the americanization of edward bok-第15章

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idation　was　in　view　or　had　even　been　considered。　Down　tumbled　the　stock；　of　course。

But　it　so　happened　that　Edward　knew　the　rumor　was　true；　because　Mr。　Gould；　some　time　before；　had　personally　given　him　the　contract　of　consolidation　to　copy。　The　next　day　a　rumor　to　the　effect　that　the　American　Union　was　to　absorb　the　Western　Union　appeared　on　the　first　page　of　every　New　York　newspaper。　Edward　knew　exactly　whence　this　rumor　emanated。　He　had　heard　it　talked　over。　Again；　Western　Union　stock　dropped　several　points。　Then　he　noticed　that　Mr。　Gould　became　a　heavy　buyer。　So　became　Edwardas　heavy　as　he　could。　Jay　Gould　pooh…poohed　the　latest　rumor。　The　boy　awaited　developments。

On　Sunday　afternoon；　Edward's　Sunday…school　teacher　asked　the　boy　to　walk　home　with　him；　and　on　reaching　the　house　took　him　into　the　study　and　asked　him　whether　he　felt　justified　in　putting　all　his　savings　in　Western　Union　just　at　that　time　when　the　price　was　tumbling　so　fast　and　the　market　was　so　unsteady。　Edward　assured　his　teacher　that　he　was　right；　although　he　explained　that　he　could　not　disclose　the　basis　of　his　assurance。

Edward　thought　his　teacher　looked　worried；　and　after　a　little　there　came　the　revelation　that　he；　seeing　that　Edward　was　buying　to　his　limit；　had　likewise　done　so。　But　the　broker　had　bought　on　margin；　and　had　his　margin　wiped　out　by　the　decline　in　the　stock　caused　by　the　rumors。　He　explained　to　Edward　that　he　could　recoup　his　losses；　heavy　though　they　werein　fact；　he　explained　that　nearly　everything　he　possessed　was　involvedif　Edward's　basis　was　sure　and　the　stock　would　recover。

Edward　keenly　felt　the　responsibility　placed　upon　him。　He　could　never　clearly　diagnose　his　feelings　when　he　saw　his　teacher　in　this　new　light。　The　broker's　〃customers〃　had　been　hinted　at；　and　the　boy　of　eighteen　wondered　how　far　his　responsibility　went；　and　how　many　persons　were　involved。　But　the　deal　came　out　all　right；　for　when；　three　days　afterward；　the　contract　was　made　public；　Western　Union；　of　course；　skyrocketed；　Jay　Gould　sold　out；　Edward　sold　out；　the　teacher…broker　sold　out；　and　all　the　customers　sold　out！

How　long　a　string　it　was　Edward　never　discovered；　but　he　determined　there　and　then　to　end　his　Wall　Street　experience；　his　original　amount　had　multiplied；　he　was　content　to　let　well　enough　alone；　and　from　that　day　to　this　Edward　Bok　has　kept　out　of　Wall　Street。　He　had　seen　enough　of　its　manipulations；　and；　although　on　〃the　inside；〃　he　decided　that　the　combination　of　his　teacher　and　his　customers　was　a　responsibility　too　great　for　him　to　carry。

Furthermore；　Edward　decided　to　leave　the　Western　Union。　The　longer　he　remained；　the　less　he　liked　its　atmosphere。　And　the　closer　his　contact　with　Jay　Gould　the　more　doubtful　he　became　of　the　wisdom　of　such　an　association　and　perhaps　its　unconscious　influence　upon　his　own　life　in　its　formative　period。

In　fact；　it　was　an　experience　with　Mr。　Gould　that　definitely　fixed　Edward's　determination。　The　financier　decided　one　Saturday　to　leave　on　a　railroad　inspection　tour　on　the　following　Monday。　It　was　necessary　that　a　special　meeting　of　one　of　his　railroad　interests　should　be　held　before　his　departure；　and　he　fixed　the　meeting　for　Sunday　at　eleven…thirty　at　his　residence　on　Fifth　Avenue。　He　asked　Edward　to　be　there　to　take　the　notes　of　the　meeting。

The　meeting　was　protracted；　and　at　one　o'clock　Mr。　Gould　suggested　an　adjournment　for　luncheon；　the　meeting　to　reconvene　at　two。　Turning　to　Edward；　the　financier　said：　〃You　may　go　out　to　luncheon　and　return　in　an　hour。〃　So；　on　Sunday　afternoon；　with　the　Windsor　Hotel　on　the　opposite　corner　as　the　only　visible　place　to　get　something　to　eat；　but　where　he　could　not　afford　to　go；　Edward；　with　just　fifteen　cents　in　his　pocket；　was　turned　out　to　find　a　luncheon　place。

