The Lost Blend by O. Henry (1916)
A young woman inherits a large sum of money from a distant relative she has never met. She decides to travel to the city where her relative lived and to learn more about him. Upon arrival, she meets a man who claims to be an old friend of her relative's and offers to help her settle his estate.
By O. Henry · First published 1916 · Genre: Romance, Humor, Fiction · 2,324 words
First lines
Since the bar has been blessed by the clergy, and cocktails open the dinners of the elect, one may speak of the saloon. Teetotalers need not listen, if they choose; there is always the slot restaurant, where a dime dropped into the cold bouillon aperture will bring forth a dry Martini.
Con Lantry worked on the sober side of the bar in Kenealy's café. You and I stood, one-legged like geese, on the other side and went into voluntary liquidation with our week's wages. Opposite danced Con, clean, temperate, clearheaded, polite, white-jacketed, punctual, trustworthy, young, responsible, and took our money.
What this Textopian page supports
The Lost Blend is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1916 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: 1916 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Humor, Fiction, Slice of Life, Drama
- Length: 2,324 words
- Structure: 1 section, 43 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Lost Blend 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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Genres
- Romance — The central plot revolves around the romantic tension between Con and Katherine, highlighting themes of love and emotional connection.
- Humor — The narrative employs wit and comedic situations, particularly through the interactions of the characters and their absurd attempts at cocktail creation.
- Fiction — The story is a work of fiction, presenting a narrative that explores human relationships and social settings.
- Slice of Life — The story captures everyday moments and the mundane aspects of life in a café, focusing on the characters' interactions and experiences.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Class Conflict · Marriage · Love · Deception · Identity · Appearance vs Reality · Irony