One of the most famous humorists in world literature, O. Henry created a unique panorama of American life at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, in grotesque situations he conveyed the contrasts and paradoxes of his era, which opened up space for people with business acumen, whom the game of chance elevates to the pinnacle of success, then plunges to the very bottom of life. “Miss Martha Meacham ran a small bakery on the corner (the one, you know? Where there are three steps down and when you open the door, the bell rattles). Miss Martha turned forty, in her bank account lay two thousand dollars, she had two false teeth and a sensitive heart. Quite a few women got married with much less chance than Miss Martha...”