets New York, turning Broadway into a wind‑tossed wasteland. Amid the howling sleet, two strikingly similar men stride toward each other—one a celebrated stage idol, the other a modest clerk who has risen from a cash‑boy to a respectable assistant. Their bond is familial, not fraternal, and the city’s icy grip mirrors the stark contrast between their lives.
The actor, fresh from a reckless plunge into New York’s glittering world, seeks a sizable loan from his cousin, believing money will smooth his way back to fame. The clerk, whose heart is as steady as his savings, must weigh loyalty against the sacrifice of months of hard‑won thrift. Yet his thoughts drift to a secret love waiting in a small case, hinting at a tender subplot that may steer both men toward unexpected choices.
Set against the romantic yet unforgiving backdrop of turn‑of‑the‑century Manhattan, the tale weaves humor, ambition, and the quiet strength of devotion, inviting listeners to follow two very different paths converging in a stormy city.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (246K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2004-10-13
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1862–1924
A hugely popular writer of romance and sensation fiction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this American author built her fame through serialized stories that appeared in widely read family papers and were later issued as dime novels. Her work reached a mass audience in its day, and her surviving journals reveal a life that also included extensive travel abroad.
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