The Marry Month of May (Henry)
Short summary
Near Gramercy Park, approximately early 1900s. Springtime made elderly Mr. Coulson, a wealthy widower with gout, suddenly grow romantic feelings toward his housekeeper, Mrs. Widdup.
Mrs. Widdup was cheerful and flirtatious, encouraging his affection. When Mr. Coulson was on the verge of expressing his desire to marry her, his daughter Miss Van Meeker Constantia Coulson interrupted, suspicious of the situation.
Determined to ruin the romantic mood, Miss Coulson secretly ordered a huge quantity of ice placed in the basement, creating an artificial coldness. Believing the weather had turned wintry, Mr. Coulson scolded Mrs. Widdup harshly and drove her away. However, the next day, the warm spring returned and, his heart softened again, Mr. Coulson resumed his proposal, worrying about his daughter's reaction. But Mrs. Widdup reassured him cheerfully, revealing,
"Never fear, sir," said Mrs. Widdup, cheerfully. "Miss Coulson, she ran away with the iceman last night, sir!"
Detailed Summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
May's mischievous influence on human behavior
The story began with a warning about the month of May, describing it as a time ruled by mischief and madness. During this month, nature reminded humans that they were merely part of her family, related to all creatures from clams to chimpanzees. May was portrayed as a time when Cupid shot his arrows blindfolded, causing people to act irrationally in matters of love.
In May Cupid shoots blindfolded -- millionaires marry stenographers; wise professors woo white-aproned gum-chewers behind quick-lunch counters; schoolma'ams make big bad boys remain after school; lads with ladders steal lightly over lawns.
The introduction of Mr. Coulson, his gout, and Mrs. Widdup
The narrative then introduced Mr. Coulson, an elderly man suffering from gout in one foot. He sat in his invalid's chair near a window where boxes of flowers were placed. The breeze carried their scent into the room, competing with the smell of gout liniment. This was how May began its enchanting work on Mr. Coulson.
When Mr. Coulson rang for assistance, Mrs. Widdup, his housekeeper, answered the call instead of Higgins, his servant who had gone to post a letter. Mrs. Widdup was described as comely, fair, flustered, forty, and foxy. She helped Mr. Coulson with his medicine, and he took her hand, causing her to blush.
May fever: Mr. Coulson's romantic advances toward Mrs. Widdup
Under May's influence, Mr. Coulson began to speak romantically to Mrs. Widdup about springtime and love. He quoted poetry about how spring makes a man's fancy turn to thoughts of love. Mrs. Widdup agreed enthusiastically, saying it seemed to be "in the air." Mr. Coulson continued with more poetic quotations, which Mrs. Widdup misinterpreted, thinking he was talking about Irish people being lively.
Growing bolder, Mr. Coulson told Mrs. Widdup that his house would be lonesome without her. He began to propose to her, mentioning his considerable wealth of half a million dollars in Government bonds and the "true affection of a heart" that, while no longer young, could still feel genuine love.
Never trust May... The inblowing air was sweet and mild. Sparrows wrangled happily everywhere outdoors. The deadly work of the implacable, false enchantress May was done.
Miss Constantia discovers her father's intentions
Just as Mr. Coulson was about to complete his proposal, he was interrupted by the sound of an overturned chair. His daughter, Miss Van Meeker Constantia Coulson, entered the room. She was described as bony, durable, tall, high-nosed, frigid, well-bred, and thirty-five years old. She asked about Higgins, and her father explained that Mrs. Widdup had answered the bell instead.
After Mrs. Widdup left the room, Miss Coulson asked her father when the housekeeper would start her vacation. Mr. Coulson replied that she would leave in a week. Miss Constantia then stood at the window, looking at the park. Unlike her father, she was immune to May's charms, but she recognized its power over others, especially elderly men who might marry their housekeepers.
The ice scheme to cool Mr. Coulson's ardor
The next morning, Miss Coulson summoned the iceman to the basement. She instructed him to deliver 1,000 pounds of ice through the rear entrance that day, and the same amount daily for the next four days. She offered him ten dollars for the extra trouble, but he refused payment, saying it would be a pleasure to help her.
By noon, Mr. Coulson was complaining bitterly about the cold in the house. He sarcastically asked Higgins to bring an axe or prussic acid, saying he'd rather be killed than frozen to death. When his daughter visited him later, he remarked that it felt like the dead of winter, though she described the weather outside as "bright, but chilly."
With the cool pulses of a virgin of Cologne she withstood the attack of the ethereal mildness. The arrows of the pleasant sunshine fell back, frostbitten, from the cold panoply of her unthrilled bosom. She mocked at May.
The unexpected resolution and elopement
After Miss Coulson left for some shopping, Mrs. Widdup entered Mr. Coulson's room. She reminded him that he had been about to say something the previous day before being interrupted. However, Mr. Coulson was now preoccupied with the cold in the house and berated Mrs. Widdup for talking about springtime when he was freezing. He ordered her to get him an overcoat and ensure all doors and windows were closed.
The next morning, Higgins helped Mr. Coulson to his chair by the window. The cold in the room was gone, and heavenly odors and fragrant mildness entered. Mrs. Widdup hurried in and stood by his chair. Mr. Coulson took her hand and resumed his proposal, saying his house would be no home without her and offering his half-million dollars along with the true affection of his heart.
Mrs. Widdup explained that she had discovered the source of the cold—tons of ice in the basement and furnace room. She had shut off the registers that were letting the cold air into his room. When Mr. Coulson expressed concern about what his daughter would say about their relationship, Mrs. Widdup cheerfully informed him that Miss Coulson had run away with the iceman the night before.
"I found out what made it cold," said Mrs. Widdup, leanin' against his chair. "'Twas ice -- tons of it -- in the basement and in the furnace room, everywhere... And now it's Maytime again."