the americanization of edward bok-第18章

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away　the　results　for　possible　use　later。　He　did　not　make　of　himself　a　pack…horse；　what　he　undertook　he　did　from　interest　in　it；　and　that　made　it　a　pleasure　to　him　when　to　others　it　was　a　burden。　He　instinctively　reasoned　it　out　that　an　unpleasant　task　is　never　accomplished　by　stepping　aside　from　it；　but　that；　unerringly；　it　will　return　later　to　be　met　and　done。

Obstacles；　to　Edward　Bok；　soon　became　merely　difficulties　to　be　overcome；　and　he　trusted　to　his　instinct　to　show　him　the　best　way　to　overcome　them。　He　soon　learned　that　the　hardest　kind　of　work　was　back　of　every　success；　that　nothing　in　the　world　of　business　just　happened；　but　that　everything　was　brought　about；　and　only　in　one　wayby　a　willingness　of　spirit　and　a　determination　to　carry　through。　He　soon　exploded　for　himself　the　misleading　and　comfortable　theory　of　luck：　the　only　lucky　people；　he　found；　were　those　who　worked　hard。　To　them；　luck　came　in　the　shape　of　what　they　had　earned。　There　were　exceptions　here　and　there；　as　there　are　to　every　rule；　but　the　majority　of　these；　he　soon　found；　were　more　in　the　seeming　than　in　the　reality。　Generally　speakingand　of　course　to　this　rule　there　are　likewise　exceptions；　or　as　the　Frenchman　said；　〃All　generalizations　are　false；　including　this　one〃a　man　got　in　this　world　about　what　he　worked　for。

And　that　became；　for　himself；　the　rule　of　Edward　Bok's　life。



XII。　Baptism　Under　Fire

The　personnel　of　the　Scribner　house　was　very　youthful　from　the　members　of　the　firm　clear　down　the　line。　It　was　veritably　a　house　of　young　men。

The　story　is　told　of　a　Boston　publisher；　sedate　and　fairly　elderly；　who　came　to　the　Scribner　house　to　transact　business　with　several　of　its　departments。　One　of　his　errands　concerning　itself　with　advertising；　he　was　introduced　to　Bok；　who　was　then　twenty…four。　Looking　the　youth　over；　he　transacted　his　business　as　well　as　he　felt　it　could　be　transacted　with　a　manager　of　such　tender　years；　and　then　sought　the　head　of　the　educational　department：　this　brought　him　to　another　young　man　of　twenty…four。

With　his　yearnings　for　some　one　more　advanced　in　years　full　upon　him；　the　visitor　now　inquired　for　the　business　manager　of　the　new　magazine；　only　to　find　a　man　of　twenty…six。　His　next　introduction　was　to　the　head　of　the　out…of…town　business　department；　who　was　twenty…seven。

At　this　point　the　Boston　man　asked　to　see　Mr。　Scribner。　This　disclosed　to　him　Mr。　Arthur　H。　Scribner；　the　junior　partner；　who　owned　to　twenty…eight　summers。　Mustering　courage　to　ask　faintly　for　Mr。　Charles　Scribner　himself；　he　finally　brought　up　in　that　gentleman's　office　only　to　meet　a　man　just　turning　thirty…three！

〃This　is　a　young…looking　crowd；〃　said　Mr。　Scribner　one　day；　looking　over　his　young　men。　And　his　eye　rested　on　Bok。　〃Particularly　you；　Bok。　Doubleday　looks　his　years　better　than　you　do；　for　at　least　he　has　a　moustache。〃　Then；　contemplatively：　〃You　raise　a　moustache；　Bok；　and　I'll　raise　your　salary。〃

This　appealed　to　Bok　very　strongly；　and　within　a　month　he　pointed　out　the　result　to　his　employer。　〃Stand　in　the　light　here；〃　said　Mr。　Scribner。　〃Well；　yes；〃　he　concluded　dubiously；　〃it's　theresomething　at　least。　All　right；　I'll　keep　my　part　of　the　bargain。〃

He　did。　But　the　next　day　he　was　nonplussed　to　see　that　the　moustache　had　disappeared　from　the　lip　of　his　youthful　advertising　manager。　〃Couldn't　quite　stand　it；　Mr。　Scribner；〃　was　the　explanation。　〃Besides；　you　didn't　say　I　should　keep　it：　you　merely　said　to　raise　it。〃

