O. Henry was the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter. O Henry is best noted for his wit, characterization and twist endings. O Henry wrote primarily about his own time, the early 20th century. Most stories were set in New York and the characters were ordinary people. His brilliant writing style and his optimistic and often playful tone make O Henry's stories a delight to read. Stories in this collection include The red roses of Tonia -- Round the circle -- The rubber plant's story -- Out of Nazareth -- Confessions of a humorist -- The sparrows in Madison Square -- Hearts and hands -- The cactus -- The detective detector -- The dog and the playlet -- A little talk about mobs -- The snow man.