the americanization of edward bok-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃The　Barefoot　Boy〃；　Tennyson　wrote　out　a　stanza　or　two　of　〃The　Brook；〃　upon　condition　that　Edward　would　not　again　use　the　word　〃awful；〃　which　the　poet　said　〃is　slang　for　'very；'〃　and　〃I　hate　slang。〃

One　day　the　boy　received　a　letter　from　the　Confederate　general　Jubal　A。　Early；　giving　the　real　reason　why　he　burned　Chambersburg。　A　friend　visiting　Edward's　father；　happening　to　see　the　letter；　recognized　in　it　a　hitherto…missing　bit　of　history；　and　suggested　that　it　be　published　in　the　New　York　Tribune。　The　letter　attracted　wide　attention　and　provoked　national　discussion。

This　suggested　to　the　editor　of　The　Tribune　that　Edward　might　have　other　equally　interesting　letters；　so　he　despatched　a　reporter　to　the　boy's　home。　This　reporter　was　Ripley　Hitchcock；　who　afterward　became　literary　adviser　for　the　Appletons　and　Harpers。　Of　course　Hitchcock　at　once　saw　a　〃story〃　in　the　boy's　letters；　and　within　a　few　days　The　Tribune　appeared　with　a　long　article　on　its　principal　news　page　giving　an　account　of　the　Brooklyn　boy's　remarkable　letters　and　how　he　had　secured　them。　The　Brooklyn　Eagle　quickly　followed　with　a　request　for　an　interview；　the　Boston　Globe　followed　suit；　the　Philadelphia　Public　Ledger　sent　its　New　York　correspondent；　and　before　Edward　was　aware　of　it；　newspapers　in　different　parts　of　the　country　were　writing　about　〃the　well…known　Brooklyn　autograph　collector。〃

Edward　Bok　was　quick　to　see　the　value　of　the　publicity　which　had　so　suddenly　come　to　him。　He　received　letters　from　other　autograph　collectors　all　over　the　country　who　sought　to　〃exchange〃　with　him。　References　began　to　creep　into　letters　from　famous　persons　to　whom　he　had　written；　saying　they　had　read　about　his　wonderful　collection　and　were　proud　to　be　included　in　it。　George　W。　Childs；　of　Philadelphia；　himself　the　possessor　of　probably　one　of　the　finest　collections　of　autograph　letters　in　the　country；　asked　Edward　to　come　to　Philadelphia　and　bring　his　collection　with　himwhich　he　did；　on　the　following　Sunday；　and　brought　it　back　greatly　enriched。

Several　of　the　writers　felt　an　interest　in　a　boy　who　frankly　told　them　that　he　wanted　to　educate　himself；　and　asked　Edward　to　come　and　see　them。　Accordingly；　when　they　lived　in　New　York　or　Brooklyn；　or　came　to　these　cities　on　a　visit；　he　was　quick　to　avail　himself　of　their　invitations。　He　began　to　note　each　day　in　the　newspapers　the　〃distinguished　arrivals〃　at　the　New　York　hotels；　and　when　any　one　with　whom　he　had　corresponded　arrived；　Edward　would；　after　business　hours；　go　up…town；　pay　his　respects；　and　thank　him　in　person　for　his　letters。　No　person　was　too　high　for　Edward's　boyish　approach；　President　Garfield；　General　Grant；　General　Sherman；　President　Hayesall　were　called　upon；　and　all　received　the　boy　graciously　and　were　interested　in　the　problem　of　his　self…education。　It　was　a　veritable　case　of　making　friends　on　every　hand；　friends　who　were　to　be　of　the　greatest　help　and　value　to　the　boy　in　his　after…years；　although　he　had　no　conception　of　it　at　the　time。

The　Fifth　Avenue　Hotel；　in　those　days　the　stopping…place　of　the　majority　of　the　famous　men　and　women　visiting　New　York；　represented　to　the　young　boy　who　came　to　see　these　celebrities　the　very　pinnacle　of　opulence。　Often　while　waiting　to　be　received　by　some　dignitary；　he　wondered　how　one　could　acquire　enough　means　to　live　at　a　place　of　such　luxury。　The　main　dining…room；　to　the　boy's　mind；　was　an　object　of　special　interest。　He　would　purposely　sneak　up…stairs　and　sit　on　one　of　the　soft　sofas　in　the　foyer　simply　to　see　the　well…dressed　diners　go　in　and　come　out。　Edward　would　speculate　on　whether　the　time　would　ever　come　when　he　could　dine　in　that　wonderful　room　just　once！

One　evening　he　called；　after　the　close　of　business；　upon　General　and　Mrs。　Grant；　whom　he　had　met　before；　and　who　had　expressed　a　desire　to　see　his　collection。　It　can　readily　be　imagined　what　a　red…letter　day　it　made　in　the　boy's　life　to　have　General　Grant　say：　〃It　might　be　better　for　us　all　to　go　down　to　dinner　first　and　see　the　collection　afterward。〃　Edward　had　purposely　killed　time　between　five　and　seven　o'clock；　thinking　that　the　general's　dinner…hour；　like　his　own；　was　at　six。　He　had　allowed　an　hour　for　the　general　to　eat　his　dinner；　only　to　find　that　he　was　still　to　begin　it。　The　boy　could　hardly　believe　his　ears；　and　unable　to　find　his　voice；　he　failed　to　apologize　for　his　modest　suit　or　his　general　after…business　appearance。

