The Last Leaf and Other Stories

7/25/2019 The Last Leaf and Other Stories

1/10

The Last Lea:

and Other Stories

O. Henry

R e t o l d b y P a t M c G o w a n

O. Henry e s e l pseudonimo de l e sc r i tor nor teamer icano

W i l l i a m S y d n e y P o r t e r ( 1 8 6 2 - 1 9 1 0 ) .

Esc r ib id pr inc ipa lmente r e la tos cor tos . En e l los nos muest ra

que la v ida t iene muchos ma t ices sorprendentes y que cas i nunca

nada e s lo que pa rece se r . La s imple hoja de un a rbol puede se r

la gran obra maest ra de un p in tor acabado. Un padre r ico puede

conver t i r se en e l cupido pe r fec to .

Pa ra O. Henry la v ida e s ta hecha de sonr isas y lagr imas , y

aunque a veces e s ta s ganan, sac r i f ica r nues t ro te soro mas

p r e c i a d o p o r a m o r p u e d e l l e v a m o s a e x p e r i m e n t a r u n a s o r p r e s a

magica , y e s que todos neces i tamos que haya magia en nues t ra

exis tenc ia .

"I-

There is an a rea of New York ca l led Greenwich Vi l lage .

Unl ike the r e s t of the c i ty , which has i t s s t r a ight s t r ee ts running

a t r ight angles to each o the r , Greenwich Vi l lage is fu l l of l i t t le

winding s t r ee ts and squa res . The bui ld ings and apa r tments in

the Vi l lage a re most ly ve ry o ld and p ic turesque , of ten Dutch in

s ty le , and the r ents a re low. Many a r t i s ts and people in te res ted

in a r t came to l ive in the Vi l lage , a t t r ac ted by the cheap pr ices

and the Bohem ian w ay of l i f e tha t they found the re .

At the top of an o ld three - s torey br ick house Sue and Johnsy

had the i r s tudio . "Joh nsy " was wha t he r f r iends ca l led Jo anna .

One was f rom the s ta te of Maine , the o the r f rom Ca l i fornia , and

they were both pa in te r s who had come to New York to become

famo us: They me t in a r e s taurant on Eight h S tree t and found tha t

their tastes in food were so similar that they decided to set up a

s tudio toge the r .

Tha t was in May. In November , a cold invis ib le s t r ange r

(whom the doc tor s ca l led pneumonia ) a r r ived in the c i ty ,

touching people he re and the re wi th h is icy f inge r s . On the eas t

s ide of the c i ty he made rapid progress , F inding many vic t ims,

but in the na r row, winding s t r ee ts of the Vi l lage h is progres s was

s lower . But he touched Johnsy. She lay , ha rdly moving on he r

pa in ted i ron bed, looking through the sma l l Dutch window a t the

blank s ide of the next br ick house .

One morning the busy doc tor invi ted Sue in to the ha l l . He

looked ve ry se r ious .

"Sh e has one ch an ce in , le t us say , ten to l ive ," he sa id . "A nd

tha t chance depends on he r wi l l to l ive . But your l i t t le f r iend has

made up he r mind tha t she ' s not going to ge t we l l . Has she

a n y t h i n g o n h e r m i n d ? "

"She - she wanted to pa in t the Bay of Naples some day,"

sa id Sue .

- T -


2/10

TH E LA S T LEA F

" P a i n t ? N o n s e n s e H a s s h e a n y t h i n g m o r e i m p o r t a n t o n h er

mind - a man, for exam ple? "

"A man?" sa id Sue . "No, doc tor ; the re i s nothing l ike tha t on

h e r m i n d . "

"Wel l , i t must be he r weak condi t ion then," sa id the doc tor .

" I wi l l do eve ryth ing tha t medica l sc ience can do for he r , but

when one of my pa t ients s ta r ts be l ieving tha t she is going to d ie ,

I subtrac t 50 pe r cent f rom the power of medic ine to cure he r . I f

you can ge t he r to a sk one ques t ion about the la te s t f a shions , I

wi l l promise you a one - in- f ive chance for he r , ins tead of one in

ten ."

Af te r the doc tor had gone , Sue went in to the s tudio and

cr ied . The n, h id ing he r sadness , she went in to Joh nsy ' s roo m,

ca r ry ing he r drawing boa rd and s inging.

Johnsy lay in bed, ve ry s t i l l , he r f ace turned towards the

window. Sue s lopped s inging, th inking Johnsy was a s leep . She

a r ranged he r boa rd and began drawing an i l lus t r a t ion for a

magaz ine s tory; young a r t i s ts have to f ind some way of ea rning

-

a l iv ing whi le they a re t ry ing to become famous . But whi le she

was working, she hea rd a low sound, r epea ted seve ra l t imes . She

went quickly to the beds ide .

