Unit 5

 

O.Henry

O.Henry is the pen-name of the American writer William Sydney Porter (1862-1910).

In his youth he changed many professions: he was a cowboy, a reporter, a clerk in a bank; he travelled about America trying to find a job. He met many common people, and that helped him later in his literary-work.

O.Henry is a great master of short story. Common people, whose life he knew very well, are the main characters of his stories.

Here is a humorous story about two tramps who wanted to get money by kidnapping¹ the son of rich parents and demanding a ransom for him.