the americanization of edward bok-第26章

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ed。〃　Bok　knew　it　was　of　no　use　trying　to　curb　Field's　industry；　and　so　he　wired　the　editor　of　the　Chicago　News　for　his　cooperation。　Field；　now　checked；　asked　Bok　and　his　fiancee　and　the　parents　of　both　to　come　to　Chicago；　be　his　guests　for　the　World's　Fair；　and　〃let　me　make　amends。〃

It　was　a　happy　visit。　Field　was　all　kindness；　and；　of　course；　the　entire　party　was　charmed　by　his　personality。　But　the　boy　in　him　could　not　be　repressed。　He　had　kept　it　down　all　through　the　visit。　〃No；　not　a　joke…cross　my　heart；〃　he　would　say；　and　then　he　invited　the　party　to　lunch　with　him　on　their　way　to　the　train　when　they　were　leaving　for　home。　〃But　we　shall　be　in　our　travelling　clothes；　not　dressed　for　a　luncheon；〃　protested　the　women。　It　was　an　unfortunate　protest；　for　it　gave　Field　an　idea！　〃Oh；〃　he　assured　them；　〃just　a　goodbye　luncheon　at　the　club；　just　you　folks　and　Julia　and　me。〃　They　believed　him；　only　to　find　upon　their　arrival　at　the　club　an　assembly　of　over　sixty　guests　at　one　of　the　most　elaborate　luncheons　ever　served　in　Chicago；　with　each　woman　guest　carefully　enjoined　by　Field；　in　his　invitation；　to　〃put　on　her　prettiest　and　most　elaborate　costume　in　order　to　dress　up　the　table！〃

One　day　Field　came　to　Philadelphia　to　give　a　reading　in　Camden　in　conjunction　with　George　W。　Cable。　It　chanced　that　his　friend；　Francis　Wilson；　was　opening　that　same　evening　in　Philadelphia　in　a　new　comic　opera　which　Field　had　not　seen。　He　immediately　refused　to　give　his　reading；　and　insisted　upon　going　to　the　theatre。　The　combined　efforts　of　his　manager；　Wilson；　Mr。　Cable；　and　his　friends　finally　persuaded　him　to　keep　his　engagement　and　join　in　a　double…box　party　later　at　the　theatre。　To　make　sure　that　he　would　keep　his　lecture　appointment；　Bok　decided　to　go　to　Camden　with　him。　Field　and　Cable　were　to　appear　alternately。

Field　went　on　for　his　first　number；　and　when　he　came　off；　he　turned　to　Bok　and　said：　〃No　use；　Bok；　I'm　a　sick　man。　I　must　go　home。　Cable　can　see　this　through；〃　and　despite　every　protestation　Field　bundled　himself　into　his　overcoat　and　made　for　his　carriage。　〃Sick；　Bok；　really　sick；〃　he　muttered　as　they　rode　along。　Then　seeing　a　fruit…stand　he　said：　〃Buy　me　a　bag　of　oranges；　like　a　good　fellow。　They'll　do　me　good。

When　Philadelphia　was　reached；　he　suggested：　〃Do　you　know　I　think　it　would　do　me　good　to　go　and　see　Frank　in　the　new　play？　Tell　the　driver　to　go　to　the　theatre　like　a　good　boy。〃　Of　course；　that　had　been　his　intent　all　along！　When　the　theatre　was　reached　he　insisted　upon　taking　the　oranges　with　him。　〃They'll　steal　'em　if　you　leave　'em　there；〃　he　said。

Field　lost　all　traces　of　his　supposed　illness　the　moment　he　reached　the　box。　Francis　Wilson　was　on　the　stage　with　Marie　Jansen。　〃Isn't　it　beautiful？〃　said　Field；　and　directing　the　attention　of　the　party　to　the　players；　he　reached　under　his　chair　for　the　bag　of　oranges；　took　one　out；　and　was　about　to　throw　it　at　Wilson　when　Bok　caught　his　arm；　took　the　orange　away　from　him；　and　grabbed　the　bag。　Field　never　forgave　Bok　for　this　act　of　watchfulness。　〃Treason；〃　he　hissed〃going　back　on　a　friend。〃

The　one　object　of　Field's　ambition　was　to　achieve　the　distinction　of　so　〃fussing〃　Francis　Wilson　that　he　would　be　compelled　to　ring　down　the　curtain。　He　had　tried　every　conceivable　trick：　had　walked　on　the　stage　in　one　of　Wilson's　scenes；　had　started　a　quarrel　with　an　usher　in　the　audienceeverything　that　ingenuity　could　conceive　he　had　practised　on　his　friend。　Bok　had　known　this　penchant　of　Field's；　and　when　he　insisted　on　taking　the　bag　of　oranges　into　the　theatre；　Field's　purpose　was　evident！

One　day　Bok　received　a　wire　from　Field：　〃City　of　New　Orleans　purposing　give　me　largest　public　reception　on　sixth　ever　given　an　author。　Event　of　unusual　quality。　Mayor　and　city　officials　peculiarly　desirous　of　having　you　introduce　me　to　vast　audience　they　propose　to　have。　Hate　to　ask　you　to　travel　so　far；　but　would　be　great　favor　to　me。　Wire　answer。〃　Bok　wired　back　his　willingness　to　travel　to　New　Orleans　and　oblige　his　friend。　It　occurred　to　Bok；　however；　to　write　to　a　friend　in　New　Orleans　and　ask　the　particulars。　Of　course；　there　was　never　any　thought　of　Field　going　to　New　Orleans　or　of　any　reception。　Bok　waited　for　further　advices；　and　a　long　letter　followed　from　Field　giving　him　a　glowing　picture　of　the　reception　planned。　Bok　sent　a　message　to　his　New　Orleans　friend　to　be　telegraphed　from　New　Orleans　on　the　sixth：　〃Find　whole　thing　to　be　a　fake。　Nice　job　to　put　over　on　me。　Bok。〃　Field　was　overjoyed　at　the　apparent　success　of　his　joke　and　gleefully　told　his　Chicago　friends　all　about　ituntil　he　found　out　that　the　joke　had　been　on　him。　〃Durned　dirty；　I　call　it；〃　he　wrote　Bok。

It　was　a　lively　friendship　that　Eugene　Field　gave　to　Edward　Bok；　full　of　anxieties　and　of　continuous　forebodings；　but　it　was　worth　all　that　it　cost　in　mental　perturbation。　No　rarer　friend　ever　lived：　in　his　serious　moments　he　gave　one　a　quality　of　unforgetable　friendship　that　remains　a　precious　memory。　But　his　desire　for　practical　jokes　was　uncontrollable：　it　meant　being　constantly　on　one's　guard；　and　even　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　com