Johnsy ' s eyes were wide open. She was looking out of the

w i n d o w a n d c o u n t i n g - c o u n t i n g b a c k w a r d s .

"Tw elv e," sh e said, and a little later , "ele ven . . . ten . .

n ine ," . . . then "e ight" and "seven" a lmost toge the r .

Sue looked out of the window; wha t was Johnsy count ing?

There was only the empty ya rd and the b lank s ide of the br ick

house next door . An old , o ld v ine wi th dead roots c l imbed

ha lfw ay up the br ick wa l l . The cold bre a t h of autumn h ad

blown nea r ly a l l the leaves f rom the v ine so tha t i t s branches

w e r e a l m o s t b a r e .

" S i x , " s a i d J o h n s y , a l m o s t w h i s p e r i n g . " T h e y ' r e f a l l i n g

fas te r now. Thr ee days ago the re were a lm ost a hund red. I t mad e

my head ache to count them. But now i t ' s easy . There goes


3/10

THE LAST LEAF

anothe r one . There a re only f ive le f t now."

"F iv e wha t , c lea r? Te l l your Sue ."

"Leaves . On the v ine . When the la s t one fa l l s , I must go too .

I 've known tha t for three c lays . Didn ' t the doc tor te l l you?"

" O h w h a t n o n s e n s e " e x c l a i m e d S u e . " H o w c a n t h e r e b e a

connec t ion be tween old v ine leaves and your ge t t ing we l l? And

you used to love tha t v ine so much, you naughty g i r l . Now, don ' t

be s i l ly . You know, the doc tor to ld me th is morning tha t your

chan ces for ge t t ing we l l ve ry soon were - now wha t exac t ly d id

h e s a y ? he sa id the chances were ten to one Now, p leas e t ry

to dr ink some soup and le t me ge t back to my drawing, so tha t I

c a n m a k e s o m e m o n e y t o b u y s o m e p o r t w i n e f o r m y p a t i e n t

a n d s o m e p o r k c h o p s f o r m y s e l f . "

"You needn ' t ge t any more wine ," sa id Johnsy, wi thout

taking he r eyes f rom the window. "There goes anothe r lea f . No,

I don ' t wan t any soup. Tha t leaves jus t four . I want to see the la s t

one fa l l be fore i t ge ts da rk . Then I ' l l go , too ."

- R -

TH E LA S T LEA F

"Johnsy, dea r , " sa id Sue , bending ove r he r , "wi l l you

promise me to keep your eyes c losed and not look out of the

win dow unt i l I have f in ish ed working? I must have these

drawings ready by tomor row. I need the l ight , or I would c lose

the b l ind ."

"Can ' t you draw in the o the r room?" a sked Johnsy, cold ly .

" I 'd pre fe r to be he re wi th you," sa id Sue . "Besides , I don ' t

want you to keep looking a t those s i l ly v ine leaves ."

"Te l l me as soon as you have f in ished " sa id Johnsy, c los ing

her eyes and ly ing whi te and ve ry , ve ry s t i l l , "because I want to

see the la s t one fa l l . I 'm t i r ed of wa i t ing . I 'm t i r ed of th ink ing. I

want to le t go of eve ryth ing and fa l l down, down, down, jus t l ike

one of those poor , t i r ed leaves ."

"Try to s leep ," sa id Sue . " I must a sk Behrman to come up

and be my mode l for the man I 'm drawing. I ' l l only be away for

a minute . Don ' t t ry to move unt i l I come back."

Old Behrman was a pa in te r who l ived on the ground f loor

be low Sue and Johnsy. He was more than s ix ty yea r s o ld and


4/10

TH E LA S T LEA F

was fu l l of f a i lure in a r t . For for ty yea r s he had spoken of

pa in t ing a maste rpiece , but he hadn ' t ye t begun i t . For seve ra l

yea r s he had pa in ted nothing, except now and then some

commerc ia l or adve r t i s ing work. He ea rned a l i t t le money as a

mode l for the young a r t i s ts in the Vi l lage who did not have

enough money to pay a profess iona l mode l . He ,drank a lo t of g in

and s t i l l ta lked of the maste rpiece he in tended to pa in t . He was

a f ie rce , l i t t le o ld man who made fun of any sof tness in anyone ,

but conside red h imse lf the protec tor of the two young women in

the s tudio above h im.

