The Trimmed Lamp by O. Henry. Short summary

5 seconds

Two friends, Lou and Nancy work in New York City. They compete and try to figure out which one is the best. One day Lou leaves with a millionaire and Nancy starts dating her young man.

1 minute

Two friends work in New York City. The heroines dream of marriage. They work with people, and do not lose hope of meeting their destiny. Lou manages to get a job at a laundromat as an ironer. The girl had good looks and rich clothes. Nancy, on the other hand, worked as a salesgirl and dressed more simply. The girl often looked tired, she didn’t like her job, but she had nowhere else to go.

After work, her friends waited for Lou’s beau, Dan. Lou disdainfully remarked that Nancy’s salary was small and bragged that she got twice as much. Nancy took offense and said the job suited her.

She said that the previous saleswomen had married well, and that it was unlikely to find a spouse at the laundromat. Lou replied that she had met Dan there. The girls went on bragging for a long time, figuring out which one was better. Dan arrives and invites his girlfriends to the opera.

Soon Lou disappears. Nancy goes to the laundry room, where she meets Dan, who is also looking for her. Colleagues tell her that Lou has gone off with a millionaire. Soon Dan and Nancy have an affair.