the americanization of edward bok-第22章
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the periodical field； especially since； under Mr。 Doubleday's guidance； the little monthly soon developed into a literary magazine of very respectable size and generally bookish contents。
The house also issued another periodical； The Presbyterian Review； a quarterly under the editorship of a board of professors connected with the Princeton and Union Theological Seminaries。 This ponderous…looking magazine was not composed of what one might call 〃light reading；〃 and as the price of a single copy was eighty cents； and the advertisements it could reasonably expect were necessarily limited in number； the periodical was rather difficult to move。 Thus the whole situation at the Scribners' was adapted to give Edward an all…round training in the publishing business。 It was an exceptional opportunity。
He worked early and late。 An increase in his salary soon told him that he was satisfying his employers； and then； when the new Scribner's Magazine appeared； and a little later Mr。 Doubleday was delegated to take charge of the business end of it； Bok himself was placed in charge of the advertising department； with the publishing details of the two periodicals on his hands。
He suddenly found himself directing a stenographer instead of being a stenographer himself。 Evidently his apprentice days were over。 He had； in addition； the charge of sending all the editorial copies of the new books to the press for review； and of keeping a record of those reviews。 This naturally brought to his desk the authors of the house who wished to see how the press received their works。
The study of the writers who were interested in following the press notices of their books； and those who were indifferent to them became a fascinating game to young Bok。 He soon discovered that the greater the author the less he seemed to care about his books once they were published。 Bok noticed this； particularly； in the case of Robert Louis Stevenson； whose work had attracted him； but； although he used the most subtle means to inveigle the author into the office to read the press notices； he never succeeded。 Stevenson never seemed to have the slightest interest in what the press said of his books。
One day Mr。 Burlingame asked Bok to take some proofs to Stevenson at his home； thinking it might be a propitious moment to interest the author in the popular acclaim that followed the publication of Doctor Jekyll and Mr。 Hyde； Bok put a bunch of press notices in his pocket。 He found the author in bed； smoking his inevitable cigarette。
As the proofs were to be brought back； Bok waited； and thus had an opportunity for nearly two hours to see the author at work。 No man ever went over his proofs more carefully than did Stevenson； his corrections were numerous； and sometimes for ten minutes at a time he would sit smoking and thinking over a single sentence； which； when he had satisfactorily shaped it in his mind； he would recast on the proof。
Stevenson was not a prepossessing figure at these times。 With his sallow skin and his black dishevelled hair； with finger…nails which had been allowed to grow very long； with fingers discolored by tobaccoin short； with a general untidiness that was all his own； Stevenson； so Bok felt； was an author whom it was better to read than to see。 And yet his kindliness and gentleness more than offset the unattractiveness of his physical appearance。
After one or two visits from Bok； having grown accustomed to him； Stevenson would discuss some sentence in an article； or read some amended paragraph out loud and ask whether Bok thought it sounded better。 To pass upon Stevenson as a stylist was； of course； hardly within Bok's mental reach； so he kept discreetly silent when Stevenson asked his opinion。
In fact； Bok reasoned it out that the novelist did not really expect an answer or an opinion； but was at such times thinking aloud。 The mental process； however； was immensely interesting； particularly when Stevenson would ask Bok to hand him a book on words lying on an adjacent table。 〃So hard to find just the right word；〃 Stevenson would say； and Bok got his first realization of the truth of the maxim： 〃Easy writing； hard reading； hard writing； easy reading。〃
On this particular occasion when Stevenson finished； Bok pulled out his clippings； told the author how his book was being received； and was selling； what the house was doing to advertise it； explained the forthcoming play by Richard Mansfield； and then offered the press notices。
Stevenson took the bundle and held it in his hand。
〃That's very nice to tell me all you have；〃 he said； 〃and I have been greatly interested。 But you have really told me all about it； haven't you； so why should I read these notices？ Hadn't I better get busy on another paper for Mr。 Burlingame for the next magazine； else he'll be after me？ You know how impatient these editors are。〃 And he handed back the notices。
Bok saw it was of no use： Stevenson was interested in his work； but； beyond a certain point； not in the world's reception of it。 Bok's estimate of the author rose immeasurably。 His attitude was in such sharp contrast to that of others who came almost daily into the office to see what the papers said； often causing discomfiture to the young advertising director by insisting upon taking the notices with them。 But Bok always countered this desire by reminding the author that； of course； in that case he could not quote from these desirable notices in his advertisements of the book。 And； invariably； the notices were left behind！
It now fell to the lot of the young advertiser to arouse the interest of the public in what were to be some of the most widely read and best…known books of the day： Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr。 Jekyll and Mr。 Hyde； Frances Hodgson Burnett's Little Lord Fauntleroy； Andrew Carnegie's Triumphant Democracy； Frank R。 Stockton's The Lady； or the Tiger？ and his Rudder Grange； and a succession of other books。
The advertising of these books keenly sharpened the publicity sense of the developing advertising director。 One book could best be advertised by the conventional means of the display advertisement； another； like Triumphant Democracy； was best served by sending out to the newspapers a 〃broadside〃 of pungent extracts； public curiosity in a novel like The Lady； or the Tiger？ was； of course； whetted by the publication of literary notes as to the real denouement the author had in mind in writing the story。 Whenever Mr。 Stockton came into the office Bok pumped him dry as to his experiences with the story； such as when； at a dinner party； his hostess served an ice…cream lady and a tiger to the author； and the whole company watched which he chose。
〃And which did you choose？〃 asked the advertising director。
〃Et tu； Brute？〃 Stockton smilingly replied。 〃Well； I'll tell you。 I asked the butler to bring me another spoon； and then； with a spoon in each hand； I attacked both the lady and the tiger at the same time。〃
Once； when Stockton was going to Boston by the night boat； every room was taken。 The ticket agent recognized the author； and promised to get him a desirable room if the author would tell which he had had in mind； the lady or the tiger。
〃Produce the room；〃 answered Stockton。
The man did。 Stockton paid for it； and then said： 〃To tell you the truth； my friend； I don't know。〃
And that was the truth； as Mr。 Stockton confessed to his friends。 The idea of the story had fascinated him； when he began it he purposed to give it a definite ending。 But when he reached the end he didn't know himself which to produce out of the open door； the lady or the tiger； 〃and so；〃 he used to explain； 〃I made up my mind to leave it hanging in the air。〃
To the present generation of readers； all this reference to Stockton's story may sound strange； but for months it was the most talked…of story of the time； and sold into large numbers。
One day while Mr。 Stockton was in Bok's office； A。 B。 Frost； the illustrator； came in。 Frost had become a full…fledged farmer with one hundred and twenty acres of Jersey land； and Stockton had a large farm in the South which was a financial burden to him。
〃Well； Stockton；〃 said Frost； 〃I have found a way at last to make a farm stop eating up money。