She found Behrman sme l l ing s t rongly of dr ink in h is badly-

l i t room. In one corne r was an ease l wi th a b lank canvas which

had been wa i t ing for twenty- f ive yea r s to r ece ive the f i r s t l ine of

the maste rpiece . Sue to ld h im of Johnsy ' s s t r ange idea , and how

she fea red tha t he r f r iend would indeed d ie , be ing a s l ight and

fragile as a leaf herself .

Old Behrman, wi th obvious tea r s in h is eyes , shouted h is

anger at such an idiotic idea.

"W ha t " he c r ied . "Ar e the re people in th is wor ld wh o a re

fool ish enough to d ie because leaves f a l l f rom a v ine? I have

never hea rd of such a d i ing No, I wi l l not pos e a s a mod e l for

you W hy do you a l low such s i l ly ideas to ge t in to he r head? Oh ,

tha t poor l i t t le Miss Johnsy."

"She is ve ry i l l and weak," sa id Sue , "and the f eve r has le f t

he r mind fu l l of s t r ange ideas . Very we l l , Mr . Beh rma n, i f you

do not wish to pose for me , you needn ' t . But I th ink you a re a

hor r ib le o ld man "

" Y o u a r e j u s t l i k e a w o m a n " y e l l e d B e h r m a n . " W h o s a i d I

wi l l not pose? For ha l f an hour I have been t ry ing to say tha t I

am ready to pose . This i s not the p lace where someone as good

as Miss John sy sh ould l ie i l l . Som e day I wi l l pa in t a

maste rpiece and we wi l l a l l go away."

Johnsy was s leeping when they went ups ta i r s . Sue pul led the

bl ind down and mot ioned to Behrman to go in to the o the r room.

TH E LA S T LEA F

Once in the room, they both looked fea r fu l ly out of the window

at the v ine then a t each o the r . A s te ady , cold r a in mix ed wi th

snow was fa l l ing . Behrman, in h is o ld b lue shi r t , sa t to pose for

Sue .

W h e n S u e a w o k e t h e n ex t m o r n i n g a f t e r o n l y a n h o u r ' s

s leep , she found Johnsy wi th dul l , wide -open eyes s ta r ing a t the

c losed green b l ind .

"Pu l l i t up I want to see ," see orde red in a whispe r .

S u e o b e y e d .

But wha t a surpr ise Even a f te r heavy ra in and s t rong win ds

tha t had cont inued a l l n ight , one v ine lea f was s t i l l hanging

aga ins t the br ick wa l l . I t was the la s t lea f on the v ine . S t i l l da rk

green in the middle , but ye l low round i t s edges , i t hun g b rave ly

f rom a branch about s ix me tres above the ground.

" I t i s the la s t one ," sa id Johnsy. " I was sure i t would fa l l

dur ing the n ight . I hea rd the wind. I t wi l l f a l l today, and I wi l l

d ie a t the same t ime ."

"Oh my dea r , my dea r , " sa id Sue , put t ing he r t i r ed face next

to Johnsy ' s on the p i l low, "dunk of me , i f you won ' t th ink of


5/10

TH E LA S T LEA F

y o u r s e l f . W h a t w o u l d I d o ? "

But Johns y d idn ' t answ er .

The long day passed s lowly, and even in the da rkness of

evening they could see the one v ine lea f hanging f rom the

branch aga ins t the wa l l . And then, wi th the coming of the n ight ,

the nor th wind began to b low aga in and the r a in began to bea t

a g a i n s t t h e w i n d o w s .

In the morning, when i t was l ight enough, Johnsy to ld Sue

to ra ise the b l ind .

The vine leaf was still there.

Johns y lay for a long t ime loo king a t i t . And th en she ca l led

to Sue , who was prepa r ing some chicken soup for he r .

" I 've been a bad g i r l , Sue ," sa id Johnsy. "Something has

made that last leaf stay there to show me how bad I was. I t is

wrong to want to d ie . You may br ing me a l i t t le soup now, and

some milk with a little port wine in it , and - no; bring me a

mi no r f i r s t . The n put som e pi l lows round me , and I wi l l s i t up

and wa tch you cook."

An hour la te r she sa id , "Sue , one day I hope to pa in t the Bay

of Naples ."

The doc tor came in the a f te rnoon, and Sue had an excuse to

go into the hall with him as he left.