As　in　a　dream　he　went　down　in　the　elevator　with　his　host　and　hostess；　and　when　the　party　of　three　faced　toward　the　dining…room　entrance；　so　familiar　to　the　boy；　he　felt　as　if　his　legs　must　give　way　under　him。　There　have　since　been　other　red…letter　days　in　Edward　Bok's　life；　but　the　moment　that　still　stands　out　preeminent　is　that　when　two　colored　head　waiters　at　the　dining…room　entrance；　whom　he　had　so　often　watched；　bowed　low　and　escorted　the　party　to　their　table。　At　last；　he　was　in　that　sumptuous　dining…hall。　The　entire　room　took　on　the　picture　of　one　great　eye；　and　that　eye　centred　on　the　party　of　threeas；　in　fact；　it　naturally　would。　But　Edward　felt　that　the　eye　was　on　him；　wondering　why　he　should　be　there。

What　he　ate　and　what　he　said　he　does　not　recall。　General　Grant；　not　a　voluble　talker　himself；　gently　drew　the　boy　out；　and　Mrs。　Grant　seconded　him；　until　toward　the　close　of　the　dinner　he　heard　himself　talking。　He　remembers　that　he　heard　his　voice；　but　what　that　voice　said　is　all　dim　to　him。　One　act　stamped　itself　on　his　mind。　The　dinner　ended　with　a　wonderful　dish　of　nuts　and　raisins；　and　just　before　the　party　rose　from　the　table　Mrs。　Grant　asked　the　waiter　to　bring　her　a　paper　bag。　Into　this　she　emptied　the　entire　dish；　and　at　the　close　of　the　evening　she　gave　it　to　Edward　〃to　eat　on　the　way　home。〃　It　was　a　wonderful　evening；　afterward　up…stairs；　General　Grant　smoking　the　inevitable　cigar；　and　telling　stories　as　he　read　the　letters　of　different　celebrities。　Over　those　of　Confederate　generals　he　grew　reminiscent；　and　when　he　came　to　a　letter　from　General　Sherman；　Edward　remembers　that　he　chuckled　audibly；　reread　it；　and　then　turning　to　Mrs。　Grant；　said：　〃Julia；　listen　to　this　from　Sherman。　Not　bad。〃　The　letter　he　read　was　this：

〃Dear　Mr。　Bok：

〃I　prefer　not　to　make　scraps　of　sentimental　writing。　When　I　write　anything　I　want　it　to　be　real　and　connected　in　form；　as；　for　instance；　in　your　quotation　from　Lord　Lytton's　play　of　'Richelieu；'　'The　pen　is　mightier　than　the　sword。'　Lord　Lytton　would　never　have　put　his　signature　to　so　naked　a　sentiment。　Surely　I　will　not。

〃In　the　text　there　was　a　prefix　or　qualification：

　　〃Beneath　the　rule　of　men　entirely　great　　　The　pen　is　mightier　than　the　sword。

〃Now；　this　world　does　not　often　present　the　condition　of　facts　herein　described。　Men　entirely　great　are　very　rare　indeed；　and　even　Washington；　who　approached　greatness　as　near　as　any　mortal；　found　good　use　for　the　sword　and　the　pen；　each　in　its　proper　sphere。

〃You　and　I　have　seen　the　day　when　a　great　and　good　man　ruled　this　country　（Lincoln）　who　wielded　a　powerful　and　prolific　pen；　and　yet　had　to　call　to　his　assistance　a　million　of　flaming　swords。

〃No；　I　cannot　subscribe　to　your　sentiment；　'The　pen　is　mightier　than　the　sword；'　which　you　ask　me　to　write；　because　it　is　not　true。

〃Rather；　in　the　providence　of　God；　there　is　a　time　for　all　things；　a　time　when　the　sword　may　cut　the　Gordian　knot；　and　set　free　the　principles　of　right　and　justice；　bound　up　in　the　meshes　of　hatred；　revenge；　and　tyranny；　that　the　pens　of　mighty　men　like　Clay；　Webster；　Crittenden；　and　Lincoln　were　unable　to　disentangle。

〃Wishing　you　all　success；　I　am；　with　respect；　your　friend；

〃W。　T。　Sherman。〃

Mrs。　Grant　had　asked　Edward　to　send　her　a　photograph　of　himself；　and　after　one　had　been　taken；　the　boy　took　it　to　the　Fifth　Avenue　Hotel；　intending　to　ask　the　clerk　to　send　it　to　her　room。　Instead；　he　met　General　and　Mrs。　Grant　just　coming　from　the　elevator；　going　out　to　dinner。　The　boy　told　them　his　errand；　and　said　he　would　have　the　photograph　sent　up…stairs。

〃I　am　so　sorry　we　are　just　going　out　to　dinner；〃　said　Mrs。　Grant；　〃for　the　general　had　some　excellent　photographs　just　taken　of　himself；　and　he　signed　one　for　you；　and　put　it　aside；　intending　to　send　it　to　you　when　yours　cam