Written by the master of the form, O. Henry, this tender story focuses on a cash-strapped couple in New York. As Christmas approaches, each struggles to find the money for a gift. Ironically, the bride cuts and sells her hair to buy a chain for her husband's beloved watch, and the husband sells the watch to buy a comb for her beautiful hair. Although the hard-won gifts prove useless, the love that prompted the sacrifice makes them treasured keepsakes.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's simple story tells the tale of a little boy who grows up near a natural wonder called "The Great Stone Face," an outcrop of mountain rock resembling the face of a man. The boy daydreams about the face, thinking how noble and kind its expression seems. His mother tells him of a local prophecy that one day a man will appear who looks just like the Great Stone Face, and will be as kind and wise as its expression seems. As the boy grows to manhood, several great men seem to fulfill the prophecy, but ultimately prove disappointing. The young man is discouraged, thinking that the prophecy will never be fulfilled, but as he tries to be kind and wise himself, he is astonished to learn that others believe that he, himself, is the fulfillment of the prophecy.
Stephen Crane is best known for his novel "The Red Badge of Courage." But he also wrote short stories, and in this one, he tells the tale of Rebel sympathizers whose home is overrun by Union soldiers. Mary, the young girl who lives there, is terrified at first, but gradually begins to see humanity even in those she thought her enemies. When Rebels launch an attack against the soldiers at her farm, she responds with genuine concern for their well-being.