the americanization of edward bok-第36章

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　then　the　pranks　could　not　always　be　thwarted！



XVIII。　Building　Up　a　Magazine

The　newspaper　paragraphers　were　now　having　a　delightful　time　with　Edward　Bok　and　his　woman's　magazine；　and　he　was　having　a　delightful　time　with　them。　The　editor's　publicity　sense　made　him　realize　how　valuable　for　his　purposes　was　all　this　free　advertising。　The　paragraphers　believed；　in　their　hearts；　that　they　were　annoying　the　young　editor；　they　tried　to　draw　his　fire　through　their　articles。　But　he　kept　quiet；　put　his　tongue　in　his　cheek；　and　determined　to　give　them　some　choice　morsels　for　their　wit。

He　conceived　the　idea　of　making　familiar　to　the　public　the　women　who　were　back　of　the　successful　men　of　the　day。　He　felt　sure　that　his　readers　wanted　to　know　about　these　women。　But　to　attract　his　newspaper　friends　he　labelled　the　series；　〃Unknown　Wives　of　Well…Known　Men〃　and　〃Clever　Daughters　of　Clever　Men。〃

The　alliterative　titles　at　once　attracted　the　paragraphers；　they　fell　upon　them　like　hungry　trout；　and　a　perfect　fusillade　of　paragraphs　began。　This　is　exactly　what　the　editor　wanted；　and　he　followed　these　two　series　immediately　by　inducing　the　daughter　of　Charles　Dickens　to　write　of　〃My　Father　as　I　Knew　Him；〃　and　Mrs。　Henry　Ward　Beecher；　of　〃Mr。　Beecher　as　I　Knew　Him。〃　Bok　now　felt　that　he　had　given　the　newspapers　enough　ammunition　to　last　for　some　time；　and　he　turned　his　attention　to　building　up　a　more　permanent　basis　for　his　magazine。

The　two　authors　of　that　day　who　commanded　more　attention　than　any　others　were　William　Dean　Howells　and　Rudyard　Kipling。　Bok　knew　that　these　two　would　give　to　his　magazine　the　literary　quality　that　it　needed；　and　so　he　laid　them　both　under　contribution。　He　bought　Mr。　Howells's　new　novel；　〃The　Coast　of　Bohemia；〃　and　arranged　that　Kipling's　new　novelette　upon　which　he　was　working　should　come　to　the　magazine。　Neither　the　public　nor　the　magazine　editors　had　expected　Bok　to　break　out　along　these　more　permanent　lines；　and　magazine　publishers　began　to　realize　that　a　new　competitor　had　sprung　up　in　Philadelphia。　Bok　knew　they　would　feel　this；　so　before　he　announced　Mr。　Howells's　new　novel；　he　contracted　with　the　novelist　to　follow　this　with　his　autobiography。　This　surprised　the　editors　of　the　older　magazines；　for　they　realized　that　the　Philadelphia　editor　had　completely　tied　up　the　leading　novelist　of　the　day　for　his　next　two　years'　output。

Meanwhile；　in　order　that　the　newspapers　might　be　well　supplied　with　barbs　for　their　shafts；　he　published　an　entire　number　of　his　magazine　written　by　famous　daughters　of　famous　men。　This　unique　issue　presented　contributions　by　the　daughters　of　Charles　Dickens；　Nathaniel　Hawthorne；　President　Harrison；　Horace　Greeley；　William　M。　Thackeray；　William　Dean　Howells；　General　Sherman；　Julia　Ward　Howe；　Jefferson　Davis；　Mr。　Gladstone；　and　a　score　of　others。　This　issue　simply　filled　the　paragraphers　with　glee。　Then　once　more　Bok　turned　to　material　calculated　to　cement　the　foundation　for　a　more　permanent　structure。

He　noted；　early　in　its　progress；　the　gathering　strength　of　the　drift　toward　woman　suffrage；　and　realized　that　the　American　woman　was　not　prepared；　in　her　knowledge　of　her　country；　to　exercise　the　privilege　of　the　ballot。　Bok　determined　to　supply　the　deficiency　to　his　readers；　and　concluded　to　put　under　contract　the　President　of　the　United　States；　Benjamin　Harrison；　the　moment　he　left　office；　to　write　a　series　of　articles　explaining　the　United　States。　No　man　knew　this　subject　better　than　the　President；　none　could　write　better；　and　none　would　attract　such　general　attention　to　his　magazine；　reasoned　Bok。　He　sought　the　President；　talked　it　over　with　him；　and　found　him　favorable　to　the　idea。　But　the　President　was　in　doubt　at　that　time　whether　he　would　be　a　candidate　for　another　term；　and　frankly　told　Bok　that　he　would　be　taking　too　much　risk　to　wait　for　him。　He　suggested　that　the　editor　try　to　prevail　upon　his　then　secretary　of　state；　James　G。　Blaine；　to　undertake　the　series；　and　offered　to　see　Mr。　Blaine　and　induce　him　to　a　favorable　consideration。　Bok　acquiesced；　and　a　few　days　afterward　received　from　Mr。　Blaine　a　request　to　come　to　Washington。

