Gift of the Magi
Two dollars and eighty-seven cents are all here too-the money is extra earned by Jim's
hard work this month. He went to work during the day and went home at night. After
his wife fell asleep, he secretly started copying manuscripts for others. But how can
the meager income of this manuscript buy a beautiful gift for Della? Tomorrow, it is
Christmas!
He yawned and tried to straighten his waist, but he collapsed uncontrollably. There
was a hint of impatience in his yellowed face. The withered young cheeks were as pale
and lifeless as the apartment they lived in. But when he thought of his wife Della's
eager voice and the beautiful long brown hair, a smile gradually came to his face. There
was joy and bright light in those beautiful green eyes.
In his mind, there is only one person and two things in his life worth mentioning: one is
his beloved wife Della, the other is Della’s beautiful long hair like a brown waterfall,
and a gold watch handed down by his grandfather. But these three have their own
regrets: how much suffering did Della suffer in this poor family? She did not have a
decent comb to comb her beautiful hair. And that precious heirloom gold watch, but
because it is a broken watch chain, it is not embarrassing to carry it in your hands.
Snow is still floating. The cold wind blew to people like a knife scratching their faces
repeatedly.
The vines of holly and mistletoe are set against each other under golden bells and fiery
red Christmas decorations. Almost all the display windows are shining with red and
gold, and even the light falling snow seems to be piously welcoming the anniversary
of the birth of Jesus with the most graceful gesture.
December 24th, Christmas Eve, and tomorrow is Christmas; but Jim is empty currently,
except for the ancestral gold watch, which is still "ticking" on his wrist.
"Gift, Della’s gift..." Jim frowned slightly, but his eyes were filled with confusion. The
bell rang in the distance. Jim habitually stretched out his left hand to look at the watch,
but the old belt the bracelet made him ashamed to take out the watch completely. He
glanced at his pocket watch secretly, and it was clear that the time for him to go home
was not far away.
"Oh, God! It is only an hour, but where can I get enough money to buy that gift set? If
I get it, Della will be as excited as a child! But now, what should I do? What to do?"
The helpless Jim looked at the empty street in front of him and worry and loss began
to spread throughout his body.
The wind was getting stronger, and Jim hurriedly wrapped himself tightly, his eyes
stopped on the watch involuntarily. But this looks suddenly excited him. He almost
trembling to take out the watch completely, one hand constantly stroking the golden
case and the gem-encrusted surface-the gold watch emits amazing and strange light,
like the stars in the sky shining with the tears of God Light.
After a while, Jim seemed to have decided something. He resolutely picked up his
pocket watch and hurried to the shopping street of Broadway...
"Yes, that's it!" Through the clean glass of the shop window, Jim saw the gift-a full set
of hair combs made of pure tortoiseshell and studded with jewels. Glancing at the price
again, Jim took a deep breath without knowing it; but when the coldness of the gold
watch in his hand passed through the air and reached Jim's heart, Jim settled down
and opened the store door to his heart's content.
The owner is a thin woman, constantly looking at Jim as he opens the door. But soon,
Jim's washed white singles made her lose interest. Jim ignored it but strode to the
counter and quickly took out the gold watch. Under the light of the shop, the light from
the gold watch dazzled the shopkeeper's eyes. She hurriedly asked in a sweet voice:
"Sir, what can I do for you?"
Jim could not wait to point to the hair comb in the shop window and said, "Hair comb,
I want that comb!"
The shop owner asked: "Do you use this watch for exchange?"
Jim nodded quickly.
The owner was overjoyed and hurriedly took off the hairbrush and wrapped it in a bag.
Jim was ecstatic, picked up the bag, ran out of the store like flying, and ran home.
Of course, Jim thought about the importance of this gold watch. This gold watch has
existed in his great-grandfather's time and has been passed on to him from generation
to generation. But-although this gold watch is old and expensive, it can never be
compared with the feelings between himself and Della, yes, it will never be compared!
He could not help thinking that he was in Della's mad love, the two of them held hands
to watch the romance of the sunset, solemnly swore the vow of unswerving life under
the Virgin in the church, and the days and nights of the two supporting each other after
marriage. Della always supports herself in silence, even if her own affairs are at a low
point. When their family is impoverished, she still loves herself with no regrets and
works competently at home. And these, the gold watch has never given it to himself.
In comparison, what is a mere gold watch? This gold watch has paid too much for the
Jim family, he has done his duty, and now even if he sells him, he should have no
complaints!
At seven o'clock, the wind and snow were still outside the house, but Jim's heart
seemed to contain a burning fire. He seemed to have seen Della's beauty in her hair
accessories, and he seemed to have seen Della running out of the warm cabin to greet
him. When he slapped the snowflakes off his body, Jim rang the doorbell excitedly.
"Dear Della, I'm back..." He suddenly wanted to choke; his voice stopped abruptly in
the air.
Is that Della?!
Della's face is still as beautiful as usual, and her figure is still small and slender. But
her hair-a lock of it, clinging to her forehead, the original beautiful hair disappeared for
some reason.
God, what happened?
"Jim, dear," Della let go of her wringed hands and greeted her husband with open arms,
"Merry Christmas."
She seemed to be totally ignorant of Jim's abnormality, stretched out her right hand,
and handed a brilliant silver-white thing to Jim: "My dear, this is your gift, you know,
I've been looking for it all afternoon... Take out your gold watch and let me see how
this bracelet looks like with your gold watch."
"..."
"Jim?"
Della's previous enthusiasm gradually faded, and the hand holding the bracelet was
trembling.
"your hair......?"
Della shrugged and said, "I sold it. Jim, this is our first Christmas together. I cannot...
cannot leave you without a gift. Do not worry, my hair will grow out. Yes, it is easy to
take care of now, Jim, you know..."
After listening, Della silently untied the ribbon wrapped around the gift bag. Jim smiled
and looked at his wife's expression, and saw her tears fall immediately-it was a hair
comb, the same as the enviable comb she had seen several times in the Broadway
window. However, it is expensive because of its fineness, luxury, variety and variety.
She had always hoped to see it. But-now she owns it.
It is just that the beautiful hair that contrasts with it has disappeared for love.
She looked at her husband dimly with tears and rushed towards him, shouting: "Dear
Jim, you...you...this hair comb...watch... ...."
Jim stroked Della’s teardrops and still smiled: "I won’t care. Della, if you are happy, I
will be happy too. We are incredibly happy now. Can the gold watch give us this? That’s
enough."
After hesitating for a while, he could not help but said affectionately: "You are more
beautiful than usual now."
"Oh, oh, Jim." Della happily lay on her husband's chest, "As you said, we can be like
this, it's enough."
Jim said nothing, he rushed forward and hugged his beloved wife tightly. Jim, like
anyone who is moved with joy, pours out his love for her to Della. Della was stunned,
tears welled up...
Currently, the snow outside the house is getting heavier, but inside the house, it is
warm like spring...
Sheri Xie