A young man's story

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

78060

Title

A young man's story

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A sentimental Victorian romance exploring the transformative power of love and the mysterious nature of spiritual connection. This tale follows a clerk who loses his beloved due to his own gloom, only to be reunited with her after a narrow escape from a fatal train accident, seemingly guided by her own dream.

Summary up to 500 words

In Sarah Doudney's *A Young Man's Story*, the narrator, Horace Medway, recounts a tale of love, regret, and a miraculous reunion. Horace first meets May Newton, a gentle and artistic woman, in the seaside village of Longbeach. Their courtship is idyllic, filled with dreams of a shared future amidst the village's romantic ruins. However, Horace's perspective shifts upon returning to London to work as a clerk. Dissatisfied with his mundane life and the harsh realities of the city, he develops a bitter mood. His frustration spills over onto May, whom he unfairly blames for his unhappiness. During his holiday return to Longbeach, he finds May withdrawn and melancholy. Believing she has changed and no longer loves him, Horace cruelly ends their engagement, and they part ways. Back in London, Horace struggles with his conscience, haunted by May's memory. Years later, while traveling to Monksbury to secure a new business partner, Horace boards a train destined for Longbeach. As the train approaches the station, he experiences a vivid vision: May stands on the platform, pale and wrapped in a white shawl, beckoning him to safety. Moments later, a catastrophic train crash occurs, killing several passengers. Terrified, Horace leaps from the moving carriage just as the disaster strikes, narrowly escaping death. Confused by the vision, Horace rushes to May's former home in Longbeach, only to find it empty. He learns that May and her family have moved to Richmond due to her critical illness. Upon arriving in Richmond, Horace is reunited with May, who is recovering from a long fever. In a profound revelation, May explains that she had a vivid dream of saving Horace from the train crash. The dream brought her such peace and strength that it aided her recovery. Horace confesses that the vision he saw was not a hallucination but a spiritual response to her dream; seeing her face on the platform was what compelled him to jump from the train. The story concludes with the couple reconciled and married. Horace reflects on the inexplicable bond between their souls, suggesting that spirit can transcend time and space to guide one another. The narrative serves as a testament to the enduring power of love and the mysterious ways in which divine intervention or spiritual connection can alter the course of human destiny.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Supernatural Fiction
• Short Stories
• Romance
• England juvenile fiction
• Betrothal fiction