The Trimmed Lamp (short story collection, Henry)
The Trimmed Lamp
Two friends worked in different jobs, one seeking a wealthy husband while the other enjoyed her independence; eventually, the first friend found happiness in a humble relationship.
A Madison Square Arabian Night
A wealthy man invited a homeless artist to dine with him, discovering the artist's unique talent for revealing people's true character in portraits, which led to a commission for a painting of his wife.
The Rubaiyat of a Scotch Highball
A man realized he had a drinking problem and decided to quit, causing tension in his marriage, but his wife ultimately supported his decision and they both chose to change their lifestyle.
The Pendulum
A man realized the importance of his wife's presence after she left for a short trip, but when she returned unexpectedly, he fell back into his old habits of neglect.
Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen
A poor man, already full from a feast, struggled to eat another large meal provided by a kind old gentleman who had fed him every Thanksgiving for nine years, ultimately leading to their hospitalization.
The Assessor of Success
A confident swindler manipulated various people to obtain money, but after unexpectedly encountering a childhood friend, he was filled with remorse and wished for death.
The Buyer from Cactus City
A wealthy Texan buyer fell in love with a suit model during a business trip to New York, and despite her initial resistance, she eventually considered the possibility of moving to Texas with him.
The Badge of Policeman O’Roon
A wealthy man impersonated his friend, a mounted policeman, to save his honor, and during his duty, he heroically stopped a runaway carriage carrying a beautiful woman and her father.
Brickdust Row
A wealthy man fell in love with a working-class girl during a trip to Coney Island, but their different backgrounds and her way of meeting men led to his disillusionment and despair.
The Making of a New Yorker
A wandering poet struggled to understand the heart of New York City until an accident led to an outpouring of kindness and concern from its residents, making him feel at home.
Vanity and Some Sables
A former gang member turned plumber tried to impress his girlfriend with a set of fake sables, but when a detective accused him of stealing real sables, the truth about the cheap furs was revealed.
The Social Triangle
A poor tailor’s apprentice spent his wages to toast a local boss. Seeking status, the boss greeted a rich aristocrat, who later visited the slums and shook the apprentice’s hand and closed the circle.
The Purple Dress
A hardworking young woman clerk eagerly saved for a purple dress. When her roommate couldn't pay rent, she helped and lost her gown. A kind tailor allowed delayed payment and she won admiration.
The Foreign Policy of Company 99
A fireman obsessed with the Russo-Japanese War accidentally injured himself and his horse while saving an immigrant from being run over; the immigrant later saved the fireman's son from a runaway car.
The Lost Blend
A shy bartender discovered a mysterious drink that gave him courage, leading him to confess his love to his boss's daughter, while two men unsuccessfully tried to recreate the drink's recipe.
A Harlem Tragedy
A woman envied her friend's tumultuous relationship and provoked her own husband to hit her, but instead, he ended up doing the housework she had been complaining about.
“The Guilty Party”
A young woman, jealous of her fiancé's attention to another girl, confronts him at a dance, stabs him, and then commits suicide by jumping into a river.
According to Their Lights
Two destitute friends in New York City struggled to find food and shelter, while remaining loyal to their principles and refusing to betray former friends for personal gain.
A Midsummer Knight's Dream
A man who claimed to prefer New York City in the summer secretly longed for the countryside, reminiscing about his past experiences and his wife's letters from their family vacation.
The Last Leaf
A young woman, ill with pneumonia, believed she would die when the last leaf fell from a nearby ivy vine; an old artist painted a leaf on the wall, saving her life but sacrificing his own.
The Count and the Wedding Guest
A woman invented a dead Italian noble fiancé to evoke sympathy. A charming young man recognized the supposed noble as a local political leader, forgave her deceit kindly, and happily married her.
The Country of Elusion
A woman seeking escape from her bohemian lifestyle visits her strict, religious parents in a small town, only to return to the city and assert her independence when a man tries to kiss her.
The Ferry of Unfulfilment
A man from Nome, smitten by a department store girl, followed her onto a ferry and tried to win her affection, but she fell asleep during their conversation and he left disappointed.
The Tale of a Tainted Tenner
A ten-dollar bill narrates its journey through various hands, discussing the concept of tainted money and the different people it encounters, ultimately questioning the true meaning of tainted money.
Elsie in New York
A young woman searched for work in New York City, encountering various people trying to protect her from potential dangers, ultimately leading her to a seemingly kind benefactor with ulterior motives.