Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-30
DR.. ALPH0NsO S NINTH
PRAISES WORK OF 0. HENRY
Rise Of Great Short STORY Writer
Most Interesting Chapter in
American Literature.
INCIDENTS OF EARLY LIFE:
Tells of What Great Author Owed to
Small School Kept by His Aunt
Lina"-Wontierful Observer of
Things and People.

one Of The most interesting chapters
in Amfrican literature to-day" said DIR.
AiphonSo smith. at tn" Wonan's club
Yesterday. lis the rise to fame of ..
iieHrS Dr. Smith is an annual fca-
tur. of the club program and his lee
lure there yesterday upon his old friend
ana boyhood companion, William Por-
ter. was one of the most finished ana
! Interesting made here by this we'll
known man of letters The speaker.
who was presented to his audience by
Dr. j. Allison Hodges. discussed with
Il personal touch and intimate tone the
subject of the afternoon. lie dwelt in
charming detail upon the early life of
.. Henry and the school conducted BY
( his aunt, Miss Lima. in Greensboro, y.
G.. and numerous incidents thar paid
tribute to the fame Of the teller OF
tales.
pr Smith divided his address into
three parts: the vogue OF o. Henry
. lo-day, his biography, and his art. The
III" OF the man IS as interesting and
amatic as any story he ever wrote
ana there are none but sweet and pleas
ant rccollections of this gentle spirit.
whose nature was the very element OF
gcutlcnesS.
Much Of O. Henry's talent as an art
ist the lecturer stated. was Inherited
from his mother whose quaint old
tcNtbooSs are in existence o-Iiay, filled
| with her sketches upon their margins.
| Skctching the setting of the authors
boyhood, DR.. Smith said that he owed
maps more to Miss Lima" than any
one else for his real success in life as
Il writer. -. Henry is. in many ways
The foremost short-story writer OF his
day and generation. Following a some
what varied career as drug clerk, cdi-
tor and banker in Texas. Mr.. Porter
came at last to New York in 1902
with lean purse and light heart
his rise 10 fame MAS gradual, but per
iectly steady, ana his working Years
extended over only a period OF eight
years. The great genius and gift Of
me man was his almost unparalleled
powers of observation. Human nature
Interested him above all things, and
was mis- study from first to last
INTERRUPTED COMMON
EVENTS IN LARGER VIEW
o. Henry possessed the rare ability
OF taking the common events and Incl
dents Of life and Interpreting them in
4 larger light. That was the work of
this great writer. II was the perfect
unity of the story, depicting life as the
man saw ii, combined with the charm
OF the unexpected ending. that has held
the world of readers in thrall. The
important element Of o. Hcnry's work.
in Or. Smiths opinion, is that he has
| socializcd the short story.
He has taken that little instrument
of the author and interpreted society,
I oHiS i' idS seen lIllle deeper INTO
| Just folks" than any one else. Men
to-day are interested in new faces be-
cause Of him. and because o. Henry has
/ given the world 4 new sympathy for
! their fellow Imam. He Is not only the
/ poet laureate. but the gallant knight of
I the slDpgirl, and he never wrote a line
! whose Influence was not upward rather
! than downward
! The interest In his stories is not n
mere surface interest that ceases with
/ the first reading, but calls again and
again from the printed page. o. Henry
Will go down the ages not simply as Il
! teller of tales, but as an Interpreter Of
life.
! 1t was a broad and fascinating view
! that DR.. Smith gave to his audience of
( this gifted writer. and it was set forth
with all the simplicity and subtle humor
that is the speakers greatest charm. DIR.
/ Smith related several of o. Henry's
stories by way of illustrating the points
made in his lecture. Mrs. j. Allison
| Hodges. who was also II schoolmatc of
! the author was chairman of the after
| noon.