Have you heard of O Henry?
Have you ever heard the phrase, Banana Republic? That was first used by American short story writer O. Henry.
If you have never heard of him, you'll be glad you did. He wrote a famous story about a couple buying Christmas gifts called The Gift of the Magi.
Spoiler alert:
The short story is very short. The plot is that they are poor but very much in love. So before Xmas eve she sells her long hair to buy a strap for his watch. He sells his watch to buy combs for her long hair.
O Henry wrote many more short stories. He died in 1910 aged 47. He had had two wives. His museum in San Anonio.
Both Wikipedia and the museum website with a section on Wikipdia have the same information. The website of the San Antonio museum also offers a 360 degree look around the cottage, built of limestone, with white interior walls I needed to install Adobe Flash player to see the video.
He eloped with his first wife, a poor little rich girl who had TB. He seems to have had money problems. He apparently embezzled money from a bank where he worked. He was given bail and hopped off to the Honduras. However, when his first wife was dying from TB, he came back.
After she died he was sent to prison. He was a model prisoner and his sentence was reduced whilst he wrote short stories to support their daughter.
She was not told that he was in prison but that he was away on business.
His stories became more popular and he married again. but did not live to a great age. He was a reformed crimiminal, with a new way of earning a living and a reputation and status.
You can visit two homes connected with him. Both museum get favourable write ups on Tripadviser from visitors.
One of his books was made into a film starring Marilyn Monroe.
Useful Websites
O Henry House Museum
601 Dolores St?
San Antonio
Texas 78207
USA
This house was moved here from another location. The house was moved twice. Americans like doing that. I have never heard of a museum or birthplace in the UK or any other cuntry being shifted along the street or around the city or across the country to an outdoor museum.
Companies in the USA specialise in removals of entire buldings. Want to move house? Threatnened by a motoway or river. Pick up your house like a snail and move to another piece of land.
That is not all.
The place is used to provide work experience for local prisoners who, it is hoped, will learn from the example of O Henry that they can turn their lives around.
He also spent time in New York. And used his encounters with people in Central America, and met in hotel lobbies, to inspire his stories.
O Henry Museum
409 East 5th Street
Austin
Texas
USA 78701
Free. Tour taken about ten minutes, said one reviewer.
Anther museum is next door.
http://ohenryhouse.org/Photos/photos.html
Where next?
The Alamo
River Walk Tour
Houston
Dallas
Galveston
O Henry books are all well beyond copyright so you can read them from places such as project Gutenburg.
https://www.gutenberg.org/
One last thought: Postage stamps have featured O'Henry and US Presidents have planned to posthumously pardon him. But everybody has been too busy. I suppose it would gratify any descendants. But for the general reader, O Henry is O Henry. That is it.
About the Author, Angela Lansbury
Travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
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