The Christmas Presents Part 1 One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. Della carefully counted the money again. There was no mistake. Every day, when she went to the shops, she didn't spend much money. She bought the cheapest meat and the cheapest vegetables. It was very tiring - she walked for hours around the shops to find the cheapest food. She saved every cent possible. Only one dollar and eighty-seven cents. The next day was Christmas, and she couldn't do anything about it. So she sat there in her little room and cried quietly.
Della lived in this poor little room in New York with her husband, James Dillingham Young. James (Jim to his friends) was lucky because he had a job, but it was not a good job. Times were bad and there was no work for Della. But when Jim came home, she immediately put her arms around him. And that was good.
Della wanted to buy Jim a Christmas present - something really good to show how much she loved him. Suddenly she ran to the mirror and looked at her beautiful long hair. Then she put on her old brown hat and coat and quickly went into town. Part 2 She stopped when she came to a door with "Madame Eloise - Hair" on it. Inside was a small fat woman.
- Do you buy hair? - Della asked.
- I buy hair. Take your hat off, then show me your hair. - Madame answered.
Madame slowly touched the hair with her hand. She said :
- Twenty dollars.
- Quick! Cut it off. Give me the money. - Della said.
The next two hours went quickly. Della was happy because she was at the shops with money for a present for Jim. At last she found him the perfect present. Jim had one special thing. He had a beautiful gold watch that once belonged to his father and before that to his grandfather. Jim loved his watch but it had no again. When Della saw the gold watch again, she knew immediately that it was right for Jim. It cost twenty-one dollars.
Della ran home excitedly with the eighty-seven cents. When she arrived, she looked at her very short hair in the mirror. "Oh dear. I look like a schoolboy. What is Jim going to say when he sees me?"
At seven o'clock Jim came in. His eyes were on Della. She could not understand the look on his face. He was not angry or surprised. He just looked at her sadly. Della ran to him.
- Jim, do not look at me like that. I sold my hair because I wanted to give you a present. - Della said.
- You sold your hair? - Jim said quietly.
- Yes. I told you. But do not worry. It grows so east. But don't you love me any more, Jim? Part 3 Suddenly Jim put his arms around Della and said :
- I love you. It does not matter if your hair is long or short. But open this. Them you can see why I was unhappy at first.
Della opened the present excitedly. Then she have a little scream of happiness. But a second later there was a cry of unhappiness. There were the bombs - for her beautiful hair. When she first saw there lovely, expensive bombs in the shop window, she wanted them. And now they were hers. But she no longer had her hair. Della held them in her hand and her eyes were full of love.
Then Della remembered. She ran to get Jim's present and said to Jim :
- Isn't it lovely, Jim? Give me your beautiful watch and let's see it with its new chain.
But Jim sat down and smiled :
- Della, you see. I sold my watch to buy your bombs. AND THIS THE STORY OF TWO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE VERY HAPPY IN LOVE
