O'Henry
William Sydney Porter, known as O'Henry, was born on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina. He was an American writer who wrote short
stories, such as, "The Gift of the Magi", "The Ransom of Red Chief", "Cabbages and Kings", and more. O'Henry attended school only for a short time. At the age of 20 William Sydney Porter went to Texas, working first on a ranch and later as a bank teller. In 1887 he married and began to write freelance sketches. A few years later he founded a humorous weekly, the Rolling Stone. When this failed, he became a reporter and columnist on the Houston Post. In 1896, He fled to a reporting job in New Orleans, then to Honduras. When news of his wife's serious illness reached him, he returned to Texas. After her death William Sydney Porter was imprisoned in Columbus, Ohio. During his three-year incarceration, he wrote adventure stories set in Texas and Central America that quickly became popular and were collected in "Cabbages and Kings".
William Sydney Porter, known as O'Henry, was born on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina. He was an American writer who wrote short
stories, such as, "The Gift of the Magi", "The Ransom of Red Chief", "Cabbages and Kings", and more. O'Henry attended school only for a short time. At the age of 20 William Sydney Porter went to Texas, working first on a ranch and later as a bank teller. In 1887 he married and began to write freelance sketches. A few years later he founded a humorous weekly, the Rolling Stone. When this failed, he became a reporter and columnist on the Houston Post. In 1896, He fled to a reporting job in New Orleans, then to Honduras. When news of his wife's serious illness reached him, he returned to Texas. After her death William Sydney Porter was imprisoned in Columbus, Ohio. During his three-year incarceration, he wrote adventure stories set in Texas and Central America that quickly became popular and were collected in "Cabbages and Kings".
Writing Corner
When Kino walked into the room, he was met with a devilish smile on the pearl buyer. Kino knew this was a bad idea, but he needed his money worth of his pearl. "Ah, Kino," the pearl buyer said. "I came here to sell my pearl," Kino mumbled. "May I see this pearl of yours?" the pearl buyer asked. Kino slowly walked up to him and pulled out the pearl from his pocket. He was now inches away from the buyer's dark brown desk. Kino put his pearl on the desk and took one small step back. The pearl buyer picked it up in his hands and looked at the pearl. "This is a very nice pearl you have here, Kino," the buyer said to Kino. Kino opened his mouth to agree but was interrupted by the voice of the buyer. "That's what you think, but it's a one of a kind pearl which means its worth nothing." Kino was shocked but only for a second. Until anger took over him. He walked up and put his hands on the desk while giving the buyer the death stare. "Then how come the town has been saying because it's one of a kind, the pearl is worth so much?" Kino asked with anger in his eyes. "They are wrong. Though I could give you 300 pesos for the worthless pearl," the pearl buyer said, trying to persuade Kino. Kino wasn't buying it, he knew his pearl was worth so much more than just 300 pesos. That was when he realized the man in front of him, the pearl buyer, was trying to trick Kino. His anger only grew more in his eyes. "You're trying to trick me," Kino whispered, glaring at the buyer. "No, I-" the pearl buyer was about to say something when Kino interrupted while stepping back. "My pearl is worth more than 300 pesos, goodbye." The towns people just stood there shocked, not knowing what to do. Kino headed toward the door, not hearing a word from the buyer and Juana followed behind him. That night, Kino knew he was going to the capital to sell his pearl.
When Kino walked into the room, he was met with a devilish smile on the pearl buyer. Kino knew this was a bad idea, but he needed his money worth of his pearl. "Ah, Kino," the pearl buyer said. "I came here to sell my pearl," Kino mumbled. "May I see this pearl of yours?" the pearl buyer asked. Kino slowly walked up to him and pulled out the pearl from his pocket. He was now inches away from the buyer's dark brown desk. Kino put his pearl on the desk and took one small step back. The pearl buyer picked it up in his hands and looked at the pearl. "This is a very nice pearl you have here, Kino," the buyer said to Kino. Kino opened his mouth to agree but was interrupted by the voice of the buyer. "That's what you think, but it's a one of a kind pearl which means its worth nothing." Kino was shocked but only for a second. Until anger took over him. He walked up and put his hands on the desk while giving the buyer the death stare. "Then how come the town has been saying because it's one of a kind, the pearl is worth so much?" Kino asked with anger in his eyes. "They are wrong. Though I could give you 300 pesos for the worthless pearl," the pearl buyer said, trying to persuade Kino. Kino wasn't buying it, he knew his pearl was worth so much more than just 300 pesos. That was when he realized the man in front of him, the pearl buyer, was trying to trick Kino. His anger only grew more in his eyes. "You're trying to trick me," Kino whispered, glaring at the buyer. "No, I-" the pearl buyer was about to say something when Kino interrupted while stepping back. "My pearl is worth more than 300 pesos, goodbye." The towns people just stood there shocked, not knowing what to do. Kino headed toward the door, not hearing a word from the buyer and Juana followed behind him. That night, Kino knew he was going to the capital to sell his pearl.
The First Day
The short story, "The First Day" by Edward P. Jones takes place in New York during September. It tells the story of a girl, who's mother who wants to take her daughter to a specific school. Once she arrives at Seaton Elementary School, a guardian at the school tells them 'no' and they go to another guardian and get the same response. First they get rejected from Seaton, so now the girl cannot go there for school. Then, they go to Walker~Jones School, which is a newer school near were the girl and her family live. After that, Mama is seeing if she can register her daughter at the school and hoping they will not get rejected again. Next, the mother of the girl that is going to the new school, asks a girl who she assumes works there, if she can help her fill out the papers in order to have her daughter go to the school. The girl is confused at first but that is until Mama says that she cannot read or write and needs help filling the forums. For the first time, the daughter of the mother sees an emotion that she has never seen on her mother before, embarrassment. The girl puts a smile on her face and is more the happy to help Mama fill them out. As the story ends, the two are done registering, the mother says to the girl " I'll be back to pick you up at twelve o'clock. I don't want you to go nowhere. You just wait right here. And listen to every word she say" And right after that, the mother leaves and the only thing that the little girl hears is her mom's foot steps down the hall over all of the children who are talking.
The short story, "The First Day" by Edward P. Jones takes place in New York during September. It tells the story of a girl, who's mother who wants to take her daughter to a specific school. Once she arrives at Seaton Elementary School, a guardian at the school tells them 'no' and they go to another guardian and get the same response. First they get rejected from Seaton, so now the girl cannot go there for school. Then, they go to Walker~Jones School, which is a newer school near were the girl and her family live. After that, Mama is seeing if she can register her daughter at the school and hoping they will not get rejected again. Next, the mother of the girl that is going to the new school, asks a girl who she assumes works there, if she can help her fill out the papers in order to have her daughter go to the school. The girl is confused at first but that is until Mama says that she cannot read or write and needs help filling the forums. For the first time, the daughter of the mother sees an emotion that she has never seen on her mother before, embarrassment. The girl puts a smile on her face and is more the happy to help Mama fill them out. As the story ends, the two are done registering, the mother says to the girl " I'll be back to pick you up at twelve o'clock. I don't want you to go nowhere. You just wait right here. And listen to every word she say" And right after that, the mother leaves and the only thing that the little girl hears is her mom's foot steps down the hall over all of the children who are talking.