Short Fiction by O. Henry

Knew What Was Needed

Words you’ll meet in this part (5)
saloon
A public room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served.
dey
A title for the ruler of Algiers under the Ottoman Empire.
jest
A joke or witty remark.
dis
A disrespectful or insulting remark.
yourn
"Yourn" is a nonstandard English pronoun used in some dialects to indicate possession or ownership. It is a variation of the word "your," which is the standard second-person possessive pronoun.

Short Fiction by O. Henry 5 new words

Knew What Was Needed

A gentleman from Ohio, who has come South on a hunting trip, arrived in Houston, rather late one night last week, and on his way to a hotel stopped in a certain to get a drink. A colored man was behind the bar temporarily and served him with what he wanted. The gentleman had his shotgun in its case, and he laid it upon the bar while waiting.

“Is there any game about here?” he asked, after paying for his drink.

“I guess is, boss,” said the colored man, looking doubtfully at the gun on the counter, “but you wait a minute, boss, till I fixes you up in better shape.”

He opened a drawer and handed the gentleman a six-shooter.

“You take , Boss,” he said. “Dat dar gun ob am too long fur you to get quick action in de game what we hab here. Now you jest go up dem steps and knock free times on de doah to your left.”

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