A CALL by GRACE MACGOWEN COOKE

A CALL by GRACE MACGOWEN COOKE

Author: Jon Hagadorn June 7, 2026 Duration: 29:49

🎙️ Summary for "A Call" — 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales- by Grace MacGowen Cooke

Grace MacGowen Cooke was one of those early‑20th‑century writers who understood people from the inside out. Her stories often revolve around small moments that reveal big truths — the kind of emotional turning points that happen quietly, almost invisibly, until suddenly everything has changed.

"A Call" is one of her most memorable pieces in that regard. It begins with a simple situation —

Two boys on the brink of manhood decide to make their first formal call on two sisters who lived nearby but things don't go quite as well as planned. In those days to make a formal call on a girl or lady you had to present a calling card at the door. A tray, or server, was presented and you placed your business card on it. If it passed the parent's inspection, you were allowed into the parlor. This a a fun story about two boys who lost their nerve through most of the process. 

Enjoy all our 1001 Stories nPodcasts at www.bestof1001stories.com or wherever great podcasts are found.


Step into a world where every episode is a journey into a different time and place, guided by the voices of literary masters. 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales, curated and narrated by Jon Hagadorn, is a quiet sanctuary for those who appreciate the crafted prose of a bygone era. This podcast focuses exclusively on the golden age of short fiction, pulling masterful works from the period between 1850 and 1930. Each selection is chosen for its enduring power to connect, offering narratives that resonate with emotional depth and timeless human experience. You’ll hear the suspenseful twists of Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, the poignant social observations of Edith Wharton, the rugged adventures of Jack London, and the finely drawn characters of O. Henry. The collection also includes the gothic intensity of Edgar Allan Poe, the economic storytelling of Ernest Hemingway, and the heartfelt tales of Henry Lawson, among many others. Hagadorn’s narration is clear and considered, designed to let the authors' original language shine. It’s an archive built for repeated listening, whether you’re discovering these stories for the first time or revisiting old favorites. For anyone seeking a break from the modern noise with a truly classic tale, this consistently updated podcast provides a deep and rewarding library of fiction’s finest moments.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales
Podcast Episodes
PERJURED by EDITH MIRILEES [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:22
A teen-aged boy witnesses an horrific death by the railroad tracks of his small town and to build his status with the older boys he hangs with he adds a lie to his story, saying that a known local townsman was near the b…
A GRAY SLEEVE by STEPHEN CRANE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:11
After a skirmish a Civil War cavalry Captain enters a house thinking it might be housing enemy and finds a scared young lady holding a gun behind her back. The Captain, after investigating the house to find two other fam…
DAVID SWAN by NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:31
A young man heading for college in Boston decides to catch a nap in a cozy little glen not far from the stage stop. While sleeping soundly he is silently approached by three different entities- the first promises wealth,…
MARJORIE DAW (PT 2 OF 2)   T.B. ALDRICH [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:46
Our two best friends continue to write back and forth until John (Jack) Fleming's leg heals enough to travel, which he does, taking the train to new Hampshire to meet the girl of his dreams, depite Edward's best efforts…
MARJORIE DAW (PT 1)  by THOMAS B. ELDRICH [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:14
Two close pals exchange letters, one having had to cancel his trip to a summer spot in New Hampshire with his friend due to a broken leg. In the letters the pal in New Hampshire begins to write of the presence of a beaut…
THE CAGE and OUT ON THE FIELD   BY ZANE GREY [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:31
Wayne University Ken Ward has a long shot at playing varsity baseball ijn his first year due to the team's varsity players being grounded by playing ball outside the college off season. When the tryouts come over a hundr…

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