" E v e n c h a n c e s , " s a i d t h e d o c t o r , t a k i n g J o h n s y ' s t h i n ,

shaking hand in h is . "With good nurs ing you ' l l win . And now I

must see anothe r pa t ient who l ives downsta i r s . Behrman, h is

n a m e i s - some kind of a r t i s t , I be l ieve . Pneumonia , too . He is

an o ld , weak man, and he has a ve ry bad a t tack . There i s no hope

for h im, but he ' l l go to hospi ta l today to be made more

c o m f o r t a b l e . "

The next day the doc tor sa id to Sue , "She ' s out of danger .

Y o u ' v e w o n . G o o d f o o d a n d c a r e n o w - tha t ' s a l l . "

Tha t a f te rnoon Sue came to the bed where Johnsy lay ,

happi ly kni t t ing a ve ry b lue and ve ry use le ss sca r f , and put an

a rm round he r .

THE LAST LEAF

"1 have som ething to te l l you ," she sa id . "Mr . Beh rman died

of pneumonia today in the hospi ta l . He was only i l l for two days .

They found him two days ago in h is room, he lp le ss wi th pa in .

His shoes and c lo thes were we t and icy cold . The y c oul dn ' t

th ink where he had gone on such a te r r ib le n ight . And then they

found a lante rn , s t i l l l i t , and a ladde r , and some brushes and a

pa le t te wi th green and ye l low colours mixed toge the r , and -

look out of the window, dear, at the last vine leaf on the wall.

Didn ' t you ask yourse l f why i t neve r moved when the wind

blew? Al l , da r l ing , i t ' s Behrman ' s maste rpiece - he pa in ted i t

there the night the last leaf fell."

G LO S S A RY

T H E L A S T L E A F

E n g l i s h

C a s t e l l a n o

C a t a l a

badly- l i t m a l i l u m i n a d a m a l i l - l u m i n a d a

bare d e s n u d a s n u e s

b e n d i n g o v e r

i n c l i n a n d o s e

inc l inant- se

blank

s in adornos

ilis

b l a n k c a n v a s l ienzo en b ianco l ien? en b lanc

bl ind pers iana

pers iana

breath

soplo buf

c h a n c e o p o r t u n i d a d o p o r t u n i t a t

ease l

caba l le te

cava l le t

e v e n c h a n c e s igua ldad de igua l ta t d 'opo r tuni ta ts

o p o r t u n i d a d e s

lay

yacfa je ia

m a d e u p h e r m i n d

ha dec id id o ha dec id i t

m a s t e r p i e c e obra maest ra

obra mest ra

port wine

vino de Opor to

vi d 'Opor t

pose

posa r

posa r

pull it up

j s i ibe la

p u j a - l a

s t e a d y

c o n t f n u a

c o n t m u a

vine par ra

pa r ra

w i n d i n g

s i n u o s a s s i n u o s c s

0 >


6/10


7/10

The Gift of the M a g i

O n e d o l l a r a n d e i g h t y - s e v e n c e n t s . T h a t w a s a l l . A n d s i x t y

c e n t s o f it w a s i n p e n n i e s - p e n n i e s w h i c h h a d b e e n s a v e d b y

b a r g a i n i n g w i t h t h e b u t c h e r , t h e b a k e r a n d t h e v e g e t a b l e m a n .

T h r e e t i m e s D e l i a c o u n t e d i t . O n e d o l l a r a n d e i g h t y - s e v e n c e n t s .

A n d t h e n e x t d a y w o u l d b e C h r i s t i n a s .

T h e r e w a s c l e a r l y n o t h i n g t o d o b u t t o s i t d o w n o n t h e

s h a b b y o l d s o f a a n d c r y . S o D e l i a d i d i t . W h i c h m a k e s o n e

re f lec t tha t l i f e i s made up of tea r s and smile s , wi th tea r s

w i n n i n g .

W h i l e t h e m i s t r e s s o f t h e h o u s e i s s i t t i n g t h e r e , t a k e a l o o k

a t h e r h o m e - a s m a l l f l a t t h a t c o s t s $ 8 a w e e k , c o l o u r l e s s a n d

h a l f - f i l l e d w i t h s h a b b y f u r n i t u r e .

I n t h e h a l l b e l o w w a s a l e t t e r - b o x ( i n t o w h i c h n o l e t t e r

w o u l d g o ) a n d a n e l e c t r i c b e l l w h i c h r e f u s e d t o m a k e a n y s o u n d

a t a l l when i t was rung. Bes ide i t was a ca rd wi th the name "Mr .

J a m e s D i l l i n g h a m Y o u n g " w r i t t e n o n i t .

