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Simple English Stories for Beginners – A Retrieved Reformation By O. Henry – Free Download
This is one of the best simple English stories for beginners.
It is called A Retrieved Reformation. The story is written by O. Henry, a famous American writer.
This story is about a man named Jimmy Valentine. He was a thief, but he wants to change his life. He falls in love, and he tries to be a good man.
This version of the story is rewritten in simple English. It is good for Level 1 English learners. The sentences are short. The grammar is easy. The story is clear and interesting.
If you are learning English, this story will help you:
- read better English,
- learn new words, and
- enjoy a real story in easy language.
Let’s read this simple and beautiful story together.
This story was rewritten by LearnEnglish-new.com for English learners. Enjoy reading the story and improve your English skills!
A Retrieved Reformation
By O. Henry
Contents
Chapter One: Jimmy Leaves Prison
Chapter Two: The Tools and the Plan
Chapter Three: New Town, New Name
Chapter Four: Love and the New Life
Chapter One
Jimmy Leaves Prison
Jimmy Valentine sits in a prison shoe shop. He works every day. He makes shoes for other prisoners. He is quiet, but he is always thinking. Jimmy is a safe-cracker. He opens safes and takes the money. But now he is in prison.
He has already stayed ten months. His full sentence is four years. But Jimmy is lucky. The governor signs a paper. Jimmy gets a pardon. He can leave prison early.
One morning, the warden comes to him.
“Valentine,” says the warden, “you go free tomorrow. Be strong. Be a good man. You are not bad inside. But stop opening safes and live an honest life.”
Jimmy smiles.
“Me? I never opened a safe in my life,” says Jimmy.
The warden laughs.
“Of course,” he says. “Innocent people go to prison every day. But remember — this is your chance.”
The next morning, at 7:15, Jimmy puts on state clothes — they are old and don’t fit. His shoes make noise when he walks. A guard brings him to the prison office.
A clerk gives Jimmy a train ticket, five dollars, and a handshake. The warden gives him a cigar.
“Goodbye, Jimmy,” he says.
“Thanks,” says Jimmy.
Then Jimmy walks out into the sunshine. He is free.
Jimmy leaves the prison. He walks down the street. He hears birds. He smells the flowers. He smiles. Life feels new again.
He goes to a restaurant. He eats hot chicken and drinks good coffee. He feels free. He feels strong.
Then he goes to the train station. He sees a blind man with a hat. Jimmy throws a coin into the hat.
He takes a train to a small town. Three hours later, he walks into a café. A man stands behind the bar. It is Mike Dolan, Jimmy’s old friend.
“Jimmy, my boy!” says Mike. “Good to see you again.”
“Hi, Mike. Got the key?”
“Sure.”
Mike gives him a small key. Jimmy goes upstairs. He opens the door to a room. Inside, everything is the same. No one has touched anything.
Jimmy kneels down. He moves a part of the wall. Behind it is a dusty suitcase.
He opens the suitcase. Inside, there are tools. Not normal tools. They are special tools for opening safes — drills, braces, bits, clamps. Jimmy made some of them himself.
“Perfect,” Jimmy says. “Still here.”
These tools are worth over nine hundred dollars. They are clean, strong, and ready.
He closes the suitcase. He puts on a nice suit. He looks in the mirror. He looks like a rich young man.
Then he walks downstairs again. Mike looks at him.
“Got anything going on?” Mike asks.
Jimmy smiles.
“Me? I work for the New York Amalgamated Short Snap Biscuit Cracker and Frazzled Wheat Company.”
Mike laughs. Jimmy never changes.
But Jimmy says nothing more. He is ready. He has a new plan.
Chapter Two
The Tools and the Plan
A few days after Jimmy leaves prison, a bank in Richmond is robbed. Someone opens the safe. It is a clean job. The thief takes eight hundred dollars. There are no clues.
Two weeks later, another safe is opened in Logansport. This time, the thief takes $1,500. Again, no one sees anything. The safe opens easily — like cheese. Nothing is broken. The police are confused.
Soon, a big bank in Jefferson City is robbed. The thief takes $5,000. That is a lot of money.
