the americanization of edward bok-第53章

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the　opportunity　for　doing　a　piece　of　constructive　work　that　might　prove　second　to　none　that　he　had　ever　done；　made　its　appeal。

〃You　mean　for　me　to　be　the　active　head？〃　asked　the　colonel。

〃Could　you　be　anything　else；　colonel？〃　answered　Bok。

〃Quite　so；〃　said　the　colonel。　〃That's　about　right。　Do　you　know；〃　he　pondered；　〃I　think　Edie　（Mrs。　Roosevelt）　might　like　me　to　do　something　like　that。　She　would　figure　it　would　keep　me　out　of　mischief　in　1920；〃　and　the　colonel's　smile　spread　over　his　face。

〃Bok；〃　he　at　last　concluded；　〃do　you　know；　after　all；　I　think　you've　said　something！　Let's　think　it　over。　Let's　see　how　I　get　along　with　this　trouble　of　mine。　I　am　not　sure；　you　know；　how　far　I　can　go　in　the　future。　Not　at　all　sure；　you　knownot　at　all。　That　last　trip　of　mine　to　South　America　was　a　bit　too　much。　Shouldn't　have　done　it；　you　know。　I　know　it　now。　Well；　as　I　say；　let's　both　think　it　over　and　through；　I　will；　gladly　and　most　carefully。　There's　much　in　what　you　say；　it's　a　great　chance；　I'd　love　doing　it。　By　Jove！　it　would　be　wonderful　to　rally　a　million　boys　for　real　Americanism；　as　you　say。　It　looms　up　as　I　think　it　over。　Suppose　we　let　it　simmer　for　a　month　or　two。〃

And　so　it　was　leftfor　〃a　month　or　two。〃　It　was　to　be　foreverunfortunately。　Edward　Bok　has　always　felt　that　the　most　worth…while　idea　that　ever　came　to　him　had；　for　some　reason　he　never　could　understand；　come　too　late。　He　felt；　as　he　will　always　feel；　that　the　boys　of　America　had　lost　a　national　leader　that　might　have　led　themwhere　would　have　been　the　limit？



XXV。　The　President　and　the　Boy

One　of　the　incidents　connected　with　Edward　Bok　that　Theodore　Roosevelt　never　forgot　was　when　Bok's　eldest　boy　chose　the　colonel　as　a　Christmas　present。　And　no　incident　better　portrays　the　wonderful　character　of　the　colonel　than　did　his　remarkable　response　to　the　compliment。

A　vicious　attack　of　double　pneumonia　had　left　the　heart　of　the　boy　very　weakand　Christmas　was　close　by！　So　the　father　said：

〃It's　a　quiet　Christmas　for　you　this　year；　boy。　Suppose　you　do　this：　think　of　the　one　thing　in　the　world　that　you　would　rather　have　than　anything　else　and　I'll　give　you　that；　and　that　will　have　to　be　your　Christmas。〃

〃I　know　now；〃　came　the　instant　reply。

〃But　the　world　is　a　big　place；　and　there　are　lots　of　things　in　it；　you　know。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　said　the　boy；　〃but　this　is　something　I　have　wanted　for　a　long　time；　and　would　rather　have　than　anything　else　in　the　world。〃　And　he　looked　as　if　he　meant　it。

〃Well；　out　with　it；　then；　if　you're　so　sure。〃

And　to　the　father's　astonished　ears　came　this　request：

〃Take　me　to　Washington　as　soon　as　my　heart　is　all　right；　introduce　me　to　President　Roosevelt；　and　let　me　shake　hands　with　him。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　the　father；　after　recovering　from　his　surprise。　〃I'll　see　whether　I　can　fix　it。〃　And　that　morning　a　letter　went　to　the　President　saying　that　he　had　been　chosen　as　a　Christmas　present。　Naturally；　any　man　would　have　felt　pleased；　no　matter　how　high　his　station；　and　for　Theodore　Roosevelt；　father　of　boys；　the　message　had　a　special　appeal。

The　letter　had　no　sooner　reached　Washington　than　back　came　an　answer；　addressed　not　to　the　father　but　to　the　boy！　It　read：

〃The　White　House；　Washington。

〃November　13th；　1907。

〃Dear　Curtis：

〃Your　father　has　just　written　me；　and　I　want　him　to　bring　you　on　and　shake　hands　with　me　as　soon　as　you　are　well　enough　to　travel。　Then　I　am　going　to　give　you；　myself；　a　copy　of　the　book　containing　my　hunting　trips　since　I　have　been　President；　unless　you　will　wait　until　the　new　edition；　which　contains　two　more　chapters；　is　out。　If　so；　I　will　send　it　to　you；　as　this　new　edition　probably　won't　be　ready　when　you　come　on　here。

〃Give　my　warm　regards　to　your　father　and　mother。

〃Sincerely　yours；

〃Theodore　Roosevelt。〃

Here　was　joy　serene！　But　the　boy's　heart　had　acted　queerly　for　a　few　days；　and　so　the　father　wrote；　thanked　the　President；　and　said　that　as　soon　as　the　heart　moderated　a　bit　the　letter　would　be　given　the　boy。　It　was　a　rare　bit　of　consideration　that　now　followed。　No　sooner　had　the　father's　letter　reached　the　White　House　than　an　answer　came　back　by　first　postthis　time　with　a　special…delivery　stamp　on　it。　It　was　Theodore　Roosevelt；　the　father；　who　wrote　this　time；　his　mind　and　time　filled　with　affairs　of　state；　and　yet　full　of　tender　thoughtfulness　for　a　little　boy：

