The Skylight Room by O
The Skylight Room by O. Henry
The Skylight Room by O. Henry
This story would be most enjoyed by teen-age girls, I think.
The first character we meet is the landlady who is a bit snobbish. She has a number of rooms available to let. The largest rooms (and the most expensive) bring her great satisfaction. Ascending the stairs brings us to smaller and cheaper rooms. The smallest room is an embarrassment to the landlady. She has the housekeeper show this room.
We next meet Miss Leeson, a young typist who rents "the skylight room" because it is the only room she can afford. (This is the room shown by the housekeeper.) It's a tiny room with a small iron cot. The room's only redeeming quality is the skylight.
On summer nights, the roomers gather on the front steps to pass the time and talk. Miss Leeson is very popular due to her youth and charm. One of the older men becomes enamored with Miss Leeson.
During these summer evenings Miss Leeson tells everyone about one of the stars she can see through the skylight. She has named the star Billy Jackson. The school teacher, Miss Longnecker, corrects Miss Leeson announcing the correct name of the star. Miss Leeson declines to be corrected and clings to her name of the star.
Some time passes and Miss Leeson falls on hard times since she can no longer find employment. Our young friend, the one who can only afford the cheapest room, is so destitute that she can't afford to eat. She grows weak and frail.
She encounters the man, the one who wants to marry her, on the stairs. He proposes marriage. He lays before her rescue from her plight. If she would only accept his proposal, she would be cared for (and fed). She remains true to herself and declines his offer.
She is barely able to reach her room and falls onto her cot, too tired even to undress. She looks up at her star. Even in this weakened state, she can't bring herself to call her star by its correct name as she recalls Miss Longnecker's correction. Her last act is to
The Skylight Room by O. Henry
This story would be most enjoyed by teen-age girls, I think.
The first character we meet is the landlady who is a bit snobbish. She has a number of rooms available to let. The largest rooms (and the most expensive) bring her great satisfaction. Ascending the stairs brings us to smaller and cheaper rooms. The smallest room is an embarrassment to the landlady. She has the housekeeper show this room.
We next meet Miss Leeson, a young typist who rents "the skylight room" because it is the only room she can afford. (This is the room shown by the housekeeper.) It's a tiny room with a small iron cot. The room's only redeeming quality is the skylight.
On summer nights, the roomers gather on the front steps to pass the time and talk. Miss Leeson is very popular due to her youth and charm. One of the older men becomes enamored with Miss Leeson.
During these summer evenings Miss Leeson tells everyone about one of the stars she can see through the skylight. She has named the star Billy Jackson. The school teacher, Miss Longnecker, corrects Miss Leeson announcing the correct name of the star. Miss Leeson declines to be corrected and clings to her name of the star.
Some time passes and Miss Leeson falls on hard times since she can no longer find employment. Our young friend, the one who can only afford the cheapest room, is so destitute that she can't afford to eat. She grows weak and frail.
She encounters the man, the one who wants to marry her, on the stairs. He proposes marriage. He lays before her rescue from her plight. If she would only accept his proposal, she would be cared for (and fed). She remains true to herself and declines his offer.
She is barely able to reach her room and falls onto her cot, too tired even to undress. She looks up at her star. Even in this weakened state, she can't bring herself to call her star by its correct name as she recalls Miss Longnecker's correction. Her last act is to