THE LAST LEAF by O. Henry

        The Last Leaf

- O. Henry

       O Henry is the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter. Porter’s 400 short stories are known for their wit, wordplay, characterization and the clever use of twist endings. O Henry stories are famous for their surprise endings, to the point that such an ending is often referred as an “O Henry ending”.

    In a short story, The Last Leaf O' Henry describes how an old painter sacrifices his own life to save the life of a young artist.
   
    At the top of a three-story building, Sue and Johnsy had their studio. Sue and Johnsy were young artists. Johnsy was known as Joanna, she was from Maine. Sue was known as Sudie, from California.

    One day in November Johnsy was severely attacked by pneumonia, an illness. She lay on her side bed looking through the window at the blank wall of the next house. She was very upset with her illness.
   
    One morning doctor invited, he examined Johnsy. Doctor said that Johnsy was seriously ill. The chance of her living depends on her want to live so she should have interest for her life. The doctor left the place. Then Sue settled herself to draw a picture for a magazine story. But then she found that Johnsy was counting the number of leaves of decayed ivy-vine on the brick wall. Sue asked her what was there is to count. Then she replied that she would die when the last leaf fell. Johnsy goes on counting the leaves. Sue was irritated and worried of Johnsy's stupidity but tried a lot to make her comfortable.
       
    Sue when to Old Behrman, a sixty-year-old man to request him to be a model for her painting. Behrman, who lived on the ground floor of the same building. He was a failure in art. He wanted to paint a masterpiece but never yet begun it. For several years, he had painted a blend of paint in the line of advertising or commerce. He earned a little by serving as a model to young artists. He was paid. He drank gin to excess and always talked about his masterpiece which was never begun. He considered himself to be a guardian of the two young girls.
   
    Sue told him about Johnsy's fanciful fears. Behrman laughed at Johnsy's foolish thoughts.
Johnsy continued to think that she would die when the last leaf fell. Johnsy was sleeping when Behrman and Sue went upstairs. They went to another room and peered out the window fearfully at the ivy-vine. That night it rained heavily and the violent wind went on blowing throughout the night. But, the very next day, Johnsy found the last leaf remaining on the ivy-vine, then she realized that it was a sin to want to die. The doctor found that Johnsy's condition was improved.

    Later Sue told Johnsy that Behrman died of pneumonia. He went out during the fearful night of rain and winds to paint the last leaf on the brick wall. As a result, he attacked pneumonia and died. But his painting saved the life of Johnsy. The wonderful portrait of the characters made the picture a masterpiece. It ends with the death of Behrman. But, initially pneumonia severely attacked Johnsy but the end the story ends with the death of Old Behrman.

Video of O.Henry's The Last Leaf

https://youtu.be/1dhs1pHyGOI

 the-cop-and-anthem

THE COP AND THE ANTHEM'S Summary

THE COP AND THE ANTHEM

- O.Henry

O Henry is the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter. Porter’s 400 short stories are known for their wit, word play, characterization and the clever use of twist endings. O Henry stories are famous for their surprise endings, to the point that such an ending is often referred as an “O Henry ending”.
       
 Soapy is a young man. He has no house and job of his own. In summer he sleeps on the pavements or in the parks. But now he is worried of coming cold winter and he believes that he was to suffer from bitter cold. He was aimless. Finally he realised to save himself from the cold. He has no other option. Hence he decided to go his winter home (Blackwell's Island prison). He believes that if he can manage to go to prison he will be sure of food and bed for the next three months. So, he tries his best to get himself arrested.

    As a first attempt to get arrested, he enters a posh restaurant. He thought that there he would eat good dinner. After completion of good dinner he reveals that he would not have money to pay the bill. Then they would handed him over to the police.

    But the moment he enters the door, looking at his broken old shoes and torn clothes. The head waiter turned him out of the restaurant.

    As an another attempt of his journey to prison, he started shouting in the streets. But the policeman excuse him saying that he is a college gay and has every order shout.
As the first two attempts were successful, Soapy throws a stone at a shop with a glass window, bright with electric lights. Then immediately a police man came there and enquired the man who had broken the window.

    Soapy came forward saying that he had thrown the stone. But the cop refused to believe Soapy. The police said that a man who broke the window never stayed there to be arrested.

