THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by 0. Henesudonyn of Wits Shay Panera in #862. Ameen sersty weet Founded the Rong Stone, a comie nagatine, In 1894, In 1808 he war Sloe or meapeoprion of tank hud ans imptaned in 898, Spee hee ‘sar in pon, whe he Gagan 79 wre shor Saris wing the name of ©. Honey. On release eam pean he satis a New Yok eae become © popu swe for honor magazhes In 180d he cofeced he ey soe ure the lie Catbager and Hing et Sout kmercn,ancin 1908 ne pubes hs sscend colncion. Ta Feu lan it ae Yo Gp ied 7940,Pre-reading 41 Whot sid the Mog! ten refered o 0s the Thee We Men) big 10 the infas Jesu Do you think hese preceus gis were surabl fr ‘ch poor che? 2 Why dd the Mag! chease o give presen? 8 The coming of he Maal is commemorated ot Eppheny. ls this outch feswel eslebreredin your counny? Dotan AND GH SVEN CEATE That Wes al. And sity ‘en af ts in ponnia, Pennies saved one and two at2 time by bulldaing? the grocer and the vegetable mas and the butcher until one's checks burned withthe sien! Jmpuistion of parsimony that such loro? dealing implied. Thaee nes Della counted i. One dollar and eighty seven cents. And the next dar soul Be Chrismas ‘There was clestly nothing to do but op doven on the chubby ? Hee ‘ouch and howl So Dells id i Which instigate tho moral reeton tha Iifeismade up of sobs eles, end tllos, with mile predominating ‘Wile the mistrece ofthe howe i gradllysbsing fom the Set stage tothe second fake & lok atthe hom A furiehed flat at $8 per ‘Week It did not exactly beggee description? but it certainly had hat ‘wer on thelookout fr! the mendicancy squad, Tithe vestibule Blow wae later Dox int which no Iter would ge, tnd an eossle bution from which no moral Hager could comx7 a rng tein [anton ding eb ase) (yt ex bgp opin antec ie sce tthe a! owen us ss) by gener“Also appetainng thereunto wes cand Searing the name “Mi James Dilinghsm Young” ‘The “Dillingham” had been tung tothe breeze? during « former period of prosperity when its postesior was being pald S30 per week. Now, when the income was shrunk t 20, the letters of “Dillingham” Teoked Hurred: as though they ere hinking seriously of contrcting to { modest and unassuming "But whenever Mz James Dillinghoss ‘Young came howe and reached Ws ft above he was calle “Jim” and srcally hugged by Mrs James Diiagham Young, already itesiuced to You as Della, Which all very good. ‘Dele finished her ery and attended to her checks with the powder rag She stood by the window and looked out duly at « grey cat twatking a gray fence in a gray backyac. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day and she had only SLS7 vith wMeh to buy Jim a present. She had ben seving every panny she could fcr months, wih his revit. Twenty ollars& week doss't go fe, Expenses had been greater then abe bad ‘ealelted. They sways ave, Only $1.5 wo uy a presen for Jim. Hex i ‘Many s happy hour she fad spent planaing for something nie for him, Something fine and sare end stering'*— something just aie Bit nese to being worthy ofthe hoacr of being yey in. “There wes a pergiss between the windoves ofthe room, Peshaps| souhave seena pier gles in an $8 fn. A very thn and very agile person Thay, by observing his reflection in rapid sequence of longitudinal feips, obtain a faily aceutste conception of his looks. Della, Being slender, had mastered thea. 12 powderng pel ih neo ply powder ae, 14 eding oft highs tana ii 15 pleats [poe ong ter.The Git ofthe Most Suddenly she whirled from the window and stocd before the las er eyes were shining bilan, but hor face had lost ts color within twwenty sean, Rapidly she pull down her hai ne at al ots fal length "Nove; there were tivo porssisions ofthe James Dillingham Youngs:n which they both took a mighty pride. Ona a i's gold