WITCHES’ LOAVES by O’Henry Miss Martha Meacham kept the little bakery on the corner (the one where you go up three steps, and the bell tinkles when you open the door). Miss Martha was forty, her bank-book showed a credit of two thousand dollars, and she possessed two false teeth and a sympathetic heart. Many […]
Stories of O. Henry
O. Henry was the pen name used by William Sydney Porter (1862-1910), a popular American author known for his witty and ironic short stories. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Porter had an unsettled early life as he moved from one job to another after dropping out of school at 15. Working as a banker, draftsman, and journalist, among other trades, his life took a fateful turn when he was accused and convicted of embezzlement in 1894, leading to his imprisonment for 3 years.
While in prison, Porter began writing short stories to earn money to support his young daughter. Drawing on his diverse life experiences and lively imagination, he set many of his stories in New York City and used clever plot twists and surprise endings, his trademark narrative devices. His first story collection, Cabbages and Kings, was published in 1904 under the pseudonym O. Henry. Extremely prolific, in the subsequent 6 years before his untimely death from cirrhosis of the liver, O. Henry published nearly 600 stories and gained immense popularity.
His best known stories include classics like “The Gift of the Magi,” “The Ransom of Red Chief,” “The Cop and the Anthem,” and “The Furnished Room.” Collected in volumes like The Four Million and Sixes and Sevens, O. Henry’s stories realistically depict everyday people’s lives with humor and optimistic charm. With clever wordplay and warm, vibrant characters, his enduring short fiction leaves a legacy of not just brilliant plotting but also an appreciation for all of humanity. The O. Henry Award was established after his death to honor outstanding short stories each year.
- After Twenty Years by O. Henry
- From the Cabby’s Seat by O.Henry
- The Cop and the Anthem by O. Henry
- The Ferry of Unfulfilment by O.Henry
- The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
- The Last Leaf by O’Henry
- THE POET AND THE PEASANT by O.Henry
- The Purple Dress by O. Henry
- The Skylight Room by O.Henry
- Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen by O.Henry
- WITCHES’ LOAVES by O’Henry