T h e " D i l l i n g h a m " b e l o n g e d t o a f o r m e r p e r i o d o f p r o s p e r i ty

w h e n i t s o w n e r w a s b e i n g p a i d $ 3 0 a w e e k . N o w , w h e n t h e

i n c o m e w a s r e d u c e d t o $ 2 0 , t h e l e t t e r s o f " D i l l i n g h a m " l o o k e d

b l u r r e d a n d o u t o f p la c e . B u t w h e n e v e r M r . J a m e s D i l l i n g h a m

Y o u n g c a m e h o m e a n d r e a c h e d h i s f l a t a b o v e , li e w a s c a l l e d

" J i m " a n d w a r m l y e m b r a c e d b y M r s . J a m e s D i l l i n g h a m Y o u n g ,

a l r e a d y i n t r o d u c e d t o y o u a s D e l i a .

D e l i a f i n i s h e d h e r c r y a n d w a s h e d h e r f a c e . S h e s t o o d b y t h e

w i n d o w a n d l o o k e d m i s e r a b l y a t a g r e y c a t o n a g r e y f e n c e in a

g r e y b a c k y a r d . T o m o r r o w w o u l d b e C h r i s t m a s D a y , a n d s h e

o n l y h a d $ 1 . 8 7 w i t h w h i c h t o b u y J i m a p r e s e n t . S h e h a d b e e n

s a v i n g e v e r y p e n n y s h e c o u l d f o r m o n t h s w i t h t h i s r e s u l t .

T w e n t y d o l l a r s a w e e k d o e s n ' t g o f a r . L i v i n g e x p e n s e s h a d b e e n

g r e a t e r t h a n s h e h a d c a l c u l a t e d . T h e y a l w a y s a r e . O n l y $ 1 . 8 7 t o

-

J

J-

TH E G I F T O F TH E MA G I

b u y a p r e s e n t f o r J i m . H e r J i m . S h e h a d s p e n t m a n y a h a p p y

h o u r p l a n n i n g f o r s o m e t h i n g n i c e f o r h i m . S o m e t h i n g r a r e a n d

f i n e a n d p e r f e c t - s o m e t h i n g a l m o s t w o r t h y c f t h e h o n o u r o f

b e i n g o w n e d b y J i m .

T h e r e w a s a l o n g , n a r r o w m i r r o r b e t w e e n t h e w i n d o w s o f

t h e r o o m . A v e r y t h i n a n d v e r y a g i l e p e r s o n , b y o b s e r v i n g h i s

re f lec t ion in a se r ie s of r apid , ve r t ica l s t r ips , may ge t a f a i r ly

a c c u r a t e i d e a o f h i s l o o k s i n t h i s m i r r o r . D e l i a , b e i n g s l i m , h a d

maste red the a r t .

S u d d e n l y s h e t u r n e d f r o m t h e w i n d o w a n d s t o o d i n f r o n t o f

t h e m i r r o r . H e r e y e s w e r e s h i n i n g b r i g h t l y , b u t i n t h o s e t w e n t y

s e c o n d s h e r f a c e h a d l o s t i ts c o l o u r . R a p i d l y , s h e p u l l e d c l o w n

her ha i r and le t i t f a l l to i t s fu l l length .

N o w , t h e r e w e r e t w o p o s s e s s i o n s o f t h e J a m e s D i l l i n g h a m

Y o u n g s o f w h i c h t h e y b o t h w e r e e x t r e m e l y p r o u d . O n e w a s

J i m ' s g o l d p o c k e t w a t c h , w h i c h h a d b e e n h i s f a t h e r ' s a n d h i s

g r a n d f a t h e r ' s . T h e o t h e r w a s D e l i a ' s h a i r . I f t h e Q u e e n o f S h e b a

h a d l i v e d i n t h e f l a t o p p o s i t e , D e l i a w o u l d h a v e l e t h e r h a i r h a n g

o u t of t h e w i n d o w s o m e d a y j u s t t o o u t s h i n e t h e Q u e e n ' s j e w e l s .

I f K i n g S o l o m o n h a d b e e n t h e c a r e t a k e r , w i t h a l l h is t r e a s u r e s i n

t h e b a s e m e n t , J i m w o u l d h a v e p u l l e d o u t h i s w a t c h e v e r y t i m e

he passed, jus t to see the k ing pul l h is bea rd in envy.

D e l i a ' s b e a u t i f u l h a i r f e l l a b o u t h e r f a c e i n s h i n i n g w a v e s ,

l i k e a c a s c a d e o f b r o w n w a t e r . I t r e a c h e d b e l o w h e r k n e e a n d

w a s a l m o s t l i k e a d r e s s f o r h e r . S h e p u t i t u p a g a i n n e r v o u s l y a n d

q u i c k l y , h e s i t a t e d f o r a m i n u t e a n d s t o o d s t i l l . A t e a r f e l l o n t o t h e

w o r n r e d c a r p e t .

