Relieved by O. Henry (1911)
The story revolves around a young woman who has been wrongfully accused of theft and is awaiting execution. A wealthy man, who had previously been involved with her, decides to save her by stealing the money that was used as evidence against her. He plans to return it anonymously, but his plan goes awry when he is caught by the police while attempting to steal the money again.
By O. Henry · First published 1911 · Genre: Short Story, Humor, Drama · 232 words
First lines
A Houston gentleman who is worth somewhere up in the hundreds of thousands and lives on eleven dollars a week, was sitting in his private office a few days ago, when a desperate looking man entered and closed the door carefully behind him. The man had an evil, villainous-looking face, and in his hand he held with the utmost care an oblong, square-shaped package. "What do you want? " asked the capitalist.
"I must have money," hissed the stranger. "I am starving while you are rolling in wealth. Do you see this little package? Do you know what it contains?"
The wealthy citizen sprang from his desk in horror, pale with fright.
"No, no," he gasped. "You would not be so cruel, so heartless."
What this Textopian page supports
Relieved 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, Drama, Satire, Suspense
- Length: 232 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Relieved 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 Relieved?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Short Story first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Little Talk About Mobs by O. Henry
- An Original Idea by O. Henry
- A Comedy In Rubber by O. Henry
- Ridiculous by O. Henry
- Marvelous by O. Henry
- Grounds For Uneasiness by O. Henry
Genres
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a complete story within a limited word count.
- Humor — The dialogue and situation present a comedic twist, highlighting the absurdity of the characters' perceptions.
- Drama — The tension between the characters creates a dramatic conflict that drives the narrative.
- Satire — The story critiques social class disparities and the absurdity of wealth through its characters.
Tags
Short Story · Comedy · Satire · Social Commentary · Irony · Twist Ending · Humor · Wit · Sarcasm · Critique of Society · Class Satire · Marriage