Oscar Wilde upholds his reputation for literary wit from the first line of this 1887 short story: “Unless one is wealthy there is no use in being a charming fellow.” The young Hugh Erskine wants to get married, but his bride’s father declares him too poor. Dejected, Erskine gives his last coin to a beggar who is posing for a portrait. This clever story takes a turn for the better at the end, proving that kindness to strangers reaps unexpected rewards.
