The following letter is from Mrs. Charles Alphonso Smith to E.P. Wharton on June 19, 1925. In this letter, Ms. Charles Alphonso Smith details the presentation of her husband's O. Henry papers to the Greensboro Public Library. This letter can be found in the "Memorials -- Correspondence" Folder of the Greensboro Public Library's O. Henry Collection.


118 Smith Street
Greensboro, N.C.,
June 19, 1925

Mr. E. P. Wharton
President of the Board of
Directors of the Greensboro
Public Library Greensboro, NC

My dear Mr. Wharton,

It gives me genuine pleasure to present to the Public Library of Greensboro, in memory of my husband Dr. C. Alphonso Smith, the material about O Henry and his work, which

[next page]

my husband had been collecting for years. The friendship and mutual admiration of these two sons of Greensboro make it most fitting, it seems to me, that their names should be linked together in this memorial and I trust that this collection may be the nucleaus of much more

[next page]

and feel sure that she can make the material available and at the same time protect it from wear and tear.

I leave to discretion of the Board of the Directors the manner of memorial tying my husband in this gift.

With all good wishes for the ever increasing growth and influence

[next page]

so that their hometown may become the head quarters for students who wish to specialize on the short story writer of whom we are justly proud. 

I have talked with Miss Rowe about the manner of preserving the name, script and clippings

[next page]

of the Library.

I am most cordorially yours.

Louise [?] R. H. Smith

Mrs. C. Alphonso Smith [signed]