Let’s begin with the synopsis of this short story. Hughie Erskine is a gorgeous and well-known man. He has every accomplishment except earning money. He tries everything; from being an investor, a tea- merchant, to selling dry sherry. Nothing works and what makes thing worse that he is in love. The girl is Laura Merton, the daughter of a retired Colonel. Both are madly in love and adoring each other. The problem is, Hughie had no idea how he could manage to get ten thousand pounds to get her hand in marriage, as her father has demand. One day, Hughie’s benevolent nature leads him to a wonderful consequence. Given ten thousand by a ‘beggar’ as a wedding present, Hughie could marry Laura instantly with no doubt.
The writer of this story, Oscar Wilde was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and author of short stories. He is known for being humorous and some of his plays still being performed broadly, especially The Importance of Being Earnest.