A Call Loan by O. Henry (1914)
The story revolves around a young man who borrows money from his wealthy uncle to pay off debts and improve his financial situation. However, the loan comes with an unusual condition: the young man must return double the amount borrowed within a specified time frame. As the deadline approaches, the young man struggles to come up with the funds, but ultimately finds a way to repay the debt in full. The twist is that he does so by selling his own life insurance policy, which pays out upon his death. The story explores themes of financial responsibility, family obligations, and the consequences of one's actions.
By O. Henry · First published 1914 · Genre: Western, Drama, Short Story · 2,504 words
First lines
In those days the cattlemen were the anointed. They were the grandees of the grass, kings of the kine, lords of the lea, barons of beef and bone. They might have ridden in golden chariots had their tastes so inclined. The cattleman was caught in a stampede of dollars. It seemed to him that he had more money than was decent. But when he had bought a watch with precious stones set in the case so large that they hurt his ribs, and a California saddle with silver nails and Angora skin suaderos, and ordered everybody up to the bar for whisky -- what else was there for him to spend money for?
What this Textopian page supports
A Call Loan is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1914 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: O. Henry
- Date: 1914 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Western, Drama, Short Story, Humor, Crime
- Length: 2,504 words
- Structure: 1 section, 46 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Call Loan by O. Henry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Call Loan?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Western first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Narrow Escape by O. Henry
- The Friendly Call by O. Henry
- An Afternoon Miracle by O. Henry
- A Years Supply by O. Henry
- Friends In San Rosario by O. Henry
- A Slight Mistake by O. Henry
Genres
- Western — The setting and characters are deeply rooted in the American West, featuring cattlemen and ranchers.
- Drama — The narrative explores serious themes of financial responsibility, trust, and the consequences of one's actions.
- Short Story — The work is concise and structured as a short narrative, typical of the author's style.
- Humor — There are elements of irony and light-heartedness in the interactions between characters, particularly in the dialogue.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Irony · Plot Twist · Moral Lesson · Poverty · Wealth · Class Struggle · Deception