watch thet het ‘eon his father's and his grandather's. The other was Dell's har. Hic the Queen of Shebs lived in the Hat across the airshafe.? Della woud have let her ais ang ov the window some day to dry just to depreciate “Her Majesty's jewels an gif ad King Solomon Bon the janitor with sil hs weasars piled up in the Bazement Jn would have pulled out Ms tvetch every time he passed, jue to ae Kim pluck at his beard fe envy, ‘3 now Bella's benutiful har fl about her sipping and shining ik a csscade of brown waters, It reached Below her knee and made itself Smet a garment for er, And then she did it up again nervously and Giely, Once she falta for mite and stood sll while a tarot {bea splashed onthe om red carpet ‘On west hor ok brown jshaty on went her old brown hat. With a shel of sits and with the bilan sparkle til inher es, she Mutersd ‘Sut the door and dove the tiesto the stot ‘Where she stopped the sgn ssid: "Ame Sofonie. Hale Goods of All Kinds." One ght up Dells ra, and collated herels, panting, Madame, Jargs, too whi, cil, hardy looked the “Sofroie™ iil you buy my hair” aeked Dll “Tbuy baie — std Madame, — Take yor" hat off and let's have @ sight athe looks of.” ‘Dovin rippled the brown enecede 16 whites fanost moved guy 18 nie carer gron nh acre 29 tard (ater henswon } rs | eens | eae ene eee | a eee eee ‘She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jim and no one alee eee tors ant ead te lt thom de out ewes a plan fb chan singe and chaste ny niga, propery procining i vsee by autstance stone and rt By ‘Terie erumeattion ~ yl god thing shoud do see voy of The Watch Av soon a he so she Es ha it mt Be Jims eas tke hie letess end ~ the description pi 0 ork Twengyane dlr thy tok or bar fre an she hued home Sh he coms With tnt cain o his ach Jn might Be prope’ Tatu about the time in any company. Grand a the watch wa, Be e_Tnneume lobed att on the yon acnun of theo eter step Shaheed in plas ofa chin "ce ella etched home her intext gave way ile pudece and reson, She gt ont br cing ios an ghd tbe gas etree won epg the erage ® made by Eneony ae 1 av Toe Which always a wemandou a, dae fends — a moth ook \ ‘Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls ht made her ok wonerly He a rn schoolboy > She lobed at ervecon inthe miorlong cee, realy tippy pd sy ecg sev) eens ooh feb: padawaet {ron [iv sty pay en fo sty sao no oa ‘Pemicn seuNeueeThe Git of he Mag! Jim doesn't kil me — she eat to herself, — before he take» second look ot me, hel ay Hook ike 2 Coney Island chorus gi Bat fohat could Ido — oh what could Ido with a dollar and sight-stver "at 7 elec the cffce wat inads and the fying-pan was on the Back ‘ofthe stove hot and oady to cook the chops. Jim eas sever loe, Daa doubled the fo chain i her hand and sat on ‘he commer of the table neae the door that he always entered Then she beat Iie stp om he stair away down on the St ight and she turned ‘white for just» moment. She had « habit of saying litle silent prayer, [bout the simplest everyday things, an now she whispered "Please God, aa hn think Tam il prety" "The door opened ant im stepped in and csed it He looked thin and ‘very serious Pose fellow, he was oly twenty-e0 — and tobe burdens ‘with a fay! He mended a now overcoat and he was without gloves. Jim stepped inside the door, az immovable asa setter atthe scent of gus" Hie eyor were ied upon Dalla, and there was an expression in thers that she ould not 884, and #terifid her, Te was not sng, noe surprise, noe dieappeoval or hartor or eny’of the sentiments that she Fd buen propaed fr, He simply eared at her Bxedly with that pocul cxpresion on hie = ‘ella wriggle of the ale and went for im. im. devling — she cid, — don’ ook et me that way, Thad my har cutoff and sold it because I couldnt have lived