By 1915 Jim promised to be back home.

Jim promised to be back home by Christmas 1915.

Explanation:

The answer to this question can be found in the short story "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry. The story is about a young couple, Jim and Della, who are struggling to make ends meet but are determined to give each other meaningful Christmas gifts. In order to afford a special present for Jim, Della sells her long, beautiful hair, while Jim sells his most prized possession, his pocket watch, to buy Della a set of combs.

Towards the end of the story, it is revealed that Jim has purchased a set of expensive hair combs for Della as a gift, but has sold his watch to afford them. Della, on the other hand, has bought Jim a chain for his watch, which he can no longer use. The story ends with the couple realizing the sacrifices they have made for each other and the true meaning of love.

In the story, it is mentioned that Jim had promised to be back home by Christmas 1915. This indicates that Jim had been away from home for some time and had promised to return by a specific date. The exact reason for his absence is not stated in the story, but it is implied that he may have been away for work or other reasons.

Therefore, option C (1915) is the correct answer to this question.