The gift

Della and Jim were poor but very happy. But today Della was not happy. She looked at the money in her hand. One dollar and 87 cents. 

    “Tomorrow is Christmas!” she said. "How can I buy my husband a present with 1 dollar and 87 cents?" Della cried. Then she went to the window. Everything was gray. She saw a gray cat. She saw grey cars. And the sky was gray too.  “What can I do?” she cried.

Della and Jim had 3 things they loved.  1) They loved each other. 2) They loved Jim’s gold pocket watch. 3) They loved Della’s beautiful hair.  Jim’s watch was very old. His grandfather gave it to him. And they loved Della’s hair because it was very beautiful.

     Della looked in the mirror at her long hair. A few tears fell from her eyes onto the floor. Della then put on her coat and old brown hat. She ran out the door.

Why did Della run out the door?  Where is she going? 

     She ran down the street until she came to a shop that said: Hair Salon. As soon as she opened the door she said to the woman in the shop: “Will you buy my hair?”
     “Take your hat off," said Madame Sofia. "Let me look at your hair.” Then Madame Sofia said, “I will buy your hair for $20 dollars.”
     “O.K.,” said Della, trying not to cry. For two hours Madame Sofia cut Della’s long hair. When she finished, Della ran from the shop and into the store that sold watches. There she found a wonderful gift for Jim, her dear husband. It was a gold chain [ цепочка ], the perfect gift for Jim’s gold watch.  She gave the shopkeeper twenty-one dollars. Then she went to the market and bought a piece of meat for 87 cents.
     When Della arrived home she looked in the mirror.  Her hair looked terrible, but she was happy. She had a gift for her husband and a piece of meat for Christmas dinner.
     At 7 o’clock  the door opened and Jim came in. He looked at his dear wife and stopped.  There was an expression [ выражение ] on his face that made Della afraid. It was not anger.  It was shock.
     Della said, “Jim, my love, do not look at me that way! I cut my hair and sold it to buy you a gift. My hair will grow again. I had to do it!" 

 Why did Della "have to" buy Jim a present?

     "My hair grows very fast," said Della. "Please, Jim,  say ‘Merry Christmas and smile at me! Let us be happy!  You do not know what a nice, wonderful gift I have for you!” 
     “You have cut all your hair?” asked Jim, slowly.  His eyes did not believe what he saw.
     “Cut it off and sold it,” said Della. 
     “Your beautiful hair is gone!” he said again.
     Then Jim took a package from his coat and put it on the table. Della looked at it and smiled. Then she began to open at it. At first she screamed for joy, and then began to cry.
 
 In the box were 4 hair combs  that Della had wanted for a long time. They were beautiful. They cost a lot of money. And now her hair was gone! 
     She looked up at her dear husband and said, “My hair grows so fast, Jim! Soon I will be able to wear them in my hair.” 
    Then Della said, “Wait until you see my gift for you!”  
     Slowly Jim opened the little box and looked in.
     “Isn’t it wonderful, Jim? Now you finally have a chain for your pocket watch.” 
     Jim sat on the chair and covered his face with his hands. Finally he looked up at her and smiled and said,
     “Dell, my love, I sold my gold watch to get the money to buy the set of combs for your hair.”

Is this a happy story or a sad story?