through Cheistnss ‘without giving you » present, Fil grow out again — you wont min, twill you! I just had to doi. My hate grows avvfally fast. Say "Mery Christa! in and let's be happy. You don't now what anise — whit beautiful nice gift Te go for you." ou'ee cutoff your hair” asked Fim, laboriously, as i he had sat serived at that paint fact yet even ater the hardest mental abot. (Cat it off and sold itso Della, — Don’t you ike na just as we syhow? Pm me without my hl, ant 52 quiere malted sJim looked about the rom curious "You sey your hairs gone?" he sd ssithan air slmostof oe. "You needn't lok fort — said Della. — IV sod I tell you ~ sl sud gone, too, I's Christmas Ev, bey. Be good t9 me, fr i went for you Maybe the haies on my head were numbered — she went on with = sudden serious swestuss, — but nobody could ever oust my Tove for you. Shall put the chops on, J?” ‘Ost of his trance fm seemed quis to wake, He enfolded his Dells For ten soconds lets regard with iret scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other diection, Fight dolar e week or2 millon year — that isthe diference? A mathematician or @ wit would give yor the ‘weong answer. The magi brought valuable gifs, but that was not among, ther, Ths dark aseerton wil be illsminated late on. fin dsew a package from his overcoat pockat and three table “Doa't make any mistake, Dell — he sad, — about me don’t ink there’ anything in the way of brcut ors shave or © shampoo that ould make me Uke ay ge ay Ie. But if you'll unwrep that package ‘you may see why you had me goinga while at Best.” White sngers end nimble” toe at the sting and peper. And then an ecstatic seream of jay; and then. alas! a quick feminine change to hysteria ears aed walle necessitating the immediate employment of al, the comioring powers of the ovo the Bt For there sy The Combs — the set of combs, ide and back, that Dela had worshipped for long in «Eroadvvay window. Beawsful combs, ‘pure tortoise shell, with jevvelled me —just the shade to wearin the ‘beta vanished hair. They wre expansive combs, she Kn, and her ‘heart ha spl craved and yearned ovar them without the least hope spon the owt: (Gove ft) ae ey tong eas‘The Git of he Mog possesion. And now, hey were hes ut the estes tht should have Stlomed the coveted adommants were gone. ‘Dat dhe hugged them to her bosom, and at length she ws able fo ook vp with di eyes and a ele aed sf:"My hal grows fst Ji! [hn shen Datla leaped up lke a ltl singed © cat and exed, “Oh, oh im had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held stout to im “npuly upon har open pal, The dull precious sntal seemed to ash Sake efecion ofr bright and arden spirit nt it a dandy. fie? Theta al over towen to find, You have to Took et the time a handed times a day now. Give me your wate, f want to sot how t oaks anit” “hotend of obeying, Jin tumbled # doven on the couch end put Nis hands nor theback ofhis end and sled Dal = ssid he, — lefs put our Chrstnas presents away and keep fama rhe, They're too alce to we usta present. Tsoi the watch fo get Gemoney to bay yourcoubs, And now suppose you put the ehops on.” ‘The mag ae you Know, were wise men — wonderfully wise men — who brought gifts to the Babe inthe manger. They inverted the at of ‘ising Chvistmas presents. Being wis, ther gis were no doubt wist ee posnbly Bearing the privilege of exchange in ese of duplication ‘Xn hese Ihave lame elated fo you the uneven chris of te beth children in fat who most anviselysacficed fo onc other the restos treasures oftheir Rous, But in lst wort the wise af these Tye tit besa that ofall who give gifts these two are the wisest. OF Mieho give and receive gifts, suchas they are wisest. Everywhere ther ‘re wisoet. They are the mal 0 ort Pen apy did {2 aged dstsbort, andy (am