    With these two incidents Soapy is greatly disappointed. Later, he went to an ordinary hotel where he had a big dinner. After he refused to pay the bill because he did not have money, but he asked them to call the cop. Then the waiters beat him hard and thrown out of the restaurant. Thus arrest seems to be an umbrella, but the umbrella man asked Soapy to take it if it was his. Actually it is not his.
At last Soapy reached a park opposite it there was an old  church. The sweet music of the church bells and the anthem played by organist bring about a sudden and wonderful change to his soul. Then he decided to live honestly. He wanted to be a man of himself. He will find work and will be somebody in the world. But suddenly a policeman appeared there and arrested him.

    The Magistrate gave judgment saying that he would be sentenced for next three months. He was arrested for his overstay in the park.

    So as long as Soapy wanted to get arrested himself but he was not arrested. But when he regrets his past and decides to live honestly, he was arrested. That is the irony of life.

THANKS GIVING DAY

THANKS GIVING DAY

- O.Henry 

Summary

O Henry is the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter. Porter’s 400 short stories are known for their wit, word play, characterization and the clever use of twist endings. O Henry stories are famous for their surprise endings, to the point that such an ending is often referred as an “O Henry ending”. The Thanks Giving Day is written by O Henry.

        The Thanks Giving Day is a very special holiday in the United States brimming with celebration and charity. It’ time to give thanks and to offer help to those in need. But in the story the two gentlemen will go to extremes in order to fulfill the true spirit of Thanksgiving.

        Old Pete is a homeless man. He has a tradition of meeting an Old  Gentleman at bench in Union Square every Thanksgiving Day for nine years. He is tall and thin sixty years old man. He was aristocratic-looking . Each year the Old Gentleman invites Pete to a fancy restaurant and treats him to a huge holiday dinner. Then he eats  the dinner and old man sits idle by his side on the bench in the park.

       This year, however , as Pete is making his way to the park bench, the two rich old ladies of ancient family on Fifth Avenue stop him, invite him into their home and served him like a king with more sumptuous than traditional fare.

      Pete is fully stuffed and sat as usual on the same bench in the park. Then the old man came as usual. Pete doesn't have the heart to disappoint the kind old man. He goes along with Old Gentleman to their traditional restaurant and eats a second huge holiday dinner while his elderly benefactor watches and smiles Pete says thanks to Old Gentleman for a fine dinner.

     They both departed Pete towards the North and old gentleman to the South.

      Later that day, they fell unconscious Pete brought to the hospital, the victim of his two holiday dinners. Soon after, within an hour the Old Gentleman is brought to the hospital for his starving.

       From this story 'Thanksgiving Day' O'Henry makes it very clear that most of the times Philanthropic comes more harm than good. It's a sad drama of ironic generosity. One is over eaten and another is starving for two days.

A Service of Love

A Service of Love

- O.Henry

O Henry is the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter. Porter’s 400 short stories are known for their wit, word play, characterization and the clever use of twist endings. O Henry stories are famous for their surprise endings, to the point that such an ending is often referred as an “O Henry ending”.

Human Interest is based on one’s love (one loves one’s Art no services seems too hard) for his best love story.

Joe Larrabee came from the Middle West. He was a genius in painting. When he was six years old child, he drew a picture of the town pump with an important person passing in a hurry. At twenty with a small amount of money, he left for New York to learn painting.

Delia Caruthers came from the South. She was a promising singer. Her relatives collected a small amount for Delia to go to New York and to learn music.

Joe and Delia met at a studio, they fell in love and in a short time they were married. They began to live in a flat and were very happy as they had their art.

    Joe was painting in the class of the great Magister and Delia was studying under Rosenstock, a famous musician. Their aims were clear. Joe would learn to paint old gentle man with side whiskers and thick purses. Delia was going to master the piano and fell concert halls all over the country.

After a while art became weak. They had spent all their money. They did not pay the fees to Mr Magister and Mr Rosenstock. Delia felt that she must give music lessons to buy their food. One evening she came with high hopes. She had found a pupil General A.B.Pikney’s daughter, Clementia. She is eighteen years old. Delia had to give three lessons a week. For that she would get fifteen dollars per week. Joe did not happy with it. He wanted to earn some money. But Delia insisted that Joe should not give up his studies.