He　bought　three　apples　for　five　centsall　that　he　could　afford　to　spend；　and　even　this　meant　that　he　must　walk　home　from　the　ferry　to　his　house　in　Brooklynand　these　he　ate　as　he　walked　up　and　down　Fifth　Avenue　until　his　hour　was　over。　When　the　meeting　ended　at　three　o'clock；　Mr。　Gould　said　that；　as　he　was　leaving　for　the　West　early　next　morning；　he　would　like　Edward　to　write　out　his　notes；　and　have　them　at　his　house　by　eight　o'clock。　There　were　over　forty　note…book　pages　of　minutes。　The　remainder　of　Edward's　Sunday　afternoon　and　evening　was　spent　in　transcribing　the　notes。　By　rising　at　half　past　five　the　next　morning　he　reached　Mr。　Gould's　house　at　a　quarter　to　eight；　handed　him　the　minutes；　and　was　dismissed　without　so　much　as　a　word　of　thanks　or　a　nod　of　approval　from　the　financier。

Edward　felt　that　this　exceeded　the　limit　of　fair　treatment　by　employer　of　employee。　He　spoke　of　it　to　Mr。　Cary；　and　asked　whether　he　would　object　if　he　tried　to　get　away　from　such　influence　and　secure　another　position。　His　employer　asked　the　boy　in　which　direction　he　would　like　to　go；　and　Edward　unhesitatingly　suggested　the　publishing　business。　He　talked　it　over　from　every　angle　with　his　employer；　and　Mr。　Cary　not　only　agreed　with　him　that　his　decision　was　wise；　but　promised　to　find　him　a　position　such　as　he　had　in　mind。

It　was　not　long　before　Mr。　Cary　made　good　his　word；　and　told　Edward　that　his　friend　Henry　Holt；　the　publisher；　would　like　to　give　him　a　trial。

The　day　before　he　was　to　leave　the　Western　Union　Telegraph　Company　the　fact　of　his　resignation　became　known　to　Mr。　Gould。　The　financier　told　the　boy　there　was　no　reason　for　his　leaving；　and　that　he　would　personally　see　to　it　that　a　substantial　increase　was　made　in　his　salary。　Edward　explained　that　the　salary；　while　of　importance　to　him；　did　not　influence　him　so　much　as　securing　a　position　in　a　business　in　which　he　felt　he　would　be　happier。

〃And　what　business　is　that？〃　asked　the　financier。

〃The　publishing　of　books；〃　replied　the　boy。

〃You　are　making　a　great　mistake；〃　answered　the　little　man；　fixing　his　keen　gray　eyes　on　the　boy。　〃Books　are　a　luxury。　The　public　spends　its　largest　money　on　necessities：　on　what　it　can't　do　without。　It　must　telegraph；　it　need　not　read。　It　can　read　in　libraries。　A　promising　boy　such　as　you　are；　with　his　life　before　him；　should　choose　the　right　sort　of　business；　not　the　wrong　one。〃

But；　as　facts　proved；　the　〃little　wizard　of　Wall　Street〃　was　wrong　in　his　prediction；　Edward　Bok　was　not　choosing　the　wrong　business。

Years　afterward　when　Edward　was　cruising　up　the　Hudson　with　a　yachting　party　one　Saturday　afternoon；　the　sight　of　Jay　Gould's　mansion；　upon　approaching　Irvington；　awakened　the　desire　of　the　women　on　board　to　see　his　wonderful　orchid　collection。　Edward　explained　his　previous　association　with　the　financier　and　offered　to　recall　himself　to　him；　if　the　party　wished　to　take　the　chance　of　recognition。　A　note　was　written　to　Mr。　Gould；　and　sent　ashore；　and　the　answer　came　back　that　they　were　welcome　to　visit　the　orchid　houses。　Jay　Gould；　in　person；　received　the　party；　and；　placing　it　under　the　personal　conduct　of　his　gardener；　turned　to　Edward　and；　indicating　a　bench；　said：　〃Come　and　sit　down　here　with　me。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　financier；　who　was　in　his　domestic　mood；　quite　different　from　his　Wall　Street　aspect；　〃I　see　in　the　papers　that　you　seem　to　be　making　your　way　in　the　publishing　business。〃

Edward　expressed　surprise　that　the　Wall　Street　magnate　had　followed　his　work。

〃I　have　because　I　always　felt　you　had　it　in　you　to　make　a　successful　man。　But　not　in　that　business；〃　he　added　quickly。　〃You　were　born　for　the　Street。　You　would　have　made　a　great　success　there；　and　that　is　what　I　had　in　mind　for　you。　In　the　publishing　business　you　will　go　just　so　far；　in　the　Street　you　could　have　gone　as　far　as　you　liked。　There　is　room　there；　there　is　none　in　the　publishing　business。　It's　not　too　late　now；　for　that　matter；〃　continued　the　〃little　wizard；〃　fastening　his　steel　eyes　on　the　lad　beside　him！

And　Edward　Bok　has　often　speculated　whither　Jay　Gould　might　have　led　him。　To　many　a　young　man；　a　suggestion　from　such　a　source　would　have　seemed　the　one　to　heed　and　follow。　But　Edward　Bok's　instinct　never　failed　him。　He　felt　that　his　path　lay　far　apart　from　that　of　Jay　Gouldand　the　farther　the　better！

In　1882　Edward；　with　a　feeling　of　distinct　relief；　left　the　employ　of　the　Western　Union　Telegraph　Company　and　associated　hims