Getting at the Facts

"Getting at the Facts" is a short story by O. Henry that showcases the author's trademark wit and clever narrative style. The tale revolves around the interactions between a journalist and a suspicious stranger, highlighting themes of deception, truth, and the twists of fate. O. Henry's signature twist ending adds an unexpected layer to the story, prompting readers to reconsider the nature of reality and perception. With its engaging dialogue and humorous observations, the story reflects O. Henry's mastery of storytelling and his keen insight into human behavior.

• Short story

								
It was late in the afternoon and the day staff was absent. The night
editor had just come in, pulled off his coat, vest, collar, and
necktie, rolled up his shirtsleeves and eased down his suspenders, and
was getting ready for work.

Someone knocked timidly outside the door, and the night editor yelled,
"Come in."

A handsome young lady with entreating blue eyes and a Psyche knot
entered with a rolled manuscript in her hand.

The night editor took it silently and unrolled it. It was a poem and
he read it half aloud with a convulsive jaw movement that resulted
from his organs of speech being partially engaged with about a quarter
of a plug of chewing tobacco. The poem ran thus:

    A Requiem

    The soft, sweet, solemn dawn stole through
    The latticed room's deep gloom;
    He lay in pallid, pulseless peace,
    Fulfilled his final doom.
    Oh, breaking heart of mine--oh, break!
    Left lonely here to mourn;
    My alter ego, mentor, friend
    Thus from me rudely torn.
    Within his chamber dead he lies,
    And stilled is his sweet lyre;
    How long he pored o'er midnight oil.
    With grand poetic fire!
    Till came the crash, when his bright light
    Went out, and all was drear;
    And my sad soul was left to wait
    In grief and anguish here.

"When did this happen?" asked the night editor.

"I wrote it last night, sir," said the young lady. "Is it good enough
to print?"

"Last night! H'm. A little stale, but the other papers didn't get it.
Now, miss," continued the night editor, smiling and throwing out his
chest, "I'm going to teach you a lesson in the newspaper business. We
can use this item, but it's not in proper shape. Just take that chair,
and I'll rewrite it for you, showing you how to properly condense a
news item in order to secure its insertion."

The young lady seated herself and the night editor knitted his brows
and read over the poem two or three times to get the main points. He
then wrote a few lines upon a sheet of paper and said:

"Now, miss, here is the form in which your item will appear when we
print it:

    Fatal Accident

    "Last evening Mr. Alter Ego of this city was killed by the
    explosion of a kerosene lamp while at work in his room.

"Now, you see, miss, the item includes the main facts in the case,
and--"

"Sir!" said the young lady indignantly. "There is nothing of the kind
intimated in the poem. The lines are imaginary and are intended to
express the sorrow of a poet's friend at his untimely demise."

"Why, miss," said the night editor, "it plainly refers to midnight oil,
and a crash, and when the light blew up the gent was left for dead in
the room."

"You horrid thing," said the young lady, "give me my manuscript. I
will bring it back when the literary editor is in."

"I'm sorry," said the night editor as he handed her the roll. "We're
short on news tonight, and it would have made a nice little scoop.
Don't happen to know of any accidents in your ward: births, runaways,
holdups, or breach of promise suits, do you?"

But the slamming of the door was the only answer from the fair
poetess.
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