oomabng wc {Tamlyn arn an oo or conan a. 6General Understanding seting i {ihe far Otlngnam Youngs ie 2 i ‘a. mosen 1 comoroble a 2 Dothey receive © many visivleners : © only few a i 3. Dothey ive in fo New York o B LesAageles o ; Time i Soy Ifthe folowing sarements ore rue or foi. tor i 1 The sory rakes ploce js before ew Years ve. o 2m income herecsed tom 5200 $00. o Cheractes ‘quote 0 coupe of nas desing the relanenshis between the No mon cheroaers Hi Norrator tothe Sedpetsan cararor.? fe eneve a B oninve| aFull Immersion choractors The Git ofthe Mag {Flin the chan, where posible, describing he rwo main chorocter oor 160 [kee Dele (ab) peri lan fancier ana | an (3 eka a 2 Whar can you now addr deserve tho laiocship? Ii © special on? sNowretor 4. Weave esablshed thr fhe narra nudes inthe sony mony times. Flin th rising por in the char below whlch ii sums up hs ‘ formants. Soy whether hey re genet (G) or ef speciicly 72 ths choroee i Tse | AUTHONAL COMMENTS 25 | Shame deed fom ace al money 40) thes many ade ofsonew 1 2 Tis hag on 0 a wa "hfs srl ren im people can sly mane und and look ohare re irglos “FEST The rs gs he provegeil oe pron of wat 1960 _ | Noneyearibuy lo 1479 | Worn’ ran canbe earfonedby on ohare, oo mmole fee Te 12 The nevotor obo addaues th reeder in oes 42, 97-8, 75:6, 90+ TSE-8. 172, h your opinion whesis he purpose of hs? Prot -Ancyee th srucure ofthe sary and explant your owen word he ‘opening, developmen and suptse eedng.he Git of he Mag Literary Analysis 41 Vhorare ihe hey woe ln tines 28-9 and wher armasphere do they cceare? What sha hey wo0e In he peragreph song on line 172? ‘Whar i tne mewoge of tis paograph 2 Whose point of view is wed in nes 5-6, 645, 80:4, 135-6. rarorots o: Dallas? ‘3 Consider the expieson serous sweeras. Which fgue of sch oat exemply? Whar Is tec? 4 How would you define ti tor? Choose fam among the falling djecives reals, romani, sureaie. Give reasons the 5 Do your me se casa wth the #007? Give eczons 6 he plot based cn cons, poral ox beth? ‘Other Ingreents 41 The fist rwo pages desert the couple's economic coin, Flin the gape in he folowing bref wmmay 26 ge. pet weak, burnew he oly. 52D per week.) They paid fora 2 Canyou fied anyother ferences ta mane? Whar de these releences underine? 3 Whar cr Dello’ expectations when se od he sgn Mime Soon? Does the realiy meet her expecrrions?o. seme Summing Up 4 Looklbed ot your answers fate pre-eoding questons and lok ‘opoin 6 nes 1389 and (72.8%, How does here Flos ro rhe per 7 20. Henry conrinued Poe's nosiion cf the wallserced sor son. His Sori ore med by otwiinthe aor and expres ie sec of Cointcence on character, Compare The Blog Ca with “The Git of fhe Mag! De hey have ony feonsesin common? {8 Thetis and the contr ofthe ary make olson fo the Boe, Con you find cny ches biblical ferences? 4 Thistle about mutual ave berwean husbond and wie hes 2 morale ending, Digi the maraThe it fhe Most Production 41 Mave you evr found youse! na silarstueror? Maybe when you © cl, you wanted to buy present fer your fthermarher one ‘id ot have enough money. Did you my 10 save up money? How ol you make your git match you sovngs? ite a brit aecoun. 2 Hove you everreceved ogityou dd nor hsineed? How 6 you oa? 3 The Nog! ore some ofthe rypca gues hat make up the natviy ‘zane. Do you pepare onjhing spel for Cismos? Do you pur up ‘natty cene ora Gvismas es? Which co you prefer and why? How you prepare? Voar ling of ermesphere does produce your Foi? 4 Wire abou the changes he Dilinghom Youngs had 0 make because of he lowering of her nea 5 Most of he story told fom Dello pont of view. Now yo rll he sro fom ins pespectve. 6 Cin yousee why mit pointing by Chagall might be evar ro the sory? Whar put the couple In "The Git af the Mgt" ebove the ro of the worl?