Read this character description from "The Gift of the Magi." Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present.

This question is incomplete. I looked this question up and was able to find one that begins exactly like this one and uses the same excerpt. I will add the answer choices here:

What inference can best be made about Della from this description:

A. She is depressed about her options.

B. She is concerned about the stray cat in her yard.

C. She enjoys decorating for the holidays.

D. She does not like being married.

The inference that can best be made about Della from this description is:

A. She is depressed about her options.

Explanation:

Born in North Carolina, O. Henry (1862-1910) was a short story writer. Among his works is "The Gift of the Magi," the short story we are analyzing here. The characters are Della and her husband, Jim.

The inference we can make about Della after reading the passage is that she is sad about her options. It is Christmas Eve, and she does not have near enough money to buy her husband a gift. She is even crying, since she loves him very much and wishes to give him something nice.

As the story unfolds, Della ends up selling her long and beautiful hair to buy Jim a pricey chain for his watch. When Jim finally arrives, we learn he has sold his watch to buy beautiful combs to adorn Della's hair. Even though one will not be able to wear the other's gift, they have both proven how much they love each other by selling their most valuable possessions.