The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-01-08
when 0. HENRY
SPURNED CHANCE
TO TRY BAND|TRy
Al Jennings Tells How the
Famous Writer Wouldn't
Even Hold Horses
During Trial.

yer, once cdnuluate LOT the QeLnOnCfdlC
nomination for governor of Oklahoma
and author OF Beating Back" which
purports to be the story Of his ad-
ventures as lawbreaker, has fol-
lowed his first literary success with
II second offering which is Of suffi-
cient merit to bring from the review
ers, lengthy comment and in some
cases, warm words of praise.
Oklahomans will probably regard this
second work as more meritorious than
the first in that II deals less with Jen.
nings whose name many Oklahomons
would be glad to forget, having to do
largely with an Oklahoma Of whom
less is known. but whose name holds
a much more substantial place in the
hearts Of his countrymen.
Through the Shadows with o.
Henry is the title of Jennings latest
book. II will be remembered that the
two served time together in n federal
prison, Jennings in consequence Of his
persistency in following O vocation
that is apparently less hazardous 10
day than II was when he was in his
heyday as a bandit. and Henry or
William Sydney Porter which was his
real name, because he was vic
tim Of circumstances" a great many Of
his friends insist.
Formula for Train Robbers
II is quite fitting therefore. that Al.
Jennings should come forward 10 bring
certain phases of the character Of the
famous author and to dwell upon
- q Il.
have not heretofore found their way
into print, For Jennings was undoub-
tedly as close to o. Henry as any Of
the short-story writer's numerous
friends. Those who have read "Slxes
and Sevens' will remember the chapter
dealing with the story Of the train
hold.up in which all doubt as to the
identity of the band It referred to is
cleared up by subsequent events.
Henry gives a formula to be followed
by train robbers, the formula evidently
having been given him by Jennings
as indicated in the following para.
graph;
The man who told me these things
was for several years an outlaw in the
Southeast, and a follower of the pur-
suit he so frankly describes. His de /
scHption of the modus operandi should /
prove interesting, his counsel Of value |
to the potential passenger in some fu-
ture 'hold.up," while his estimate Of |
the pleasures of train.robbing will
hardly induce any one to adopt It as
profession. I give the story in al.
most exactly his own words.
Letter From o. Henry
a letter written by Jennings, a short |
time before he announced that he |
would enter the contest for guberna- /
toral honors in 1913, to Archibald /
Henderson. n reviewer of his book, .
tells OF the intimacy between the ex.
bandit and o. Henry.
knew "Bill" Porter perhaps
better than any other man on
earth. before he wrote his Cab
bages and Kings" We sat under
mangrovc trees in the little town
OF Gorilla in the heat Of the sun.
looking far out across the billowy
sea, trying to fathom what might
be doing In the old United States.
H talked of North Carolina and
childhood. J. OF my native state.
Virginia. but neither asked the
other why he was in Central
America. Porter was n child OF
fortune. was n fugitive from
Justice. He was not aware Of that
fact He only knew as n man.
and can safely say-to his DIV.
ing day he loved me.
Money Went Long WAY
From Trujillo mot Gorilla as the
letter mistakenly readsl. the Jennings
brothers. Frank and Al. ACCOMPANIED
by Bill Porter. went as far as $50.
COO would taBe them Al Jennings sig.
nlficanty remarks; "It took us fur.
thor than We reckoued" After skirt.
ing the entire coast of South America.
they finally returned 10 Tcxas-thc
large sum with which the Jennings
boys started having now dwindled 10
alarmingly small proportions. Nothing
IN the volume exceeds in pertinent con.
trast and ironic suggcstivoncss the two
anecdotes quoted below-reycalng In
delightful contrast the character OF
"Bill' Porter the man, and the acum.
cn OF o. Henry the artist. After the
$4,000 gave out, the jennings BOYS
planned "stickup'-to rob a bank
which they knew had $4,000 IN the
safe. They decided to invite BIN TO
30 into the banking venture" III
you had seen Bill Portcrs face then
and the helpless surprise that scootcd
across it, relates A. Jennings. "you
would believe, as I du. that he Was
never guilty ~ tho theft which scnt
him for nearly four years OF his lifc TO
the Ohio pcnitcnuary. Re had neither
the recklessncss nor the sang fruid OF The
lawbreakcr' Asked .f he could Join
IN the financial undertaking" BIN re.
piled. NO, / don't think / could"
We'll. Bill said Al. "you could hold
tho horses, couldn't youe" After a
moments hesitation. Bnl replIod No
1 don't believe ! could even hold the
horses
Meet in New York
In later years Porter and Jenninrr
forcsathored together n New York
Porter was then 0t the height of his
fame az o. Henry. lie owned tha
city. iis people we're bis subjects IA.
went into their midst. turning upon
them the shtoWd microscope uf hi.
cleaning understanding. sham. paltry
deceit flimsy pose. were blown away
as wells before determined wind. The
souls stood forth, naked and rathstic.
The wizard had his way" Follow the
trail of Porter and Jennings aud you
will discover the raw materials for
the making % the highly finished
products. The Furnished Room" and
THE Halberdier OF the Bheinschloss."
More than this. you will discover the
ineaments Of a strangely rcticen,. 10y.
ishly affcctionaie. lavishly generous
spirit--who in very truth gave his lie
for his art As Harry Lee terseiy.
trtiix mas ~.