the americanization of edward bok-第14章
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It is here that Edward's autographic acquaintances stood him in good stead。 He went in turn to each noted person he had met； explained his plight and stated his ambitions； with the result that very soon the magazine and the public were surprised at the distinction of the contributors to The Brooklyn Magazine。 Each number contained a noteworthy list of them； and when an article by the President of the United States； then Rutherford B。 Hayes； opened one of the numbers； the public was astonished； since up to that time the unwritten rule that a President's writings were confined to official pronouncements had scarcely been broken。 William Dean Howells； General Grant； General Sherman； Phillips Brooks； General Sheridan； Canon Farrar； Cardinal Gibbons； Marion Harland； Margaret Sangsterthe most prominent men and women of the day； some of whom had never written for magazinesbegan to appear in the young editor's contents。 Editors wondered how the publishers could afford it； whereas； in fact； not a single name represented an honorarium。 Each contributor had come gratuitously to the aid of the editor。
At first； the circulation of the magazine permitted the boys to wrap the copies themselves； and then they； with two other boys； would carry as huge bundles as they could lift； put them late at night on the front platform of the street…cars； and take them to the postoffice。 Thus the boys absolutely knew the growth of their circulation by the weight of their bundles and the number of their front…platform trips each month。 Soon a baker's hand…cart was leased for an evening； and that was added to the capacity of the front platforms。 Then one eventful month it was seen that a horse…truck would have to be employed。 Within three weeks； a double horse…truck was necessary； and three trips had to be made。
By this time Edward Bok had become so intensely interested in the editorial problem； and his partner in the periodical publishing part； that they decided to sell out their theatre…programme interests and devote themselves to the magazine and its rapidly increasing circulation。 All of Edward's editorial work had naturally to be done outside of his business hours； in other words； in the evenings and on Sundays； and the young editor found himself fully occupied。 He now revived the old idea of selecting a subject and having ten or twenty writers express their views on it。 It was the old symposium idea； but it had not been presented in American journalism for a number of years。 He conceived the topic 〃Should America Have a Westminster Abbey？〃 and induced some twenty of the foremost men and women of the day to discuss it。 When the discussion was presented in the magazine； the form being new and the theme novel； Edward was careful to send advance sheets to the newspapers； which treated it at length in reviews and editorials； with marked effect upon the circulation of the magazine。
All this time； while Edward Bok was an editor in his evenings he was； during the day； a stenographer and clerk of the Western Union Telegraph Company。 The two occupations were hardly compatible； but each meant a source of revenue to the boy； and he felt he must hold on to both。
After his father passed away； the position of the boy's desknext to the empty desk of his fatherwas a cause of constant depression to him。 This was understood by the attorney for the company； Mr。 Clarence Cary； who sought the head of Edward's department； with the result that Edward was transferred to Mr。 Cary's department as the attorney's private stenographer。
Edward had been much attracted to Mr。 Cary； and the attorney believed in the boy； and decided to show his interest by pushing him along。 He had heard of the dual role which Edward was playing； he bought a copy of the magazine； and was interested。 Edward now worked with new zest for his employer and friend； while in every free moment he read law； feeling that； as almost all his forbears had been lawyers； he might perhaps be destined for the bar。 This acquaintance with the fundamental basis of law； cursory as it was； became like a gospel to Edward Bok。 In later years； he was taught its value by repeated experience in his contact with corporate laws； contracts； property leases； and other matters； and he determined that； whatever the direction of activity taken by his sons； each should spend at least a year in the study of law。
The control of the Western Union Telegraph Company had now passed into the hands of Jay Gould and his companions； and in the many legal matters arising therefrom； Edward saw much； in his office； of 〃the little wizard of Wall Street。〃 One day； the financier had to dictate a contract； and； coming into Mr。 Cary's office； decided to dictate it then and there。 An hour afterward Edward delivered the copy of the contract to Mr。 Gould； and the financier was so struck by its accuracy and by the legibility of the handwriting that afterward he almost daily 〃happened in〃 to dictate to Mr。 Cary's stenographer。 Mr。 Gould's private stenographer was in his own office in lower Broadway； but on his way down…town in the morning Mr。 Gould invariably stopped at the Western Union Building； at 195 Broadway； and the habit resulted in the installation of a private office there。 He borrowed Edward to do his stenography。 The boy found himself taking not only letters from Mr。 Gould's dictation； but； what interested him particularly； the financier's orders to buy and sell stock。
Edward watched the effects on the stock…market of these little notes which he wrote out and then shot through a pneumatic tube to Mr。 Gould's brokers。 Naturally； the results enthralled the boy； and he told Mr。 Cary about his discoveries。 This； in turn； interested Mr。 Cary； Mr。 Gould's dictations were frequently given in Mr。 Cary's own office； where； as his desk was not ten feet from that of his stenographer； the attorney heard them； and began to buy and sell according to the magnate's decisions。
Edward had now become tremendously interested in the stock game which he saw constantly played by the great financier； and having a little money saved up； he concluded that he would follow in the wake of Mr。 Gould's orders。 One day； he naively mentioned his desire to Mr。 Gould； when the financier seemed in a particularly favorable frame of mind； but Edward did not succeed in drawing out the advice he hoped for。 〃At least；〃 reasoned Edward； 〃he knew of my intention； and if he considered it a violation of confidence he would have said as much。〃
Construing the financier's silence to mean at least not a prohibition； Edward went to his Sunday…school teacher； who was a member of a Wall Street brokerage firm； laid the facts before him； and asked him if he would buy for him some Western Union stock。 Edward explained； however； that somehow he did not like the gambling idea of buying 〃on margin；〃 and preferred to purchase the stock outright。 He was shown that this would mean smaller profits； but the boy had in mind the loss of his father's fortune； brought about largely by 〃stock margins；〃 and he did not intend to follow that example。 So； prudently； under the brokerage of his Sunday…school teacher； and guided by the tips of no less a man than the controlling factor of stock…market finance； Edward Bok took his first plunge in Wall Street！
Of course the boy's buying and selling tallied precisely with the rise and fall of Western Union stock。 It could scarcely have been otherwise。 Jay Gould had the cards all in his hands； and as he bought and sold； so Edward bought and sold。 The trouble was； the combination did not end there； as Edward might have foreseen had he been older and thus wiser。 For as Edward bought and sold； so did his Sunday…school teacher； and all his customers who had seen the wonderful acumen of their broker in choosing exactly the right time to buy and sell Western Union。 But Edward did not know this。
One day a rumor became current on the Street that an agreement had been reached by the Western Union Company and its bitter rival； the American Union Telegraph Company； whereby the former was to absorb the latter。 Naturally； the report affected Western Union stock。 But Mr。 Gould denied it in toto； said the report was not true； no such consolidation was in view or had
