The Gold Brick

"The Gold Brick" by Ann S. Stephens is a historical novel written in the late 19th century. The narrative begins amidst the chaos of the Haitian Revolution, focusing on Captain Mason and the carefully orchestrated rescue of a mother and her young son during a brutal massacre in Port au Prince. The storyline explores themes of violence, survival, and the human condition against a backdrop of racial tensions and sacrifice. The opening of "The Gold Brick" sets a dramatic scene on a ship anchored in the harbor amid the turmoil of an insurrection, where the captain wrestles with his moral duty to save the victims of a massacre while grappling with the constraints of his position. As chaos unfolds on the shore, he and his crew make a determined attempt to rescue a mother and her child. The mother ultimately succumbs to the violence, leaving her son, Paul, to find solace in the care of a loyal slave named Jube. The chapter paints a poignant picture of love, loss, and loyalty amidst the backdrop of violent upheaval, establishing the emotional stakes that will carry throughout the novel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Ann Sophia Stephens was an American novelist and magazine editor. She was the author of dime novels and is credited as the progenitor of that genre.