Read the following excerpt from the “The Gift of the Magi”For there lay The Combs-the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped long in a Broadway window. Beautiful combs, pure tortoise shell, with jewelled rims-just the shade to wear in the beautiful to
vanished hair. They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart had simply craved and yearned over
them without the least hope of possession. And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have
adorned the coveted adornments were gone.
But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and a smile and say:
*My hair grows so fast, Jim! And them Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, *Oh, oh!* Jim had not
yet seen his beautiful present. She held it out to him eagerly upon her open palm. The dull precious metal
seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit. *Isn't it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to
find it. You'll have to look at the time a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how
looks on it.'
Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and
smiled. 'Della,' said he, "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use
just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops
on.*
The magi, as you
know, were wise men-wonderfully wise men-who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger.
They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly
bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful
chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of
their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were
the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the
magi. What type of irony is most evident in the excerpt above?