The police now believe the same man is doing all of these robberies.
Ben Price, a famous detective, starts working on the case. He knows one man who can do this kind of work — Jimmy Valentine.
Ben Price says:
“This is Dandy Jimmy’s work. He is back. Look at the way the safe opens — no damage, only one small hole. Jimmy uses the best tools. No one else can do this.”
Ben remembers Jimmy very well. He was the one who caught him before. Jimmy never works with others. He is fast. He is careful. And he never leaves fingerprints.
Ben Price starts looking for Jimmy.
But Jimmy is already in a new place. He travels to a small town in Arkansas. The town is called Elmore.
Jimmy arrives with his suitcase. He wears nice clothes. He looks like a businessman.
He sees a girl on the street. She is very beautiful. She walks out of a building with the sign: Elmore Bank.
Jimmy looks into her eyes.
And in that moment… Jimmy changes.
He feels something new. Something strong.
The girl sees Jimmy too. She looks down and blushes.
Jimmy walks to a boy sitting outside.
“Who is that girl?” Jimmy asks.
“That’s Annabel Adams,” says the boy. “Her father owns the bank.”
Jimmy smiles.
He walks to the hotel. He writes a new name in the book: Ralph D. Spencer.
“I want a room,” he tells the clerk. “And I want to open a shoe store in your town.”
“Welcome, Mr. Spencer,” says the clerk. “Elmore is a good town. People here are kind. We don’t have a good shoe store. You can do well here.”
Jimmy puts his suitcase under the bed. He does not talk about it.
He is now Ralph Spencer.
Soon, Jimmy finds a place. He opens a shoe store. He sells good shoes. People like him. They trust him.
He sees Annabel again. They talk. They walk together. They laugh.
Jimmy is in love.
He is no longer just a safe-cracker. He is now a man with a future.
After one year, Jimmy and Annabel are engaged. They will marry in two weeks.
Everyone in Elmore likes Jimmy. Mr. Adams, Annabel’s father, respects him. Annabel’s sister and her children also like him.
Jimmy is happy.
But he must do one last thing.
He writes a letter to his old friend:
Dear Old Pal,
I will meet you in Little Rock next week. I want to give you my tools. They are yours now.
I don’t want them. I have stopped the old work.
I have a new life now. I have a store. I have a good woman.
After the wedding, I will sell the store and move west.
I will never open a safe again.
She believes in me. And I won’t break her trust.
Your friend,
Jimmy.
Jimmy smiles as he closes the letter.
He really wants to change.
Chapter Three
New Town, New Name
Jimmy Valentine now lives in Elmore. He uses a new name — Ralph D. Spencer. He is no longer a thief. He is now a businessman.
Ralph opens a small shoe store. He works every day. He sells good shoes. He speaks kindly to people. The people in Elmore like him very much.
They say:
“Mr. Spencer is a good man. He works hard. He is honest.”
Ralph is happy. He wants to forget his old life. He wants to stay in Elmore forever.
Every day, he sees Annabel Adams. She is beautiful and kind. They talk. They walk together. They laugh.
Soon, Ralph falls in love with her. And she loves him too.
After one year, they are engaged. They will get married in two weeks.
Annabel’s father, Mr. Adams, likes Ralph. He says:
“Ralph is a good man. He will take care of my daughter.”
Annabel’s sister, May, also likes Ralph. She has two little girls — May and Agatha. They are five and nine years old. Ralph gives them candy and plays with them. They call him “Uncle Ralph.”
Ralph feels like a new person. He says to himself:
“I am not Jimmy Valentine anymore. I am Ralph Spencer. I have a new life.”
But someone is watching him.
Ben Price, the famous detective, comes to Elmore. He does not talk to anyone. He just watches.
He sees Ralph walking in the street. He sees the shoe shop. He sees Annabel.
Ben says to himself:
“That is Jimmy Valentine. But maybe… maybe he is a new man now.”
Ben waits. He wants to be sure.
One evening, Ralph sits in his room. He reads the letter he wrote to his old friend. He reads the words again:
“I don’t want to steal anymore. I have a new life. I have a good store. I will get married. I will never open a safe again.”
He smiles.
“Yes,” he thinks. “I am happy now. I have changed.”
But he does not know — a big test is coming.
Chapter Four
Love and the New Life
It is a bright, warm morning. Ralph Spencer (Jimmy Valentine) is very happy. In a few days, he will marry Annabel Adams.
Today, he visits Annabel’s house. Her father, Mr. Adams, her mother, and her sister May are there too. Everyone is happy and smiling.
Mr. Adams says:
“Ralph, come to the bank with us. We have a new safe. It is very strong. We want to show it to you.”
Ralph smiles and says:
“Of course! I want to see it.”
They all walk together to the Elmore Bank. Annabel’s two small nieces, May and Agatha, also come. They laugh and run ahead.
At the bank, Mr. Adams proudly shows the new safe.
“Look,” he says, “this safe is the best. No thief can open it. It is very heavy and strong.”
Mr. Adams shows how to open and close the safe. Ralph watches carefully but says nothing.
Inside, the children play. They open and close the doors of the small safe room. They are curious and happy.
Suddenly, there is a loud noise — BANG!
Everyone turns.
The big door of the safe closes. Little Agatha is inside!
She screams once — then there is silence.
The safe door is locked. The air inside is little. The little girl can only breathe for a short time.
Mr. Adams tries to open the safe. But he cannot do it.
“The safe is locked! I cannot open it without the combination!” he cries.
Annabel screams. Her face is white.
“Save her!” she says. “Please! Somebody help!”
Everyone looks at Ralph.
Ralph knows the truth. He can open the safe — but he must use his special tools. If he uses them, everyone will know he is really Jimmy Valentine, the safe-cracker.
Annabel runs to him. Tears are in her eyes.
“Ralph, help her! You can do something. Please!”
Ralph looks at Annabel. He looks at the safe. He knows what he must do.
“Bring me my bag,” he says.
Annabel quickly runs to get Ralph’s bag from the hotel. She brings it back.
Ralph opens the bag. Inside are his old tools — drills, braces, clamps. The tools he once used to break into safes.
Mr. Adams and May are surprised. They do not understand.
Without speaking, Ralph starts working. His hands move fast. He is careful and quick.
Ten minutes pass.
Everyone is silent. Only Ralph works.
Finally — CLICK!
The door opens.
Ralph reaches inside and pulls little Agatha out. She is crying but safe.
Annabel hugs her sister tightly. Mr. Adams hugs his wife. May cries.
Everyone is happy. Everyone thanks Ralph.
But Ralph knows something else.
He has shown his true self.
He knows he cannot stay now.
He picks up his suitcase. He turns toward the door.
Outside the bank, a man is waiting.
It is Detective Ben Price.
Chapter Five
A Big Decision
Ralph Spencer (Jimmy Valentine) picks up his suitcase. He knows he cannot hide anymore. He knows he must leave Annabel and her family.
He walks slowly to the door of the bank.
Outside, Detective Ben Price waits.
Ben Price watches everything. He sees Ralph open the safe. He knows Ralph is really Jimmy Valentine, the famous safe-cracker.
Ralph stands at the door. He looks at Ben Price. He does not run.
Ralph says:
“Well, let’s go, Mr. Price. I am ready.”
His voice is calm, but inside, he is very sad.
Ben Price looks at him for a long time. He looks at Annabel, who holds little Agatha. He sees how much Annabel loves Ralph. He sees how Ralph saved the little girl without thinking of himself.
Ben Price smiles a little.
He says:
“Hello, Spencer. You are not the man I am looking for.”
Then Ben Price turns around. He walks away slowly down the street.
Ralph stands at the door. He cannot believe it. He feels tears in his eyes.
He looks back at Annabel. She smiles at him — she does not know the truth. And she never will.
Ralph smiles too.
He is free.
Not because he escaped — but because he truly changed.
Jimmy Valentine is gone forever. Ralph Spencer will live a new, honest life — with love.
— THE END –
The Original Version of the Story: americanliterature.com
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