The Capitoline Venus by Mark Twain. Short summary

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A sculptor sculpted a statue of America. His friend took a foot and fingers off her hand. He passed it off as a found Roman statue. The sculptor got some of the money. He got rich and married the girl he loved.

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George Arnold, a penniless American sculptor, was in love with the girl Mary. But her grocer father didn’t want to hear anything about marriage. Mary was submissive to her father, though she loved George. The grocer set a condition: in six months, the future son-in-law must provide $50,000. Otherwise, he would marry Mary off to someone else.

The poor sculptor was overpowered by creditors, and the landlord threatened to throw the insolvent tenant out the door. But one day an old friend, John Smith, paid him a visit. George told him of his grief. John took a hammer and beat off the statue of America’s nose, leg, ear, and a few fingers on his hands. He took the sculpture with him.

Soon all the creditors began to blurt out pleasantries to George, and Mary’s father gave his blessing for the wedding. The reason for this change was as follows. John had purchased a plot in Rome and had registered it in George’s name. He presented the statue as having been accidentally found. The commission appraised the antique sculpture, and part of the money was paid to the landowner.