The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-06-09

latter ana so never ala learn the
whole secret Of the bananas deyel-
opment.
The banana plantation faded into
nothing; l drifted back to Texas ln
Austin / got a job in a drug store
That was a rotten Two weeks They
made me draw soda water and gave
up.
Let me see; after the soda water
| think there came the high ball
stage. | went TO New Orleans and
took up literature work in earnest.
sent stories to newspapers, weeklies
and magazines, all over the country
Rejections2 Lordy, | should say
did have reflections, but | never took
them to heart ! just stuck new
stamps on the stories and sent them
out again. And in their iourneying
to and fro all the stories finally land
ed in offices where they found a well
come. I can say that never wrote
anything that sooner or alter, hasn't
been accepted.
AS for reflections, take The Eman-
cipation Of Billy as good story as
ever wrote-it was rejected no less
than thirteen times. But, like all the
rest it finally landed"
Il was while he was in New Orleans
that he bagan to write under the
name of Q. Henry. He said that he
picked out the name Henry because
it was the first one he noticed in a
society ball write-up. He took the
initial 20" because, he said, It was
the easiest Of all the letters to write.
This Is o. Henry's Owl record for
short story writing He gave 1t to
The Times in answer to reqest for
advice to young writer's.
''I'll give you the sole secret OF
short story writing, and here it is:
Rule ]. Write stories that please
yourself. There is no Rule 2. The
technical points you car get from
Bliss Perry. If you cant write a story
that pleases yourself, you will never
please the public. But in writing the
story forget the public"
Nine years ago o. Henry came to
New York. OF that shift he said:
When ! first came to New York /
spent a great deal OF time knocking
around the streets. did things then
that ! wouldn't think of doing now.
used to walk at all hours of the day
and night along the river fronts,
through Hell's Kitchen, down the
Bowery, dropping into all manner Of
places, and talking with any one
who would hold converse with me.
Il have never met any one but
what | could learn something from
him. he's had some experience that
| have not had: he sees the world
from his own viewpoint If you go at
il in the right way the chances are
that you can extract something of
value from him. But whatever else
you do, don't fash a pencil and note
book either he win shut up or he
VIII become a Hall Game"
In October, 1908, o. Henry announc-
ed his first play. II was entitled
THE World and the Door" The
theme Of the play, he said was to
show that in every human heart
there is an innate tendency toward q
respectable life. and that even those
who have fallen to the lowest depths
In the social scale would, II they
could, get back to the higher life
again He said he believed that thu
Unborn propensity OF human nature
was TO chose the good instead Of the
bad
Among Mr.. Porter's best known
works are "Cabbages and Kings,
1905 The -Four Million" 1906: 9TH,
Trimmed Lamp 1907. ''The Hear
OF the West" 1907. and "Neighborl,
Poems James Whitcomb Riley. IN,
| Hoosier poet, wrote on the fly leaf o
a volume Of "Nelghborly Poems" tina
he sent to the author this verse:
o. Henry, Afrite-Chef OF all delight
or all delectables conglomerate
| That stay the starved brain and re
juvenate
The Mental Men: The aesthetic an
petite
So long anhungered that the lizards
fight
And growl gutwise-lts pangs tho
dost abate
And all so amiably alleviate,
Jop Pats It's belly as a hobo might
Who haply hath attained a cherry pi
When one of these spells comes on
no seeds
Nothin but crisped crust and thick
ness OF Il,
And squashin'juicy and jes might
needs.
Too drafted drippin, sweet fer humal
needs.
But fer the sosh O milk that goe
with Il.
Mr.. Porter's wife was Miss Sar
Linsey Coleman OF Asheville. y. c
member OF well-known North Cai
olna family. her father having bee
a Colonel In the Confederate army
Il was said yesterday that the body O
Mr.. Porter would probably be take
to Greensborough y. C., his birth
place for burial.
Il was announced last night tina
services would be held for Mr.. PoI
ter az The Church OF the Transngur,
ton tomorrow morning at II o'ciocl
They will be very simple. the Re-
DR.. Houghton officiating.