The Passing of Black Eagle
A wealthy man dies and leaves his fortune to a young woman he has never met, on the condition that she marries within six months. The story follows her attempts to find a suitable husband while navigating the complexities of her newfound wealth and social status.
By O. Henry · First published 1905 · Genre: Western, Adventure, Comedy · 4,916 words
First lines
For some months of a certain year a grim bandit infested the Texas border along the Rio Grande. Peculiarly striking to the optic nerve was this notorious marauder. His personality secured him the title of "Black Eagle, the Terror of the Border. " Many fearsome tales are on record concerning the doings of him and his followers. Suddenly, in the space of a single minute, Black Eagle vanished from earth. He was never heard of again. His own band never even guessed the mystery of his disappearance. The border ranches and settlements feared he would come again to ride and ravage the mesquite flats. He never will. It is to disclose the fate of Black Eagle that this narrative is written.
What this Textopian page supports
The Passing of Black Eagle is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1905 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: 1905 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Western, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Crime
- Length: 4,916 words
- Structure: 1 section, 55 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Passing of Black Eagle 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 The Passing of Black Eagle?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Western first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Western — The story is set in the American West, featuring bandits, outlaws, and the rugged landscape typical of Western narratives.
- Adventure — The plot involves a journey filled with risks, encounters, and the pursuit of fortune, characteristic of adventure tales.
- Comedy — The narrative employs humor through the absurdity of the protagonist's actions and the eccentricity of characters, creating comedic elements.
- Drama — The story explores themes of identity, desperation, and the human condition, providing dramatic tension and character development.
Tags
Western Fiction · Short Story · American Literature · Folklore · Mythology · Symbolism · Allegory · Mystery · Thriller · Adventure · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery