The Ransom Of The Red Chief

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"The Ransom of Red Chief" is a 1910 short story by O. Henry. It follows two men who attempt to kidnap and ransom a wealthy Alabaman's son; eventually, the men are driven to distraction by the boy and end up having to pay the boy's father to take him back. The story and its main idea have become a part of popular culture, with many children's television programs using a version of the story as one of their episodes. Plot This story tells of a boy held for ransom by two money hungry criminals, Bill Driscoll and Sam Howard. The two men are fugitives who have escaped to the Deep South searching for an easy way to get their hands on $2,000 they need in order to launch a land fraud scheme in Illinois. They set their sights on the quiet town of Summit, Alabama because of the philoprogenitiveness — love for one's own children — that they believe is common in rural communities. Bill and Sam decide they will kidnap the son of an important citizen named Ebenezer Dorset, demand a ransom of $2,000, quickly collect the payoff, and be on their way. However, once they actually kidnap the boy and make their way to a hideout in the nearby hills, their plan quickly begins to unravel. Their young captive, a malevolent, redheaded brat who calls himself Red Chief, actually enjoys his stay with his kidnappers, and thinks he is on a camping trip. Red Chief proceeds to drive his captors to distraction with pranks and demands that they play wearying games with him, such as pretending to be a scout and using Bill as his horse. Bill and Sam are soon desperate to get rid of the little terror; they lower the price and ask $1,500. They later receive a reply to their ransom letter from Red Chief's father; knowing perfectly well what a handful Red Chief is, he rejects their ransom but instead offers to take the boy back off their hands for $250. When the men bring Red Chief to his home, he

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