the americanization of edward bok-第16章

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In　1882　Edward；　with　a　feeling　of　distinct　relief；　left　the　employ　of　the　Western　Union　Telegraph　Company　and　associated　himself　with　the　publishing　business　in　which　he　had　correctly　divined　that　his　future　lay。

His　chief　regret　on　leaving　his　position　was　in　severing　the　close　relations；　almost　as　of　father　and　son；　between　Mr。　Cary　and　himself。　When　Edward　was　left　alone；　with　the　passing　away　of　his　father；　Clarence　Cary　had　put　his　sheltering　arm　around　the　lonely　boy；　and　with　the　tremendous　encouragement　of　the　phrase　that　the　boy　never　forgot；　〃I　think　you　have　it　in　you；　Edward；　to　make　a　successful　man；〃　he　took　him　under　his　wing。　It　was　a　turning…point　in　Edward　Bok's　life；　as　he　felt　at　the　time　and　as　he　saw　more　clearly　afterward。

He　remained　in　touch　with　his　friend；　however；　keeping　him　advised　of　his　progress　in　everything　he　did；　not　only　at　that　time；　but　all　through　his　later　years。　And　it　was　given　to　Edward　to　feel　the　deep　satisfaction　of　having　Mr。　Cary　say；　before　he　passed　away；　that　the　boy　had　more　than　justified　the　confidence　reposed　in　him。　Mr。　Cary　lived　to　see　him　well　on　his　way；　until；　indeed；　Edward　had　had　the　proud　happiness　of　introducing　to　his　benefactor　the　son　who　bore　his　name；　Cary　William　Bok。



VIII。　Starting　a　Newspaper　Syndicate

Edward　felt　that　his　daytime　hours；　spent　in　a　publishing　atmosphere　as　stenographer　with　Henry　Holt　and　Company；　were　more　in　line　with　his　editorial　duties　during　the　evenings。　The　Brooklyn　Magazine　was　now　earning　a　comfortable　income　for　its　two　young　proprietors；　and　their　backers　were　entirely　satisfied　with　the　way　it　was　being　conducted。　In　fact；　one　of　these　backers；　Mr。　Rufus　T。　Bush；　associated　with　the　Standard　Oil　Company；　who　became　especially　interested；　thought　he　saw　in　the　success　of　the　two　boys　a　possible　opening　for　one　of　his　sons；　who　was　shortly　to　be　graduated　from　college。　He　talked　to　the　publisher　and　editor　about　the　idea；　but　the　boys　showed　by　their　books　that　while　there　was　a　reasonable　income　for　them；　not　wholly　dependent　on　the　magazine；　there　was　no　room　for　a　third。

Mr。　Bush　now　suggested　that　he　buy　the　magazine　for　his　son；　alter　its　name；　enlarge　its　scope；　and　make　of　it　a　national　periodical。　Arrangements　were　concluded；　those　who　had　financially　backed　the　venture　were　fully　paid；　and　the　two　boys　received　a　satisfactory　amount　for　their　work　in　building　up　the　magazine。　Mr。　Bush　asked　Edward　to　suggest　a　name　for　the　new　periodical；　and　in　the　following　month　of　May；　1887；　The　Brooklyn　Magazine　became　The　American　Magazine；　with　its　publication　office　in　New　York。　But；　though　a　great　deal　of　money　was　spent　on　the　new　magazine；　it　did　not　succeed。　Mr。　Bush　sold　his　interest　in　the　periodical；　which；　once　more　changing　its　name；　became　The　Cosmopolitan　Magazine。　Since　then　it　has　passed　through　the　hands　of　several　owners；　but　the　name　has　remained　the　same。　Before　Mr。　Bush　sold　The　American　Magazine　he　had　urged　Edward　to　come　back　to　it　as　its　editor；　with　promise　of　financial　support；　but　the　young　man　felt　instinctively　that　his　return　would　not　be　wise。　The　magazine　had　been　The　Cosmopolitan　only　a　short　time　when　the　new　owners；　Mr。　Paul　J。　Slicht　and　Mr。　E。　D。　Walker；　also　solicited　the　previous　editor　to　accept　reappointment。　But　Edward；　feeling　that　his　baby　had　been　rechristened　too　often　for　him　to　father　it　again；　declined　the　proposition。　He　had　not　heard　the　last　of　it；　however；　for；　by　a　curious　coincidence；　its　subsequent　owner；　entirely　ignorant　of　Edward's　previous　association　with　the　magazine；　invited　him　to　connect　himself　with　it。　Thus　three　times　could　Edward　Bok　have　returned　to　the　magazine　for　whose　creation　he　was　responsible。

