Hush Money by O. Henry (1911)
A wealthy man's daughter is kidnapped and a ransom is paid. The kidnappers are caught and the money recovered. It is revealed that the kidnapping was staged by the father to collect insurance money.
By O. Henry · First published 1911 · Genre: Short Story, Humor, Social Commentary · 206 words
First lines
He was a great practical joker, and never lost a chance to get a good one on somebody. A few days ago he stopped a friend on Main Street and said, confidentially:
"I never would have believed it, but I believe it my duty to make it known. Mr. -- -- -, the alderman for our ward, has been taking hush money."
"Impossible! " said his friend.
"I tell you, it's true, for I overheard the conversation and actually saw it handed over to him, and he took the money and put it in his pocket."
What this Textopian page supports
Hush Money 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, Humor, Social Commentary, Fiction, Drama
- Length: 206 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Hush Money by O. Henry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- An Inspiration by O. Henry
- Somebody Lied by O. Henry
- A Cheering Thought by O. Henry
- His Only Opportunity by O. Henry
- Did You See The Circus by O. Henry
- Recognition by O. Henry
Genres
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a complete story within a limited word count.
- Humor — The plot revolves around a practical joke and employs irony and wit, characteristic of humorous storytelling.
- Social Commentary — The story critiques societal perceptions of corruption and the misunderstandings that can arise from gossip.
- Fiction — The narrative is a work of fiction, presenting invented characters and scenarios.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Moral Lesson · Social Commentary · Satire · Irony · Plot Twist · Humor · Wit · Literary Fiction · Classic · Twist Ending