The Ransom of Mack, by O. Henry

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SUMMARY

Two middle-aged miners decided to stop their business. They had earned a lot of money and wanted to enjoy their fortune in an easy way. Thus, one of the miners, Mack, would be able to spend his time reading a thick book of History, and the other, Andy, would learn to play the banjo. Once they had decided to take this sabbatical time, they deposited their money in a small bank and rented an elegant but small house, that is, a cabin, in Piña, near Denver, and hired a Chinese man as a cook. Their dream of tranquillity had come true.

In one of their conversations in this lapse of relax, they came to talk about women and the possibility of contacting and socializing with them, but they discarded this option because they realized that the fair sex was really an unfathomable mystery. So it seems it was clear for both of them that they would rather be bachelors than married men.

One day, Andy had to go away to solve a problem with some business. He was away for two months and, at the end of which, he missed very much his mate and their restful home.

But when he got back, he found Mack a bit changed. Instead of casual clothes, he was wearing a handsome suit, and he appeared a bit agitated. He said something had happened while Andy was away. The thing was that he had been elected justice of peace, and that he was going to marry a girl called Rebosa that evening.

Andy was astonished and decided to do something to prevent this marriage because of the singular opinion they had about women. He went and talk to Rebosa, and tried to convince her she was making a mistake, that Mack was too old for her. Then he asked her if there was someone in the village that she would like to marry. She said she liked a young man called Eddy Bayles, but the problem was that he didn’t earn much money. Andy offered her a deal: he would give Eddy a thousand dollars to buy a store for himself if she decided to get married to him at 5 o’clock, one hour before her projected wedding. After some moments of reflection, Rebosa accepted the deal.

Andy was satisfied because he thought he had prevented Mack’s marriage, and went to have a walk around the woods.

When he got back home at 6 o’clock, Mack was calm and easy as ever, but he wasn’t dressed as if he had to go to a wedding.

So, at the end, who did the girl get married to and why?

 

QUESTIONS

-What do you know about Buckle’s History of Civilization?

-Who was Sep (Septimus) Winner?

-Can you tell us a brief summary of The Two Orphans?

-What do you think it will be the future of the marriage / family institution?

 

VOCABULARY

hustling, nabobs, buck, faro, peck, I’m onto, grub, smirking, warping, scarify, ribaldry, patent leather, ptomaine, winds up, Indian summer, wildwood


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