Edward　was　now　without　editorial　cares；　but　he　had　already；　even　before　disposing　of　the　magazine；　embarked　on　another　line　of　endeavor。　In　sending　to　a　number　of　newspapers　the　advance　sheets　of　a　particularly　striking　〃feature〃　in　one　of　his　numbers　of　The　Brooklyn　Magazine；　it　occurred　to　him　that　he　was　furnishing　a　good　deal　of　valuable　material　to　these　papers　without　cost。　It　is　true　his　magazine　was　receiving　the　advertising　value　of　editorial　comment；　but　the　boy　wondered　whether　the　newspapers　would　not　be　willing　to　pay　for　the　privilege　of　simultaneous　publication。　An　inquiry　or　two　proved　that　they　would。　Thus　Edward　stumbled　upon　the　〃syndicate〃　plan　of　furnishing　the　same　article　to　a　group　of　newspapers；　one　in　each　city；　for　simultaneous　publication。　He　looked　over　the　ground；　and　found　that　while　his　idea　was　not　a　new　one；　since　two　〃syndicate〃　agencies　already　existed；　the　field　was　by　no　means　fully　covered；　and　that　the　success　of　a　third　agency　would　depend　entirely　upon　its　ability　to　furnish　the　newspapers　with　material　equally　good　or　better　than　they　received　from　the　others。　After　following　the　material　furnished　by　these　agencies　for　two　or　three　weeks；　Edward　decided　that　there　was　plenty　of　room　for　his　new　ideas。

He　discussed　the　matter　with　his　former　magazine　partner；　Colver；　and　suggested　that　if　they　could　induce　Mr。　Beecher　to　write　a　weekly　comment　on　current　events　for　the　newspapers　it　would　make　an　auspicious　beginning。　They　decided　to　talk　it　over　with　the　famous　preacher。　For　to　be　a　〃Plymouth　boy〃that　is；　to　go　to　the　Plymouth　Church　Sunday…school　and　to　attend　church　therewas　to　know　personally　and　become　devoted　to　Henry　Ward　Beecher。　And　the　two　were　synonymous。　There　was　no　distance　between　Mr。　Beecher　and　his　〃Plymouth　boys。〃　Each　understood　the　other。　The　tie　was　that　of　absolute　comradeship。

〃I　don't　believe　in　it；　boys；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher　when　Edward　and　his　friend　broached　the　syndicate　letter　to　him。　〃No　one　yet　ever　made　a　cent　out　of　my　supposed　literary　work。〃

All　the　more　reason；　was　the　argument；　why　some　one　should。

Mr。　Beecher　smiled！　How　well　he　knew　the　youthful　enthusiasm　that　rushes　in；　etc。

〃Well；　all　right；　boys！　I　like　your　pluck；〃　he　finally　said。　〃I'll　help　you　if　I　can。〃

The　boys　agreed　to　pay　Mr。　Beecher　a　weekly　sum　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollarswhich　he　knew　was　considerable　for　them。

When　the　first　article　had　been　written　they　took　him　their　first　check。　He　looked　at　it　quizzically；　and　then　at　the　boys。　Then　he　said　simply：　〃Thank　you。〃　He　took　a　pin　and　pinned　the　check　to　his　desk。　There　it　remained；　much　to　the　curiosity　of　the　two　boys。

The　following　week　he　had　written　the　second　article　and　the　boys　gave　him　another　check。　He　pinned　that　up　over　the　other。　〃I　like　to　look　at　them；〃　was　his　only　explanation；　as　he　saw　Edward's　inquiring　glance　one　morning。

The　third　check　was　treated　the　same　way。　When　the　boys　handed　him　the　fourth；　one　morning；　as　he　was　pinning　it　up　over　the　others；　he　asked：　〃When　do　you　get　your　money　from　the　newspapers？〃

He　was　told　that　the　bills　were　going　out　that　morning　for　the　four　letters　constituting　a　month's　service。

〃I　see；〃　he　remarked。

A　fortnight　passed；　then　one　day　Mr。　Beecher　asked：　〃Well；　how　are　the　checks　coming　in？〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　was　assured。

〃Suppose　you　let　me　see　how　much　you've　got　in；〃　he　suggested；　and　the　boys　brought　the　accounts　to　him。

After　looking　at　them　he　said：　〃That's　very　interesting。　How　much　have　you　in　the　bank？〃

He　was　told　the　balance；　less　the　checks　given　to　him。　〃But　I　haven't　turned　them　in　yet；〃　he　explained。　〃Anyhow；　you　have　enough　in　bank　to　meet　the　checks　you　have　given　me；　and　a　profit　besides；　haven't　you？〃

He　was　assured　they　had。

Then；　taking　his　bank…book　from　a　drawer；　he　unpinned　the　six　checks　on　his　desk；　indorsed　each　thus：　wrote　a　deposit…slip；　and；　handing　the　book　to　Edward；　said：

　　For　deposit　（？？）　in　Bank　　　H。　W。　Beecher

〃Just　hand　that　in　at　the　bank　as　you　go　by；　will　you？〃

Edward　was　very　young　then；　and　Mr。　Beecher's　methods　of　financiering　seemed　to　him　quite　in　line　with　current　notions　of　the　Plymouth　pastor's　lack　of　business　knowledge。　But　as　the　years　rolled　on　the　incident　appeared　in　a　new　lighta　striking　example　of　the　great　preacher's　wonderful　considerateness。

Edward　had　offered　to　help　Mr。　Beecher　with　his　correspondence；　at　the　close　of　one　afternoon；　while　he　was　with　the　Plymouth　pastor　at