S h e p u t o n h e r o l d b r o w n j a c k e t . S h e p u t o n h e r o l d b r o w n

h a t . W i l l i t h e b r i g h t s p a r k l e s t i l l i n h e r e y e s , s h e w e n t o u t o f t h e

d o o r a n d d o w n t o th e s t re e t . S h e s t o p p e d w h e r e a s i g n r e a d :

" M i n e . S o f r o n i e . H a i r G o o d s o f A l l K i n d s . " D e l i a r a n u p t o t h e

f i r s t f l o o r a n d c o l l e c t e d h e r s e l f , b r e a t h i n g h a r d .

" W i l l y o u b u y m y h a i r ? " s h e a s k e d .

" I b u y h a i r , " s a i d M a d a m e . " T a k e o f f y o u r h a t a n d l e t m e s e e

JZ


8/10

T H E G I F T O F T H E M A G I

w h a t y o u r s l o o k s l i k e . "

D o w n f e l l t h e b r o w n c a s c a d e .

" T w e n t y d o l l a r s , " s a i d M a d a m e , l i f t i n g t h e h a i r w i t h a n

e x p e r i e n c e d h a n d .

" A l r i g h t . G i v e i t t o m e q u i c k , " s a i d D e l i a , c l o s i n g h e r e y e s

a t t h e s i g h t o f t h e s h i n i n g s c i s s o r s a s t h e y m o v e d o v e r h e r h e a d .

T h e n e x t t w o h o u r s p a s s e d h a p p i l y . S h e s e a r c h e d t h e s h o p s

f o r J i m ' s p r e s e n t . S h e f o u n d i t at l a s t. It s u r e l y h a d b e e n m a d e

for J im and no one e lse . There was no o the r one l ike i t in any of

t h e s h o p s . S h e h a d s e a r c h e d t h e m a l l t h o r o u g h l y . I t w a s a

s i m p l e , p l a i n p l a t i n u m w a t c h c h a i n , w o r t h i t s v a l u e b e c a u s e o f

w h a t i t w a s m a d e o f , n o t b e c a u s e o f a n y s p e c i a l d e s i g n - a s a l l

g o o d t h i n g s s h o u l d b e . I t w a s w o r t h y o f T h e W a t c h . A s s o o n a s

s h e s a w i t , s h e k n e w t h a t i t m u s t b e J i m ' s . I t w a s l i k e h i m .

S i m p l i c i t y a n d v a l u e - t h e d e s c r i p t i o n f i t t e d t h e m b o t h . It c o s t

h e r t w e n t y - o n e d o l l a r s , a n d s h e h u r r i e d h o m e w i t h t h e e i g h t y -

TI I E G I F T O F TH E M A G I

s e v e n c e n t s . W i t h t h a t c h a i n o n h i s w a t c h , J i m c o u l d l o o k a t t h e

t i m e c o n f i d e n t l y i n a n y c o m p a n y . A l t h o u g h t h e w a t c h w a s

b e a u t i f u l , h e s o m e t i m e s l o o k e d a t it i n s e c r e t b e c a u s e o f t h e o l d

lea the r s t r ap tha t he used ins tead of a cha in .

W h e n D e l i a r e a c h e d h o m e , h e r d e l i g h t g a v e w a y t o a l i t t l e

p r u d e n c e a n d g o o d s e n s e . S h e g o t o u t h e r c u r l i n g i r o n s , l i t t h e

g a s a n d s e t t o w o r k t o r e p a i r t h e d a m a g e c a u s e d b y g e n e r o s i t y

a d d e d t o l o v e . T h i s i s a l w a y s a h u g e t a s k , d e a r f r i e n d s - a h u g e

task .

F o r t y m i n u t e s l a t e r h e r h e a d w a s c o v e r e d i n t i n y , c l o s e - l y i n g

c u r l s w h i c h m a d e h e r l o o k w o n d e r f u l l y l i k e a n a u g h t y

s c h o o l b o y . S h e l o o k e d a t h e r r e f l e c t i o n i n th e m i r r o r - l o n g ,

c a r e f u l l y a n d c r i t i c a l l y .

" I f J i m d o e s n ' t k i l l m e , " s h e s a i d t o h e r s e l f , " b e f o r e h e t a k e s

a second look a t me , he ' l l say I look l ike a chorus g i r l . But wha t

c o u l d I d o o h w h a t c o u l d I d o w i t h a d o l l a r a n d e i g h t y - s e v e n

c e n t s ? "

A t 7 o ' c l o c k t h e c o f f e e w a s m a d e a n d t h e f r y i n g - p a n w a s o n

t h e c o o k e r , r e a d y t o c o o k t h e c h o p s .