But　the　increase　did　not　follow　the　moustache。　To　Bok's　great　relief；　it　stuck！

This　youthful　personnel；　while　it　made　for　esprit　de　corps；　had　also　its　disadvantages。　One　day　as　Bok　was　going　out　to　lunch；　he　found　a　small…statured　man；　rather　plainly　dressed；　wandering　around　the　retail　department；　hoping　for　a　salesman　to　wait　on　him。　The　young　salesman　on　duty；　full　of　inexperience；　had　a　ready　smile　and　quick　service　ever　ready　for　〃carriage　trade；〃　as　he　called　it；　but　this　particular　customer　had　come　afoot；　and　this；　together　with　his　plainness　of　dress；　did　not　impress　the　young　salesman。　His　attention　was　called　to　the　wandering　customer；　and　it　was　suggested　that　he　find　out　what　was　wanted。　When　Bok　returned　from　lunch；　the　young　salesman；　who；　with　a　beaming　smile；　had　just　most　ceremoniously　bowed　the　plainly　dressed　little　customer　out　of　the　street…door；　said：　〃You　certainly　struck　it　rich　that　time　when　you　suggested　my　waiting　on　that　little　man！　Such　an　order！　Been　here　ever　since。　Did　you　know　who　it　was？〃

〃No；〃　returned　Bok。　〃Who　was　it？〃

〃Andrew　Carnegie；〃　beamed　the　salesman。

Another　youthful　clerk　in　the　Scribner　retail　bookstore；　unconscious　of　the　customer's　identity；　waited　one　day　on　the　wife　of　Mark　Twain。

Mrs。　Clemens　asked　the　young　salesman　for　a　copy　of　Taine's　Ancient　Regime。

〃Beg　pardon；〃　said　the　clerk；　〃what　book　did　you　say？〃

Mrs。　Clemens　repeated　the　author　and　title　of　the　book。

Going　to　the　rear　of　the　store；　the　clerk　soon　returned；　only　to　inquire：　〃May　I　ask　you　to　repeat　the　name　of　the　author？〃

〃Taine；　T…a…i…n…e；〃　replied　Mrs。　Clemens。

Then　did　the　youthfulness　of　the　salesman　assert　itself。　Assuming　an　air　of　superior　knowledge；　and　looking　at　the　customer　with　an　air　of　sympathy；　he　corrected　Mrs。　Clemens：

〃Pardon　me；　madam；　but　you　have　the　name　a　trifle　wrong。　You　mean　Twain…not　Taine。〃

With　so　many　young　men　of　the　same　age；　there　was　a　natural　sense　of　team…work　and　a　spirit　of　comradeship　that　made　for　successful　co…operation。　This　spirit　extended　outside　of　business　hours。　At　luncheon　there　was　a　Scribner　table　in　a　neighboring　restaurant；　and　evenings　saw　the　Scribner　department　heads　mingling　as　friends。　It　was　a　group　of　young　men　who　understood　and　liked　each　other；　with　the　natural　result　that　business　went　easier　and　better　because　of　it。

But　Bok　did　not　have　much　time　for　evening　enjoyment；　since　his　outside　interests　had　grown　and　prospered　and　they　kept　him　busy。　His　syndicate　was　regularly　supplying　over　a　hundred　newspapers：　his　literary　letter　had　become　an　established　feature　in　thirty　different　newspapers。

Of　course；　his　opportunities　for　making　this　letter　interesting　were　unusual。　Owing　to　his　Scribner　connection；　however；　he　had　taken　his　name　from　the　letter　and　signed　that　of　his　brother。　He　had；　also；　constantly　to　discriminate　between　the　information　that　he　could　publish　without　violation　of　confidence　and　that　which　he　felt　he　was　not　at　liberty　to　print。　This　gave　him　excellent　experience；　for　the　most　vital　of　all　essentials　in　the　journalist　is　the　ability　unerringly　to　decide　what　to　print　and　what　to　regard　as　confidential。

Of　course；　the　best　things　that　came　to　him　he　could　not　print。　Whenever　there　was　a　question；　he　gave　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　to　the　confidential　relation　in　which　his　position　placed　him　with　authors；　and　his　Dutch　caution；　although　it　deprived　him　of　many　a　toothsome　morsel　for　his　letter；　soon　became　known　to　his　confreres；　and　was　a　large　asset　when；　as　an　editor；　he　had　to　follow　the　golden　rule　of　editorship　that　teaches　one　to　keep　the　ears　open　but　the　mouth　shut。

This　Alpha　and　Omega　of　all　the　commandments　in　the　editorial　creed　some　editors　learn　by　sorrowful　experience。　Bok　was；　again；　fortunate　in　learning　it　under　the　most　friendly　auspices。　He　continued　to　work　without　sparing　himself；　but　his　star　remained　in　the　ascendency。　Just　how　far　a　man's　own　efforts　and　standards　keep　a　friendly　star　centred　over　his　head　is　a　question。　But　Edward　Bok　has　always　felt　that　he　was　materially　helped　by　fortuitous　conditions　not　of　his　own　creation　or　choice。

