One Thousand Dollars (By O. Henry)
One Thousand Dollars (By O. Henry) "One thousand dollars," said the lawyer lawyer Tolman, in a severe and serious voice. "And here is the money money.” .” Young Gillian touched the thin package of fiftydollar !ills and laughed. "t#s such an unusual amount," he e$plained, e$plained, kindly, to the lawyer. lawyer. %f it had !een ten thousand a man might cele!rate with with a lot of fireworks. &ven fifty dollars would have !een less less trou!le." "You heard the reading of your uncle#s will after after he died," continued the lawyer Tolman. Tolman. " do not know if if you paid much much attention to to its details. details. must remind remind you of one. You are re'uired re'uired to provide us with a report of how you used this one thousand dollars as soon as you have spent it. trust that you will o!ey the wishes of your late uncle." "You may depend on it," said the young man respectfully. Gillian went to his clu!. (e searched for a man he called Old )ryson. Old )ryson was a calm, antisocial antisocial man, a!out forty years old. (e was in a corner reading a !ook. *hen he saw Gillian Gillian coming near he took a noisy, deep !reath, !reath, laid down his !ook !ook and took off his glasses. " have a funny story to tell you,” said Gillian. " wish you would tell it to someone in the !illiard room," said Old )ryson. "You know how hate your stories." "This is a !etter one than usual," said Gillian, rolling a cigarette, and #m glad to tell it to you. t#s too sad and funny to go with the rattling of !illiard !alls. +ve ust come from a meeting with my late late uncle#s lawyers. (e leaves me an even thousand dollars. -ow, what can a man possi!ly do with a thousand dollars" Old )ryson showed very little interest. interest. " thought the late /eptimus Gillian Gillian was worth something like half a million." "(e was," agreed Gillian, Gillian, happily. "And that#s where where the oke oke comes in. in. (e has left left a lot of his money to an organism. That is, part of it goes to the man who invents a new !acillus and the rest to esta!lish a hospital for doing away with it again. There are one or two small, unimportant gifts on the side. side. The !utler and the housekeeper housekeeper get a seal ring and ten dollars each. (is nephew gets one thousand dollars." "*ere there any others mentioned in your uncle+s will" asked Old )ryson. "-one." said Gillian. %There is a 0iss 0iss (ayden. (ayden. 0y uncle was responsi!le responsi!le for her. /he lived in his house. /he#s a 'uiet thing1musical1 thing1musical1 the daughter of some!ody who was unlucky enough to !e his friend. forgot to say that she she was in on the ring ring and ten dollar oke, too. wish had !een. Then could have had two two !ottles of wine, wine, given the ring to the waiter and had the the whole !usiness off my hands. hands. -ow tell me me what a man can can do with a thousand dollars." dollars." Old )ryson ru!!ed his glasses and smiled. And when Old )ryson smiled, Gillian knew that he intended to !e more offensive than ever. There are many good things a man could do with a thousand dollars,” said )ryson. "You" he said with a gentle laugh. laugh. "*hy, )o!!y Gillian, there#s there#s only one reasona!le reasona!le thing you could do. You You can go and !uy 0iss 2otta 2auriere a diamond necklace with the money and then take yourself off
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One Thousand Dollars (By O. Henry)
to daho and inflict your presence upon a ranch. advise a sheep ranch, as have a particular dislike for sheep.” "Thanks," said Gillian as he rose from his chair. " knew could depend on you, Old )ryson. You#ve hit on the very idea. wanted to spend the money on one thing, !ecause have to turn in a report for it, and hate itemi4ing.” Gillian phoned for a ca! and said to the driver5 "The stage entrance of the 6olum!ine Theatre." The theater was crowded. 0iss 2otta 2auriere was preparing for her performance when her assistant spoke the name of 0r. Gillian. "2et it in," said 0iss 2auriere. "-ow, what is it, )o!!y #m going on stage in two minutes." %t won#t take two minutes for me. *hat do you say to a little thing in the ewelry line can spend one thousand dollars." %/ay, )o!!y,” said 0iss 2auriere, %7id you see that necklace 7ella /tacey had on the other night t cost two thousand two hundred dollars at Tiffany#s.” 0iss 2auriere was called to the stage for her performance. Gillian slowly walked out to where his ca! was waiting. "*hat would you do with a thousand dollars if you had it" he asked the driver. "Open a drinking place," said the driver, 'uickly. " know a place could take money in with !oth hands. #ve got it worked outif you were thinking of putting up the money.” "Oh, no," said Gillian. % was ust wondering.” &ight !locks down )roadway, Gillian got out of the ca!. A !lind man sat on the sidewalk selling pencils. Gillian went out and stood in front of him. "&$cuse me, !ut would you mind telling me what you would do if you had a thousand dollars” asked Gillian. The !lind man took a small !ook from his coat pocket and held it out. Gillian opened it and saw that it was a !ank deposit !ook. t showed that the !lind man had a !alance of one thousand seven hundred eightyfive dollars in his !ank account. Gillian returned the !ank !ook and got !ack into the ca!. " forgot something," he said. "You may drive to the law offices of Tolman 8 /harp.” 2awyer Tolman looked at Gillian in a hostile and 'uestioning way. " !eg your pardon," said Gillian, cheerfully. ")ut was 0iss (ayden left anything !y my uncle#s will in addition to the ring and the ten dollars" "-othing," said 0r. Tolman. % thank you very much, /ir," said Gillian, and went to his ca!. (e gave the driver the address of his late uncle#s home. 0iss (ayden was writing letters in the li!rary. The small, thin woman wore !lack clothes. )ut you would have noticed her eyes. Gillian entered the room as if the world were unimportant. % have ust come from old Tolman#s," he e$plained. %They have !een going over the papers down there. They found a1” Gillian searched his memory for a legal term. %They found an amendment or a postscript or something to the will. t seemed that my uncle had second thoughts and willed you a thousand dollars. Tolman asked me to !ring you the money. (ere it is.” Gillian laid the money !eside her hand on the desk. 0iss (ayden turned white. "Oh9" she said. And again, "Oh9"
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One Thousand Dollars (By O. Henry)
Gillian half turned and looked out the window. n a low voice he said, " suppose, of course, that you know love you." " am sorry," said 0iss (ayden, as she picked up her money. "There is no use" asked Gillian, almost lightheartedly. " am sorry," she said again. "0ay write a note" asked Gillian, with a smile. 0iss (ayden supplied him with paper and pen, and then went !ack to her writing ta!le. Gillian wrote a report of how he spent the thousand dollars5 %;aid !y
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