J i m w a s n e v e r l a t e . D e l i a d o u b l e d t h e w a t c h c h a i n i n h e r

hand and sa t on the corne r of the table nea r the door he a lways

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9/10

TH E G I F T O F TH E MA G I

ente red . Then she hea rd h is s tep on the s ta i r down on the f i r s t

f l o o r . S h e t u r n e d w h i t e f o r j u s t a m o m e n t . S h e h a d a h a b i t o f

s a y i n g l i t t l e s i l e n t p r a y e r s a b o u t t h e s i m p l e s t e v e r y d a y t h i n g s ,

a n d n o w s h e w h i s p e r e d , " P l e a s e G o d , m a k e h i m t h i n k I ' m s t i l l

p r e t t y . "

T h e d o o r o p e n e d . J i m s t e p p e d i n a n d c l o s e d i t . H e l o o k e d

t h i n a n d v e r y s e r i o u s . P o o r m a n , h e w a s o n l y t w e n t y - t w o - a n d

t o h a v e t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f a f a m i l y H e n e e d e d a n e w o v e r c o a t

a n d h e h a d n o g l o v e s .

J i m s t o p p e d i n s i d e t h e d o o r , m o t i o n l e s s , h i s e y e s f i x e d o n

D e l i a . T h e r e w a s a n e x p r e s s i o n i n t h e m t h a t s h e c o u l d n o t r e a d .

I t t e r r i f i e d h e r . I t w a s n o t a n g e r , n o r s u r p r i s e , n o r d i s a p p r o v a l ,

n o r h o r r o r , n o r a n y o f t h e e m o t i o n s t h a t s h e h a d b e e n p r e p a r e d

for . H e s im ply s ta re d a t he r f ixedly wi th tha t s t r a nge exp res s io n

on his f ace .

D e l i a g o t o f f t h e t a b l e a n d w e n t t o h i m . " J i m , d a r l i n g , " s h e

c r ied , "don ' t look a t me tha t way. I had my ha i r cut of f and I so ld

i t b e c a u s e I c o u l d n ' t h a v e l i v e d t h r o u g h C h r i s t m a s w i t h o u t

g i v i n g y o u a p r e s e n t . I t ' l l g r o w a g a i n - y o u w o n ' t m i n d , w i l l

y o u ? I j u s t h a d t o d o i t. M y h a i r g r o w s t e r r i b l y f a s t . S a y ' M e r r y

C h r i s t m a s ' J i m , a n d l e t ' s b e h a p p y . Y o u d o n ' t k n o w w h a t a n i c e

- w h a t a b e a u t i f u l n i c e g i f t I ' v e g o t f o r y o u . "

" Y o u ' v e c u t o f f y o u r h a i r ? " a s k e d J i m s l o w l y , a s i f h e h a d

n o t u n d e r s t o o d t h a t f a c t e v e n a f t e r t h i n k i n g a s h a r d a s h e c o u l d .

"C ut i t of f and sold i t , " sa id De l ia . "D on ' t you l ike me jus t

a s w e l l , a n y h o w ? I ' m m e w i t h o u t m y h a i r , a m I n o t ? "

J i m l o o k e d a b o u t t h e r o o m c u r i o u s l y .

" Y o u s a y y o u r h a i r i s g o n e , " h e s a i d w i t h a l o o k w h i c h w a s

a l m o s t o f i d i o c y .

"Yo u nee dn ' t look for i t , " sa id De l ia . " I t ' s so ld , 1 te l l you -

s o l d a n d g o n e , t o o . I t ' s C h r i s t m a s E v e , J i m . B e g o o d t o m e . I t

w e n t f o r y o u . M a y b e t h e h a i r s o f m y h e a d w e r e n u m b e r e d , " s h e

15.


w e n t o n w i t h a s u d d e n s e r i o u s s w e e t n e s s , " b u t n o b o d y c o u l d

e v e r c o u n t m y l o v e f o r y o u . S h a l l I p u t t h e c h o p s o n , J i m ? "

J i m s e e m e d t o w a k e q u i c k l y f r o m h i s t r a n c e . H e e m b r a c e d

h i s D e l i a . H e t o o k a p a c k a g e f r o m h is o v e r c o a t p o c k e t a n d t h r e w

it on the table .

" D o n ' t m a k e a n y m i s t a k e a b o u t m e , D e l l , " h e s a i d . " I d o n ' t

t h i n k t h e r e ' s a n y h a i r c u t o r s h a m p o o t h a t c o u l d m a k e m e l o v e

m y w i f e a n y l e s s . B u t i f y o u o p e n t h a t p a c k a g e y o u m a y s e e w h y

you gave me a b i t of a shock a t f i r s t . "

W h i t e f i n g e r s t o r e o p e n t h e s t r in g a n d t h e p a p e r . A n d t h e n a n

e c s t a t i c s c r e a m o f j o y ; t h e n , a l a s a q u i c k f e m i n i n e c h a n g e t o

h y s t e r i c a l t e a r s , w h i c h n e e d e d a l l J i m ' s p o w e r s t o c o m f o r t .

F o r t h e r e l a y T h e C o m b s - t h e s e t o f c o m b s , s i d e a n d b a c k ,

t h a t D e l i a h a d a d m i r e d f o r s o l o n g i n a B r o a d w a y w i n d o w .

B e a u t i f u l c o m b s , m a d e o f p u r e t o r t o i s e s h e l l , a n d d e c o r a t e d w i t h

j e w e l s - t h e p e r f e c t c o l o u r t o w e a r i n t h e b e a u t i f u l v a n i s h e d h a i r .

T h e y w e r e e x p e n s i v e c o m b s , s h e k n e w , a n d h e r h e a r t h a d s i m p l y

w a n t e d t h e m w i t h o u t e v e r h o p i n g t o o w n t h e m . A n d n o w t h e y

w e r e h e r s , b u t t h e h a i r t h a t s h o u l d h a v e w o r n t h e d e s i r e d c o m b s

h a d g o n e .

She he ld them to he r , and a t la s t she

w a s a bl e to l oo k u p w it h w e t e ye s ^ r a ^ ^ ^ S f ^ ^ ^ x .

a n d a s m i l e a n d s a y , " M y h a i r

g r o w s s o f a s t , J i m " J i ^ l p ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ g p m

D e l i a j u m p e d u p l i k e a p S S l l f e ^ ^ f f l P I

s ta r t led l i t t le ca t and c r ied , "Oh,

J i m h a d n o t y e t s e e n h i s

b e a u t i f u l p r e s e n t . S h e h e l d i t o u t t o h i m

e a g e r l y i n h e r o p e n h a n d . T h e d u l l , p r e c i o u s m e t a l s e e m e d t o

shine wi th a r e f lec t ion of he r br ight sp i r i t .

" I s n ' t i t a beau ty , J im ? 1 hun ted a l l ove r tow n to f ind i t .

Y o u ' l l h a v e t o l o o k a t th e t i m e a h u n d r e d t i m e s a d a y n o w . G i v e

m e y o u r w a t c h . 1 want to see how the cha in looks on i t . "

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1

1 T I M G I F T O F T H E M A G I

1

I n s t e a d o f o b e y i n g , J i m f e l l d o w n o n t h e c o u c h , p u t h i s

h a n d s u n d e r t h e b a c k o f h i s h e a d a n d s m i l e d .

i

" D e l l , " h e s a i d , " l e t ' s p u t o u r C h r i s t m a s p r e s e n t s a w a y a n d

k e e p t h e m f o r a w h i l e . T h e y ' r e t o o n i c e t o u s e j u s t a t p r e s e n t . I

s o l d t h e w a t c h t o g e t t h e m o n e y t o b u y y o u r c o m b s . A n d n o w ,

w h y d o n ' t y o u p u t t h e c h o p s o n t o c o o k . "

T h e m a g i , a s y o u k n o w , w e r e t h e t h r e e w i s e m e n -

w o n d e r f u l l y w i s e m e n - w h o b r o u g h t g i f t s t o t h e B a b y J e s u s i n

t h e m a n g e r . T h e y i n v e n t e d t h e a r t o f g i v in g C h r i s t m a s p r e s e n t s .

B e i n g w i s e , t h e i r g i f t s w e r e n o d o u b t w i s e o n e s . A n d h e r e I h a v e

t o l d y o u t h e s t o r y o f t w o c h i l d r e n i n a fl a t w h o m o s t u n w i s e l y

s a c r i f i c e d f o r e a c h o t h e r t h e g r e a t e s t t r e a s u r e s t h e y h a d . B u t i t

s h o u l d b e s a i d t h a t o f e v e r y o n e w h o g i v e s g i f t s , p e o p l e l i k e

t h e s e a r e t h e w i s e s t . T h e y a r e t h e m a g i .

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