Short Fiction · Character

Jeff Peters

A silver-tongued con man who narrates his own graft with the cheerful shamelessness of a man who considers trickery a trade.

major

Also known as Jeff, Peters, Jefferson D. Peters, old Jeff, One-eyed Peters

First appearance: lord oakhurst s curse

As a major figure in Short Fiction, Jeff Peters is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The Chicago hardware drummer who wishes for French Pete's restaurant.

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Jeff Peters is the brain west of the Wabash who runs unillegal graft, preferring honest partners and honest victims he can reduce of surplus cash. In one scheme he tries to soften his weeping wife Clara with endearments to extract a dollar, only to find spring and reconciliation working against him. He matters because his voice—wry, self-aware, endlessly inventive—carries the reader through his schemes and their inevitable, comic reversals.

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See Jeff Peters in lord oakhurst s curse

Character Web

32 connections

A slice of how Jeff Peters sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Con artists and schemers
Military and social types
Diverse ensemble of recurring types
Rural and regional characters

+27 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it captures the precise moment the protagonist’s humor shifts f…

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Relationships

Unknown Narrator
friendship · positive
Jeff Peters is a close friend and occasional partner in schemes, sharing a bond of mutual… How this plays out →
Unknown Narrator
friendship · positive
Jeff Peters is a close friend and occasional partner in schemes, sharing a bond of mutual… How this plays out →
Unknown Narrator
friendship · positive
Jeff Peters is a close friend and occasional partner in schemes, sharing a bond of mutual… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Jeff Peters in lord oakhurst s curse

In the story

Jeff Peters appears across 39 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Solemn Thoughts
The Chicago hardware drummer who wishes for French Pete's restaurant.
An Opportunity Declined
The stranger posing as a railroad engineer attempting to con the farmer.
The Dissipated Jeweler
Not present in this chapter.
Cupid à la Carte
Narrator and protagonist who falls for Mame Dugan and devises a plan to win her affection.
Out of Nazareth
J. Pinkney Bloom is a variant of Jeff Peters, a recurring O. Henry character known for his schemes and occasional moral awakenings.
The Atavism of John Tom Little Bear
Narrator and business manager of the medicine show, recounts the story to the unknown narrator.
The Fourth in Salvador
Mentioned as Jerry, the cook who prepares the barbecue and is wounded during the skirmish.
The Hypotheses of Failure
The breezy client who offers to pay for Mrs. Billings' divorce, revealed to be Henry K. Jessup.
A Madison Square Arabian Night
Not present in this chapter.
One Thousand Dollars
Not present in this chapter.
A Tempered Wind
Narrator and partner in the Golconda scheme; decides with Buck to return investors' money.
The Rathskeller and the Rose
Not present in this chapter.
A Sacrifice Hit
Not present in this chapter.
The Making of a New Yorker
Not present in this chapter.
Babes in the Jungle
Referenced as Montague Silver, the street man and art grafter who advises moving to New York.
The Girl and the Graft
Jeff Peters is the alias used for Ferguson Pogue in this story, who recounts the scheme.
An Adjustment of Nature
Not present in this chapter.
The Buyer from Cactus City
Not present in this chapter.
The Handbook of Hymen
Not present in this chapter.
Calloway's Code
Not directly present; the story focuses on the Enterprise staff.
The Ethics of Pig
The narrator and protagonist, a 'reducer of surplusage' who seeks an honest partner for his graft operations.
Seats of the Haughty
Jeff Peters is the narrator of this story, recounting his experiences with a wealthy Texan named Solly and his own past in Atascosa City.
The Man Higher Up
Narrator and protagonist; a confidence man who prides himself on trade and commerce over labor.
Proof of the Pudding
Not present in this chapter.
The Octopus Marooned
Narrator and partner in the trust scheme; observes Andy's transformation after drinking.
Jeff Peters as a Personal Magnet
Narrator and protagonist; a traveling medicine man selling Resurrection Bitters under the alias Dr. Waugh-hoo.
Modern Rural Sports
Narrator of the story; a con man who tries and fails to swindle Farmer Plunkett.
The Chair of Philanthromathematics
Narrator and co-founder of the World's University; recounts the philanthropic scheme.
The Hand That Riles the World
Narrates the story of the failed lobbying scheme for Bill Humble; skeptical of women's abilities in business and politics.
The Exact Science of Matrimony
Narrator and co-conspirator in the matrimonial agency scheme; he recruits Mrs. Trotter and handles correspondence.
A Midsummer Masquerade
Narrator and con artist who, with Andy Tucker, impersonates a famous explorer at the Woodchuck Inn.
Shearing the Wolf
Narrator and moralizing con artist who orchestrates the shearing of Murkison.
Innocents of Broadway
Narrator and protagonist who struggles with the ethics of taking the cigar man's money without providing a fair exchange.
Conscience in Art
Narrator of the story; expresses a preference for legitimate swindling and a conscience that requires giving something tangible for money.
The Hiding of Black Bill
The red-faced man named Ham, who tells the story of his encounter with Black Bill.
Supply and Demand
Jeff Peters (W. D.) narrates the tale of selling goods to the Peche Indians and confronting King Shane's hoarding of gold-dust.
The Higher Pragmatism
Appears as a central figure in the narrative, embodying pragmatic philosophy.
No Story
Not present in this chapter.
A Poor Rule
Not present in this chapter.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Jeff Peters unlock in the free preview.

See Jeff Peters in lord oakhurst s curse

See Jeff Peters in Solemn Thoughts