The Cop and the Anthem By O. Henry The link of the short story “The Cop and the Anthem” http://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/gift-magi-and-other-stories#child-436 Soapy is a man who is homeless. In the winter Soapy tries to survive in cold weather, he decides to get into prison in order to get free food and shelter. Three months of foods everyday and a bed every night, three months save from the cold north wind and save from cops. He tries many things to get attention from the cop. One of those things is that he goes to a restaurant. But when he steps to restaurant’s door the head waiter gives him a sign to get out with his hand. And then Soapy turn off Broadway. There is a shop with a glass white window and Soapy picks up the big stones and throw it through the glass, people come running. A cop is the first among them. Soapy stands still and smiles when he sees the cop. But the cop’s mind would not consider Soapy. Men who break windows don’t stop there to talk to cops. Soapy goes to another restaurant. He sits at the table and has dinner. When he has finished, he says he doesn’t have money and tells the waiter to call a cop. But there is no cop. The waiter throws Soapy upon his left ear on the hard street outside. He tries to annoy woman in front of a cop, pretend to be drunk, but always fail, at last he tries to steal a man’s umbrella. It turns out that the man doesn’t own the umbrella, he found it this morning in a restaurant. When he is going home, although home was only a seat in a park. He sees a church and hears anthem comes from the church, then he goes to the church. There is a sudden wonderful change in his soul. He sees his wrong desires his head hopes and the lost power of his mind. He will fight to change his life, he will pull himself out of the mud, the sweet music has changed him, tomorrow he will find work. Soapy felt a hand on his arm. It’s a cop’s hand. The cop asks Soapy what he’s doing in the church. And the cop doesn’t believe him when he said “nothing”. Soapy begins to argue the cop takes him to prison. The next day the judge decides to put Soapy in the prison for three months.