Read "Cabbages and Kings" by O. Henry online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
"What was this graft? " asked Johnny, with the impatience of the great public to whom tales are told.
"Tis contrary to art and philosophy to give you the information," said Keogh, calmly. "The art of narrative consists in concealing from your audience everything it wants to know until after you expose your favourite opinions on topics foreign to the subject. A good story is like a bitter pill with the sugar coating inside of it. I will begin, if you please, with a horoscope located in the Cherokee Nation; and end with a moral tune on the phonograph.