We grow up hearing the phrase ''Love conquers all.'' O. Henry's short story ''A Service of Love'' is a great example of how love drives two people to sacrifice their ambitions for the sake of each other. O. Henry wrote about this kind of sacrifices before. In his story "The Gifts of the Magi”, a tale about a young couple, who are short of money but desperately want to buy each other Christmas gifts. She cut and sold her hair to buy him a pocket watch fob chain, but without knowing he sold his watch to buy her a jewelled comb… The story A Service of Love begins with the premise that ''when one loves one's Art no service seems too hard.'' O. Henry then introduces Joe, our main character, as an aspiring artist. When Joe was six years old, his first painting was hung at the drug store. Now, at age 20, he is headed to New York to study art. Delia is a talented pianist. She's from the South, and her family gathers up the money to send her to art school in the North. They are attracted to each other. Shortly thereafter, they marry. Living in a lonesome flat does not matter to Joe and Delia, for they are happy and in love. But one day, Delia comes home excited and tells Joe that she's found a student. She's going to give music lessons to the daughter of a wealthy general. She explains how lovely their home is and how the daughter is a wonderful girl who always wears white. Joe is distraught; he doesn't want her to have to work and put her music aside… You can listen online to free English audiobook “A Service of Love” by O. Henry on our website.