    During all the next week Joe had an early breakfast. Joe was very must interested in morning-effect sketches. He was doing in the central park. Delia lived at 7’O clock and he would return at 7’O clock in the evening.

At the end of the week, Delia proudly threw five-dollar bills on the center table. She complained about Clementia, trying her patience. She commented on their house, their drawing room and the rugs that covered the floor. And they Joe, with pride, drew forth a ten a five, a two and one dollar and laid them beside Delia’s earnings. He said Delia that he had sold one of his paintings and had ordered another an oil sketch of Lackwanna goods yard. Both of them were very happy that they had thirty two dollars on hand.

On next Saturday evening Joe reached home first. He washed his hands which had a great deal of paint .Half an Hour later, Delia arrived her right hand tied up in a shapeless bundle of wraps and bandages. Joe was concerned.

Delia told the story of Clementia who wanted Welsh rabbit at five in the afternoon. The general had the dish prepared. Clementia was so nervous that she poured it hot on Delia’s hands and wrist. But general Pinkney was concerned and sent someone out a drugstore for some oil and things to bind it up with.

Joe pulled out some white threads beneath the bandages and asked what this is?

Delia replied that the bandage had some oil on it. Joe asked what time in the afternoon had she been burn. Delia said five o’clock. Joe drew her to the sofa, sat beside her and put his arm across her shoulders. He asked her “what have you been doing for the last two weeks. She could not lie any longer. She put her head down and started crying. She said that she worked at a place where ironing shirts in twenty four street laundry. But she was happy that at least Joe could sell his paintings.

Delia asked him that what made him suspect that she wasn’t giving music lessons to Clementina. Joe replied that he did not suspect till that night. It was he who had sent up cotton waste and oil from the Engine-room that afternoon to a girl who had her hand burned with an iron. Joe had been working the Engine in that laundry for the last two weeks.

Joe’s buyer from Peoria and Delia’s General Pinkney were both the creations of the same art. They were creations of imaginations.

Both of them began to laugh and said when one loves ones art no service seems too hard-when one loves.

After Twenty Years

AFTER TWENTY YEARS

                                                                                                                                 - O Henry

O Henry is the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter. Porter’s 400 short stories are known for their wit, word play, characterization and the clever use of twist endings. O Henry stories are famous for their surprise endings, to the point that such an ending is often referred as an “O Henry ending”.

Jimmy Wells and Bob were two best friends. They grew up like brothers. When, Bob and Jimmy were 18 and 20 years respectively. They parted to seek their fortunes. Before their departure they had an agreement. It was to meet exactly after twenty years at the same place and time irrespective of their conditions. Bob went to West to make his fortune. Jimmy was in New York because he thought that it was the only place on the earth.

    But when Bob went to West he turned out to be a notorious criminal. He was a wanted criminal in Chicago. The police was in search of him. On the other hand Jimmy became a policeman in New York.

    After twenty years at the appointed time Bob was waiting at the place where they departed. It was the same time which they wanted to meet. Just then, a policeman came to him. Bob said that he was waiting there to meet his friend, Jimmy Wells. He was very desperate. He said that he would wait for his friend another half an hour. The policeman wished Bob good luck and was about to leave. Then Bob lighted his cigar in that light policeman saw Bob’s face and then he realized him as the notorious criminal, who wanted in Chicago.

    After some time a man in plain clothes came and introduced himself as Jimmy Wells. Bob’s happiness was boundless. Jimmy and Bob exchanged greetings and views about their ancient good times.  They walked a little distance to have had another dinner after twenty years. They reached the drug store which was brilliant with electric lights. There each of them turned to see other’s face too eagerly. Then Bob realized that who was walking arm in arm along with him was not Jimmy. Bob stopped suddenly and released his arm. Bob knew Jimmy by his Roman nose. Then the man in plain clothes revealed that he was policeman and arrested Bob ten minutes ago. He handed over a note to Bob. The note was from his best friend Jimmy Wells- the first policeman.
   

The note was written as Bob had met him earlier was Jimmy himself. But he realized that his old friend was a wanted man in Chicago and could not arrest him who had come to see his after twenty years. So he had sent a plain clothed man to do the duty.