欧·亨利是美国本世纪最初十年间颇受读者欢迎的短篇小说作家,原名威廉·锡德内·波特。他出生于美国北卡罗来纳州的一个小镇上,父亲是个医生。他书念得不多,十五岁起就在叔父的药房里当学徒。五年以后,因健康关系到西部一个牧场上放了两年牛。1884年起,他先后做过会计员、土地局办事员和银行出纳员。 O. Henry is a short story writer well-received by readers in the United States for the first decade of this century, formerly known as William Sidney Porter. He was born in a small town in North Carolina and his father is a doctor. He did not read much, and was an apprentice in his uncle’s pharmacy since he was fifteen. Five years later, two years of cattle were put on a ranch in western China due to health concerns. Since 1884, he has worked as an accountant, land clerk and bank teller.