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歐.亨利WilliamSydneyPorter

How？hebecamesuchafamouswriter

In1879,hestartedworkinginhisuncle'sdrugstorewhenhewasachild,hedreamtofbeingapainterHehadaunhappyfamilyHehadsinger,acter,reporter...InFebruary1898,hewassentencedtofiveyearsinprisonnotfinishedhighschooleducationWhoyouwere10yearsago,oneyearago,orevenyesterdayisnotimportantatall.What'simportantiswhoyouaretoday,andwhoyou'llbetomorrow.十年前你是誰，一年前你是誰，甚至昨天你是誰，都不重要。重要的是，今天你是誰，以及明天你將成為誰。Everythingthatyou'velearntandallthehardshipsyou'vesufferedwillallcomeinhandyatsomepointinyourlife.你學(xué)過的每一樣?xùn)|西，你遭受的每一次苦難，都會在你一生中的某個時候派上用場。ThelastleafJohnsyhasfallenintoaseriousillandisdyingofpneumonia.Shewatchestheleavesfallingfromavineoutsidethewindowofherroom,andthinksthatwhenthelastleafdrops,shewilldie.WhileherfriendSuetriestotellhertostopthinkinglikethat,butJohnsyisstilldeterminedtodiewhenthelastleaffalls.Anold,frustratedartistnamedBehrmanlivesbelowJohnsyandSue.Hehasbeenclaimingthathewillpaintamasterpiece,eventhoughhehasneverattemptedtostart.Suegoestohim,andtellshimthatherfriendisdyingofpneumonia,andthatJohnsyclaimsthatwhenthelastleaffallsofffromthevineoutsideherwindow,shewilldie.Behrmanscoffsatthisatfirst,butheisprotectiveofthetwoyoungartists,sohedecidestoseeJohnsyandthevine.Onenight,averybadstormcomesandwindishowlingandrainissplatteringagainstthewindow.SueclosesthecurtainsandtellsJohnsytogotosleep,eventhoughthereisstilloneleafleftonthevine.Thenextmorning,Johnsywantstoseethevineatonce,tobesurethatalltheleavesaregone,buttohersurprise,thereisstilloneleafleft.WhileJohnsyissurprisedthatitisstillthere,sheinsistsitwillfallthatday.Butitdoesn't.Johnsybelievesthattheleafstayedtheretoshowhowwickedshewas,andthatshesinnedinwantingtodie.Sheregainsherwilltolive,andmakesafullrecoverythroughouttheday.Intheafternoon,adoctortalkstoSue.ThedoctorsaysthatMr.Behrmanhascomedownwithpneumonia,asthereisnothingtobedoneforhim,heisbeingtakentothehospitaltobemadecomfortableinhisfinalhours.Ajanitorhadfoundhimhelplesswithpain,andhisshoesandclothingwerewetandicycold.Thejanitorcouldn'tfigureoutwherehehadbeenonthatstormynight,thoughshehadfoundalanternthatwasstilllit,aladderthathadbeenmoved,somescatteredbrushes,andapalettewithgreenandyellowcolorsmixedonit.Whatdoyouthinkofthisend?O.Henry'sstoriesfrequentlyhavesurpriseendings.Inhisday,hewascalledtheAmericananswertoGuydeMaupassant.Bothauthorswroteplottwistendings,butO.Henrystoriesweremuchmoreplayful,henotedforunexpectedandoftenironicendingstohisstory.Hisstoriesarealsoknownforwittynarration.MostofO.Henry'sstoriesaresetinhisowntime,theearly20thcentury.ManytakeplaceinNewYorkCityandd