View source for The Marquis and Miss Sally (Henry)

{{written by AI}}

{{Summary
| Title = The Marquis and Miss Sally
| Author = O. Henry
| Literary form = short story
| Year of publication = 1903
| Microsummary = A young man and woman, both disguised as cowboys, unknowingly marry each other during a prank wedding ceremony in a cow camp, revealing their true identities afterward.
}}

{{Start of text}}

Old Bill Bascom and the Marquis of Borodale both faced tragedies on the same day. The Marquis lost his fortune in a failed business venture, while Old Bill was killed by cattle thieves. Old Bill left behind six children, and the Marquis had a son who owned a ranch in Texas. The son sold everything he had to pay off his father's debts and then rode southward.

Two young men, John Bascom and Charles Norwood, arrived at the Diamond-Cross ranch looking for work. They were both hired, with John taking on the role of cook. The two became close friends and were given the nicknames "Miss Sally" and "Marquis" by their fellow cowboys.

{{Character
| Name = John Bascom (Miss Sally)
| Description = narrator; young woman disguised as a cowboy cook; resourceful, good-humored
| Emoji = 👩🏻‍🌾
}}

{{Character
| Name = Charles Norwood (The Marquis)
| Description = young man, son of a marquis, disguised as a cowboy; skilled rider, reserved, pleasant
| Emoji = 👨🏻‍🌾
}}

{{Quote
| Text = Gentlemen, allow me to present to you the Marquis and Miss Sally.
| Context = This quote is spoken by Pink Saunders, the boss of the round-up, when he introduces the two new arrivals, John Bascom and Charles Norwood, to the cow camp.
}}

The Marquis was a skilled rider and lariat user, while Miss Sally was a cheerful and energetic cook.

One day, the superintendent of the ranch offered Miss Sally a better job at the ranch house, which included a place for his wife. Miss Sally accepted the offer, even though he wasn't married yet. He planned to propose to his girlfriend once he had a more stable job.

One night, the cowboys at the camp decided to play a prank on the Marquis and Miss Sally by staging a fake wedding between them. They dressed Miss Sally in a ridiculous outfit and brought in a county judge, Mr. Dave Hackett, to perform the ceremony. The Marquis was initially against the idea, but Miss Sally convinced him to go along with it for the sake of the joke.

During the ceremony, Miss Sally revealed to the Marquis that she was actually a woman named Sally Bascom, who had disguised herself as a man to work as a cowboy after her father's death.

{{Quote
| Text = Sally Bascom, I KNOW!
| Context = This quote is spoken by the cook, revealing that he knows the true identity of the Marquis, just before the prank wedding ceremony takes place in the cow camp.
}}

The Marquis, in turn, revealed that he was the son of the Marquis of Borodale.

{{Quote
| Text = Because, I was the Marquis. My father was the Marquis of Borodale. But you'll excuse that, won't you, Sally? It really isn't my fault, you know.
| Context = This quote is spoken by Charles Norwood after the prank wedding ceremony, revealing his true identity as the son of a marquis to John Bascom, who is also revealed to be a woman.
}}

The two decided to go through with the wedding, making it a real marriage instead of a prank.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds shared their true identities with each other and began their life together as husband and wife.

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