Summary of 'The Model Millionaire' by Oscar Wilde

Hughie Erskine is a wonderfully handsome and genuinely kind young man, but he has one major flaw: he is completely terrible at making money. He has tried and failed at several businesses. He is deeply in love with Laura Merton, but her strict father demands that Hughie must have £10,000 in the bank before he will allow them to marry.

One day, Hughie visits his artist friend, Alan Trevor, who is painting a portrait of a miserable-looking old beggar. The beggar looks incredibly pitiful, dressed in ragged clothes and holding out a battered hat for coins. Hughie feels deep sympathy for the old man. Despite being very poor himself, Hughie reaches into his pocket and gives the beggar a Sovereign (a valuable gold coin), which was almost all the money he had left for the week.

Later that night, Hughie meets Alan again. Alan reveals that the 'beggar' was actually Baron Hausberg, one of the richest millionaires in all of Europe! The eccentric Baron had hired Alan to paint him dressed as a beggar because he wanted a portrait of himself looking poor. Hughie is deeply embarrassed, thinking he has insulted a billionaire by offering him a single coin.

The next morning, an old gentleman arrives at Hughie's door with an envelope from Baron Hausberg. Inside the envelope is a cheque for exactly £10,000, with a note that reads: 'A wedding present to Hugh Erskine and Laura Merton, from an old beggar.' The millionaire was so deeply touched by Hughie's genuine, selfless generosity that he decided to help him marry the girl he loved.