The Admiral by O. Henry (1919)

Name: The Admiral
Author: O. Henry

A retired naval officer returns to his hometown and becomes embroiled in a plot to steal a valuable pearl necklace from the local jeweler. The Admiral's past experiences and skills make him an unlikely candidate for the heist, but he sees it as a way to gain revenge against those who wronged him.

By O. Henry · First published 1919 · Genre: Satire, Comedy, Fiction · 3,090 words

First lines

Spilled milk draws few tears from an Anchurian administration. Many are its lacteal sources; and the clocks' hands point forever to milking time. Even the rich cream skimmed from the treasury by the bewitched Miraflores did not cause the newly-installed patriots to waste time in unprofitable regrets. The government philosophically set about supplying the deficiency by increasing the import duties and by "suggesting" to wealthy private citizens that contributions according to their means would be considered patriotic and in order. Prosperity was expected to attend the reign of Losada, the new president. The ousted officeholders and military favourites organized a new "Liberal" party, and began to lay their plans for a re-succession. Thus the game of Anchurian politics began, like a Chinese comedy, to unwind slowly its serial length. Here and there Mirth peeps for an instant from the wings and illumines the florid lines.

What this Textopian page supports

The Admiral is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1919 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: 1919 CE
Language: English
Genres: Satire, Comedy, Fiction, Political Fiction, Adventure
Length: 3,090 words
Structure: 1 section, 39 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Satire — The narrative humorously critiques political absurdities and the incompetence of government officials, highlighting the ridiculousness of appointing an unqualified individual to a position of power.
Comedy — The story employs comedic elements through the character of Felipe Carrera and the absurdity of the situation, creating a light-hearted tone despite the underlying themes.
Fiction — The work is a fictional narrative that explores themes of identity, duty, and the nature of authority within a fictional setting.
Political Fiction — The plot revolves around political themes, including governance, revolution, and the farcical nature of political appointments in a fictional republic.