Her Ruse by O. Henry (1911)
A young woman marries a wealthy man to gain financial security for her family. She plans to divorce him after a year and return to her family's home. However, she falls in love with her husband during their time together.
By O. Henry · First published 1911 · Genre: Short Story, Romantic Comedy, Literary Fiction · 154 words
First lines
"How do I keep John home of nights? " asked a Houston lady of a friend the other day.
"Well, I struck a plan once by a sudden inspiration, and it worked very nicely. John had been in a habit of going downtown every night after supper and staying until ten or eleven o'clock. One night he left as usual, and after going three or four blocks he found he had forgotten his umbrella and came back for it. I was in the sitting room reading, and he slipped in the room on his tiptoes and came up behind me and put his hands over my eyes. John expected me to be very much startled, I suppose, but I only said softly, ‘Is that you, Tom? ' John hasn't been downtown at night since. "
What this Textopian page supports
Her Ruse is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1911 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: 1911 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Romantic Comedy, Literary Fiction, Slice of Life, Humor
- Length: 154 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Her Ruse by O. Henry
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Her Ruse?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles
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- By Courier by O. Henry
- The Marquis And Miss Sally by O. Henry
- The Girl And The Habit by O. Henry
- The Love Philtre Of Ikey Schoenstein by O. Henry
- How She Got In The Swim by O. Henry
Genres
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a complete story within a limited word count.
- Romantic Comedy — The plot revolves around romantic relationships and employs humor in the depiction of domestic life.
- Literary Fiction — The story explores themes of love and domesticity with a focus on character development and social commentary.
- Slice of Life — The narrative captures a moment in everyday life, highlighting the nuances of personal relationships.
Tags
Short Story · Romance · Deception · Love Triangle · Social Class · Marriage · Betrayal · Revenge · Plot Twist · Satire · Comedy of Manners · Irony