No Story (Henry)

Disclaimer: This summary was generated by AI, so it may contain errors.

O. Henry

No Story

Summary of the Short Story

Microsummary: A reporter helps a young woman from Long Island find her lost love in New York City and ensures her safe return home.

A man named Tripp, who worked in the mechanical department of a newspaper, approached the narrator, a reporter

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The Narrator — reporter; diligent, resourceful.

, with a story idea. Tripp

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Tripp — mechanical department worker; pale, unhealthy, miserable, fawning.

told the reporter about a beautiful young woman named Ada Lowery from Long Island who had come to New York City for the first time in search of a man named George Brown. Ada

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Ada Lowery — young woman from Long Island; beautiful, innocent, naive.

expressed her innocence and naivety about the big city, saying, "I guess I'm a terrible hayseed, but I can't help it."

Tripp had met Ada on the street and, feeling sorry for her, took her to a boarding house run by Mother McGinnis. Tripp suggested that the reporter could write a story about Ada's search for George and her upcoming marriage to another man named Hiram Dodd. The reporter agreed to meet Ada and, upon seeing her beauty, felt compelled to help her. He and Tripp convinced Ada to return to Long Island and marry Hiram, as George seemed to have disappeared. Ada reflected on her decision to search for her lost love in New York City, saying, "I guess I was silly to come up here looking for him. I never realized what a big place it is."

The reporter bought Ada a ticket for the ferry back to Long Island and a red rose as a parting gift. After Ada left, Tripp asked the reporter if he could still write a story about the events, but the reporter said there was no story to be written. Tripp, who was desperate for money, seemed disappointed. Tripp expressed remorse for the reporter's financial loss in helping Ada Lowery, saying, "I'm sorry you're out your money."

The reporter then noticed a silver dime cut in half hanging from Tripp's watch chain and realized that Tripp was actually George Brown. The reporter gave Tripp a dollar, presumably to help him get his life back on track.