The American heartland of the late XIX – early XX century. Blessed times, when the era of chaos and lawlessness of the Wild West has passed, and dashing the prohibition era has not yet arrived. And here in these conditions and acts of noble crook, irrepressible adventurer and just a very sincere person Jeff Peters – literary equivalent, and possibly a prototype (never interested in this issue) of our Ostap Bender.
Jeff Peters inspires sympathy, which is extremely important for a person such a “profession”. He is not a robber with a fist, waiting for its prey in the remote gateway. He is not a thief, which eviscerates the dark night Bank safes. He is not a stock speculator, who is playing with other people’s money, making a profit out of thin air. He is the incarnation of a gentleman of the underworld. Believe him at first sight. His clients are ready to give him their money.
But the ideal gentleman of the underworld biography consists not perfect. Thus perfect hero gets closer, clearer, and most importantly more authentic in the eyes of the reader.
Sorry, we have no idea what will happen to Jeff Peters at the end of his sinful career. A series of prison terms and a poor lonely old age, or wins, a little place, family and student pick up on the secrets of the art oblaposhivaniya suckers? Who knows. Personally, I’d like to believe that fate would be kind to the noble rogue.
Summary: one of the best collections of O. Henry. In any case, to understand the dignity stories of life experience is required. Here everything is clear: here a crook, there’s the sacrifice, that’s a beautiful combination for the removal of excess values. The stories written in easy and fascinating language and laced with a fair dose of irony and humor.