Bok　had　had　a　previous　experience　with　Mr。　Blaine　which　had　impressed　him　to　an　unusual　degree。　Many　years　before；　he　had　called　upon　him　at　his　hotel　in　New　York；　seeking　his　autograph；　had　been　received；　and　as　the　statesman　was　writing　his　signature　he　said：　〃Your　name　is　a　familiar　one　to　me。　I　have　had　correspondence　with　an　Edward　Bok　who　is　secretary　of　state　for　the　Transvaal　Republic。　Are　you　related　to　him？〃

Bok　explained　that　this　was　his　uncle；　and　that　he　was　named　for　him。

Years　afterward　Bok　happened　to　be　at　a　public　meeting　where　Mr。　Blaine　was　speaking；　and　the　statesman；　seeing　him；　immediately　called　him　by　name。　Bok　knew　of　the　reputed　marvels　of　Mr。　Blaine's　memory；　but　this　proof　of　it　amazed　him。

〃It　is　simply　inconceivable；　Mr。　Blaine；〃　said　Bok；　〃that　you　should　remember　my　name　after　all　these　years。〃

〃Not　at　all；　my　boy；〃　returned　Mr。　Blaine。　〃Memorizing　is　simply　association。　You　associate　a　fact　or　an　incident　with　a　name　and　you　remember　the　name。　It　never　leaves　you。　The　moment　I　saw　you　I　remembered　you　told　me　that　your　uncle　was　secretary　of　state　for　the　Transvaal。　That　at　once　brought　your　name　to　me。　You　see　how　simple　a　trick　it　is。〃

But　Bok　did　not　see；　since　remembering　the　incident　was　to　him　an　even　greater　feat　of　memory　than　recalling　the　name。　It　was　a　case　of　having　to　remember　two　things　instead　of　one。

At　all　events；　Bok　was　no　stranger　to　James　G。　Blaine　when　he　called　upon　him　at　his　Lafayette　Place　home　in　Washington。

〃You've　gone　ahead　in　the　world　some　since　I　last　saw　you；〃　was　the　statesman's　greeting。　〃It　seems　to　go　with　the　name。〃

This　naturally　broke　the　ice　for　the　editor　at　once。

〃Let's　go　to　my　library　where　we　can　talk　quietly。　What　train　are　you　making　back　to　Philadelphia；　by　the　way？〃

〃The　four；　if　I　can；〃　replied　Bok。

〃Excuse　me　a　moment；〃　returned　Mr。　Blaine；　and　when　he　came　back　to　the　room；　he　said：　〃Now　let's　talk　over　this　interesting　proposition　that　the　President　has　told　me　about。〃

The　two　discussed　the　matter　and　completed　arrangements　whereby　Mr。　Blaine　was　to　undertake　the　work。　Toward　the　latter　end　of　the　talk；　Bok　had　covertlyas　he　thoughtlooked　at　his　watch　to　keep　track　of　his　train。

〃It's　all　right　about　that　train；〃　came　from　Mr。　Blaine；　with　his　back　toward　Bok；　writing　some　data　of　the　talk　at　his　desk。　〃You'll　make　it　all　right。〃

Bok　wondered　how　he　should；　as　it　then　lacked　only　seventeen　minutes　of　four。　But　as　Mr。　Blaine　reached　the　front　door；　he　said　to　the　editor：　〃My　carriage　is　waiting　at　the　curb　to　take　you　to　the　station；　and　the　coachman　has　your　seat　in　the　parlor　car。〃

And　with　this　knightly　courtesy；　Mr。　Blaine　shook　hands　with　Bok；　who　was　never　again　to　see　him；　nor　was　the　contract　ever　to　be　fulfilled。　For　early　in　1893　Mr。　Blaine　passed　away　without　having　begun　the　work。

Again　Bok　turned　to　the　President；　and　explained　to　him　that；　for　some　reason　or　other；　the　way　seemed　to　point　to　him　to　write　the　articles　himself。　By　that　time　President　Harrison　had　decided　that　he　would　not　succeed　himself。　Accordingly　he　entered　into　an　agreement　with　the　editor　to　begin　to　write　the　articles　immediately　upon　his　retirement　from　office。　And　the　day　after　Inauguration　Day　every　newspaper　contained　an　Associated　Press　despatch　announcing　the　former　President's　contract　with　The　Ladies'　Home　Journal。

Shortly　afterward；　Benjamin　Harrison's　articles　on　〃This　Country　of　Ours〃　successfully　appeared　in　the　magazine。

During　Bok's　negotiations　with　President　Harrison　in　connection　with　his　series　of　articles；　he　was　called　to　the　White　House　for　a　conference。　It　was　midsummer。　Mrs。　Harrison　was　away　at　the　seashore；　and　the　President　was　taking　advantage　of　her　absence　by　working　far　into　the　night。

The　President；　his　secretary；　and　Bok　sat　down　to　dinner。

The　Marine　Band　was　giving　its　weekly　concert　on　the　green；　and　after　dinner　the　President　suggested　that　Bok　and　he　adjourn　to　the　〃back　lot〃　and　enjoy　the　music。

〃You　have　a　coat？〃　asked　the　President。

〃No；　thank　you；〃　Bok　answer