〃Dear　Mr。　Bok：

〃I　have　your　letter　of　the　16th　instant。　I　hope　the　little　fellow　will　soon　be　all　right。　Instead　of　giving　him　my　letter；　give　him　a　message　from　me　based　on　the　letter；　if　that　will　be　better　for　him。　Tell　Mrs。　Bok　how　deeply　Mrs。　Roosevelt　and　I　sympathize　with　her。　We　know　just　how　she　feels。

〃Sincerely　yours；

〃Theodore　Roosevelt。〃

〃That's　pretty　fine　consideration；〃　said　the　father。　He　got　the　letter　during　a　business　conference　and　he　read　it　aloud　to　the　group　of　business　men。　Some　there　were　in　that　group　who　keenly　differed　with　the　President　on　national　issues；　but　they　were　all　fathers；　and　two　of　the　sturdiest　turned　and　walked　to　the　window　as　they　said：　〃Yes；　that　is　fine！〃

Then　came　the　boy's　pleasure　when　he　was　handed　the　letter；　the　next　few　days　were　spent　inditing　an　answer　to　〃my　friend；　the　President。〃　At　last　the　momentous　epistle　seemed　satisfactory；　and　off　to　the　busy　presidential　desk　went　the　boyish　note；　full　of　thanks　and　assurances　that　he　would　come　just　as　soon　as　he　could；　and　that　Mr。　Roosevelt　must　not　get　impatient！

The　〃soon　as　he　could〃　time；　however；　did　not　come　as　quickly　as　all　had　hoped！a　little　heart　pumped　for　days　full　of　oxygen　and　accelerated　by　hypodermic　injections　is　slow　to　mend。　But　the　President's　framed　letter；　hanging　on　the　spot　on　the　wall　first　seen　in　the　morning；　was　a　daily　consolation。

Then；　in　March；　although　four　months　after　the　promiseand　it　would　not　have　been　strange；　in　his　busy　life；　for　the　President　to　have　forgotten　or　at　least　overlooked　iton　the　very　day　that　the　book　was　published　came　a　special　〃large…paper〃　copy　of　The　Outdoor　Pastimes　of　an　American　Hunter；　and　on　the　fly…leaf　there　greeted　the　boy；　in　the　President's　own　hand：

〃To　Master　Curtis　Bok；

〃With　the　best　wishes　of　his　friend；

〃Theodore　Roosevelt。

〃March　11；　1908。〃

The　boy's　cup　was　now　full；　and　so　said　his　letter　to　the　President。　And　the　President　wrote　back　to　the　father：　〃I　am　really　immensely　amused　and　interested；　and　shall　be　mighty　glad　to　see　the　little　fellow。〃

In　the　spring；　on　a　beautiful　May　day；　came　the　great　moment。　The　mother　had　to　go　along；　the　boy　insisted；　to　see　the　great　event；　and　so　the　trio　found　themselves　shaking　the　hand　of　the　President's　secretary　at　the　White　House。

〃Oh；　the　President　is　looking　for　you；　all　right；〃　he　said　to　the　boy；　and　then　the　next　moment　the　three　were　in　a　large　room。　Mr。　Roosevelt；　with　beaming　face；　was　already　striding　across　the　room；　and　with　a　〃Well；　well；　and　so　this　is　my　friend　Curtis！〃　the　two　stood　looking　into　each　other's　faces；　each　fairly　wreathed　in　smiles；　and　each　industriously　shaking　the　hand　of　the　other。

〃Yes；　Mr。　President；　I'm　mighty　glad　to　see　you！〃　said　the　boy。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　you；　Curtis；〃　returned　Mr。　Roosevelt。

Then　there　came　a　white　rose　from　the　presidential　desk　for　the　mother；　but　after　that　father　and　mother　might　as　well　have　faded　away。　Nobody　existed　save　the　President　and　the　boy。　The　anteroom　was　full；　in　the　Cabinet…room　a　delegation　waited　to　be　addressed。　But　affairs　of　state　were　at　a　complete　standstill　as；　with　boyish　zeal；　the　President　became　oblivious　to　all　but　the　boy　before　him。

〃Now；　Curtis；　I've　got　some　pictures　here　of　bears　that　a　friend　of　mine　has　just　shot。　Look　at　that　whopper；　fifteen　hundred　poundsthat's　as　much　as　a　horse　weighs；　you　know。　Now；　my　friend　shot　him〃and　it　was　a　toss…up　who　was　the　more　keenly　interested；　the　real　boy　or　the　man…boy；　as　picture　after　picture　came　out　and　bear　adventure　crowded　upon　the　heels　of　bear　adventure。

〃Gee；　he's　a　corker；　all　right！〃　came　from　the　boy　at　one　point；　and　then；　from　the　President：　〃That's　right；　he　is　a　corker。　Now　you　see　his　head　here〃and　then　both　were　off　again。

The　private　secretary　came　in　at　this　point　an