A Short Story by O. Henry

Illustrated by Chelsea Lane

Narrated by Curt Hawkins

THEINTRODUCTION

One especially useful strategy for increasing reading
comprehension and listening ability is narration.
In the Academy, we use the word “narration” to refer
to the verbal retelling of a story after it has been
read or listened to.
policemanTASK

Read or listen to this part of the story and retell it to
a friend, teacher or parent. Act out the movements in the
story while you tell it and then answer this question:
What is the policeman doing at the beginning of the story?
on the beat moved up the avenue impressively.HINT

Unusual phrases or words can make it difficult to fully
comprehend the meaning of a story and make it hard to
retell it. Finding the definition for these words or
phrases can help us retell it in a more interesting and
accurate way. Synonym: The policeman was grand and imposing.
. The impressiveness was habitual and not for show, for spectators A spectator is someone who is watching an event.
were few. The time was barely 10 o'clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well nigh de- When "de" is placed before a word it creates an opposite meaning.
De-peopled means the street has no people in it.
peopled the streets.

Trying doors as he went, twirling his club with many intricate Synonym: Detailed or complex
and artful movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye adown the pacific thoroughfare, A thoroughfare is a well traveled road or path
, the officer, with his stalwart The officer was well built and sturdy.
form and slight swagger, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace. The vicinity was one that kept early hours. Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all-night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed.

When about midway of a certain block the policeman suddenly slowed his walk. In the doorway of a darkened hardware store a man leaned, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly.

"It's all right, officer," he said, reassuringly. "I'm just waiting for a friend. It's an appointment made twenty years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it? Well, I'll explain if you'd like to make certain it's all straight. About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands—‘Big Joe' Brady's restaurant."

"Until five years ago," said the policeman. "It was torn down then."

The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale, square-jawed face with keen eyes, and a little white scar near his right eyebrow.TASK

Read this section or listen to it and then retell it.
Remember to act out the parts that you can. Then
answer these questions: Why is the man waiting in the
hardware store doorway? How does O. Henry describe
this man?
His scarfpin
Scarf Pins are decorative pins that are pinned
to a scarf both for decoration and to hold the
scarf in place. Image of large oddly set
diamond scarf pin
was a large diamond, oddly set.