He　was　now　to　receive　his　first　public　baptism　of　fire。　He　had　published　a　symposium；　through　his　newspaper　syndicate；　discussing　the　question；　〃Should　Clergymen　Smoke？〃　He　had　induced　all　the　prominent　clergymen　in　the　country　to　contribute　their　views；　and　so　distinguished　was　the　list　that　the　article　created　widespread　attention。

One　of　the　contributors　was　the　Reverend　Richard　S。　Storrs；　D。D。；　one　of　the　most　distinguished　of　Brooklyn's　coterie　of　clergy　of　that　day。　A　few　days　after　the　publication　of　the　article；　Bok　was　astounded　to　read　in　the　Brooklyn　Eagle　a　sensational　article；　with　large　headlines；　in　which　Doctor　Storrs　repudiated　his　contribution　to　the　symposium；　declared　that　he　had　never　written　or　signed　such　a　statement；　and　accused　Edward　Bok　of　forgery。

Coming　from　a　man　of　Doctor　Storrs's　prominence；　the　accusation　was；　of　course；　a　serious　one。　Bok　realized　this　at　once。　He　foresaw　the　damage　it　might　work　to　the　reputation　of　a　young　man　trying　to　climb　the　ladder　of　success；　and　wondered　why　Doctor　Storrs　had　seen　fit　to　accuse　him　in　this　public　manner　instead　of　calling　upon　him　for　a　personal　explanation。　He　thought　perhaps　he　might　find　such　a　letter　from　Doctor　Storrs　when　he　reached　home；　but　instead　he　met　a　small　corps　of　reporters　from　the　Brooklyn　and　New　York　newspapers。　He　told　them　frankly　that　no　one　was　more　surprised　at　the　accusation　than　he；　but　that　the　original　contributions　were　in　the　New　York　office　of　the　syndicate；　and　he　could　not　corroborate　his　word　until　he　had　looked　into　the　papers　and　found　Doctor　Storrs's　contribution。

That　evening　Bok　got　at　the　papers　in　the　case；　and　found　out　that；　technically；　Doctor　Storrs　was　right：　he　had　not　written　or　signed　such　a　statement。　The　compiler　of　the　symposium；　the　editor　of　one　of　New　York's　leading　evening　papers　whom　Bok　had　employed；　had　found　Doctor　Storrs's　declaration　in　favor　of　a　clergyman's　use　of　tobacco　in　an　address　made　some　time　before；　had　extracted　it　and　incorporated　it　into　the　symposium。　It　was；　therefore；　Doctor　Storrs's　opinion　on　the　subject；　but　not　written　for　the　occasion　for　which　it　was　used。　Bok　felt　that　his　editor　had　led　him　into　an　indiscretion。　Yet　the　sentiments　were　those　of　the　writer　whose　name　was　attached　to　them；　so　that　the　act　was　not　one　of　forgery。　The　editor　explained　that　he　had　sent　the　extract　to　Doctor　Storrs；　who　had　not　returned　it；　and　he　had　taken　silence　to　mean　consent　to　the　use　of　the　material。

Bok　decided　to　say　nothing　until　he　heard　from　Doctor　Storrs　personally；　and　so　told　the　newspapers。　But　the　clergyman　did　not　stop　his　attack。　Of　course；　the　newspapers　egged　him　on　and　extracted　from　him　the　further　accusation　that　Bok's　silence　proved　his　guilt。　Bok　now　took　the　case　to　Mr。　Beecher；　and　asked　his　advice。

〃Well；　Edward；　you　are　right　and　you　are　wrong；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher。　〃And　so　is　Storrs；　of　course。　It　is　beneath　him　to　do　what　he　has　done。　Storrs　and　I　are　not　good　friends；　as　you　know；　and　so　I　cannot　go　to　him　and　ask　him　the　reason　of　his　disclaimer。　Otherwise　I　would。　Of　course；　he　may　have　forgotten　his　remarks：　that　is　always　possible　in　a　busy　man's　life。　He　may　not　have　received　the　letter　enclosing　them。　That　is　likewise　possible。　But　I　have　a　feeling　that　Storrs　has　some　reason　for　wishing　to　repudiate　his　views　on　this　subject　just　at　this　time。　What　it　is　I　do　not；　of　course；　know；　but　his　vehemence　makes　me　think　so。　I　think　I　should　let　him　have　his　rein。　Keep　you　quiet。　It　may　damage　you　a　little　here　and　there；　but　in　the　end　it　won't　harm　you。　In　the　main　point；　you　are　right。　You　are　not　a　forger。　The　sentimen