the americanization of edward bok-第3章
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ined to his father that this simpler penmanship seemed to him better for practical purposes than the curlicue fancifully embroidered Spencerian style； that if he had to learn penmanship； why not learn the system that was of more possible use in after life？
Now； your Dutchman is nothing if not practical。 He is very simple and direct in his nature； and is very likely to be equally so in his mental view。 Edward's father was distinctly interestedvery much amused； as he confessed to the boy in later yearsin his son's discernment of the futility of the Spencerian style of penmanship。 He agreed with the boy； and； next morning； accompanied him to school and to the principal。 The two men were closeted together； and when they came out Edward was sent to his classroom。 For some weeks he was given no penmanship lessons； and then a new copy…book was given him with a much simpler style。 He pounced upon it； and within a short time stood at the head of his class in writing。
The same instinct that was so often to lead Edward aright in his future life； at its very beginning served him in a singularly valuable way in directing his attention to the study of penmanship； for it was through his legible handwriting that later； in the absence of the typewriter； he was able to secure and satisfactorily fill three positions which were to lead to his final success。
Years afterward Edward had the satisfaction of seeing public…school pupils given a choice of penmanship lessons： one along the flourish lines and the other of a less ornate order。 Of course； the boy never associated the incident of his refusal with the change until later when his mother explained to him that the principal of the school； of whom the father had made a warm friend； was so impressed by the boy's simple but correct view； that he took up the matter with the board of education； and a choice of systems was considered and later decided upon。
From this it will be seen that； unconsciously； Edward Bok had started upon his career of editing！
II。 The First Job： Fifty Cents a Week
The Elder Bok did not find his 〃lines cast in pleasant places〃 in the United States。 He found himself； professionally； unable to adjust the methods of his own land and of a lifetime to those of a new country。 As a result the fortunes of the transplanted family did not flourish； and Edward soon saw his mother physically failing under burdens to which her nature was not accustomed nor her hands trained。 Then he and his brother decided to relieve their mother in the housework by rising early in the morning； building the fire； preparing breakfast； and washing the dishes before they went to school。 After school they gave up their play hours； and swept and scrubbed； and helped their mother to prepare the evening meal and wash the dishes afterward。 It was a curious coincidence that it should fall upon Edward thus to get a first…hand knowledge of woman's housework which was to stand him in such practical stead in later years。
It was not easy for the parents to see their boys thus forced to do work which only a short while before had been done by a retinue of servants。 And the capstone of humiliation seemed to be when Edward and his brother； after having for several mornings found no kindling wood or coal to build the fire； decided to go out of evenings with a basket and pick up what wood they could find in neighboring lots； and the bits of coal spilled from the coal…bin of the grocery…store； or left on the curbs before houses where coal had been delivered。 The mother remonstrated with the boys； although in her heart she knew that the necessity was upon them。 But Edward had been started upon his Americanization career； and answered： 〃This is America； where one can do anything if it is honest。 So long as we don't steal the wood or coal； why shouldn't we get it？〃 And； turning away； the saddened mother said nothing。
But while the doing of these homely chores was very effective in relieving the untrained and tired mother； it added little to the family income。 Edward looked about and decided that the time had come for him； young as he was； to begin some sort of wage…earning。 But how and where？ The answer he found one afternoon when standing before the shop…window of a baker in the neighborhood。 The owner of the bakery； who had just placed in the window a series of trays filled with buns； tarts； and pies； came outside to look at the display。 He found the hungry boy wistfully regarding the tempting…looking wares。
〃Look pretty good； don't they？〃 asked the baker。
〃They would；〃 answered the Dutch boy with his national passion for cleanliness； 〃if your window were clean。〃
〃That's so； too；〃 mused the baker。 〃Perhaps you'll clean it。〃
〃I will；〃 was the laconic reply。 And Edward Bok； there and then； got his first job。 He went in； found a step…ladder； and put so much Dutch energy into the cleaning of the large show…window that the baker immediately arranged with him to clean it every Tuesday and Friday afternoon after school。 The salary was to be fifty cents per week！
But one day； after he had finished cleaning the window； and the baker was busy in the rear of the store； a customer came in； and Edward ventured to wait on her。 Dexterously he wrapped up for another the fragrant currant…buns for which his young souland stomachso hungered！ The baker watched him； saw how quickly and smilingly he served the customer； and offered Edward an extra dollar per week if he would come in afternoons and sell behind the counter。 He immediately entered into the bargain with the understanding that； in addition to his salary of a dollar and a half per week； he should each afternoon carry home from the good things unsold a moderate something as a present to his mother。 The baker agreed； and Edward promised to come each afternoon except Saturday。
〃Want to play ball； hey？〃 said the baker。
〃Yes； I want to play ball；〃 replied the boy； but he was not reserving his Saturday afternoons for games； although； boy…like； that might be his preference。
Edward now took on for each Saturday morningwhen； of course； there was no schoolthe delivery route of a weekly paper called the South Brooklyn Advocate。 He had offered to deliver the entire neighborhood edition of the paper for one dollar； thus increasing his earning capacity to two dollars and a half per week。
Transportation； in those days in Brooklyn； was by horse…cars； and the car…line on Smith Street nearest Edward's home ran to Coney Island。 Just around the corner where Edward lived the cars stopped to water the horses on their long haul。 The boy noticed that the men jumped from the open cars in summer； ran into the cigar…store before which the watering…trough was placed； and got a drink of water from the ice…cooler placed near the door。 But that was not so easily possible for the women； and they； especially the children； were forced to take the long ride without a drink。 It was this that he had in mind when he reserved his Saturday afternoon to 〃play ball。〃
Here was an opening； and Edward decided to fill it。 He bought a shining new pail； screwed three hooks on the edge from which he hung three clean shimmering glasses； and one Saturday afternoon when a car stopped the boy leaped on； tactfully asked the conductor if he did not want a drink； and then proceeded to sell his water； cooled with ice； at a cent a glass to the passengers。 A little experience showed that he exhausted a pail with every two cars； and each pail netted him thirty cents。 Of course Sunday was a most profitable day； and after going to Sunday…school in the morning； he did a further Sabbath service for the rest of the day by refreshing tired mothers and thirsty children on the Coney Island carsat a penny a glass！
But the profit of six dollars which Edward was now reaping in his newly found 〃bonanza〃 on Saturday and Sunday afternoons became apparent to other boys； and one Saturday the young ice…water boy found that he had a competitor； then two and soon three。 Edward immediately met the challenge； he squeezed half a dozen lemons into each pail of water； added some sugar； tripled his charge； and continued his monopoly by selling 〃Lemonade； three cents a glass。〃 Soon more passengers were asking for lemonade than for plain drinking…water！
One evening Edward went to a party of young people； and his latent journalistic sense whispered to him that his young hostess might like to see her social affair in print。 He went home； wrote up the party； being careful to include the name of every boy and girl present； and next morning took the account to the city editor of the Brooklyn Eagle； with the sage observation that every name mentioned in that paragraph represented a buyer of the paper； who would like to see his or her name in print； and that if the editor had enough of these reports he might very advantageously strengthen the circulation of The Eagle。 The editor was not slow to see the point； and offered Edward three dollars a column for such reports。 On his way home； Edward calculated how many parties he would have to attend a week to furnish a column； and decided that he would organize a corps of private reporters himself。 Forthwith； he saw every girl and boy he knew； got each to promise to write for him an account of each party he or she attended or gave； and laid great stress on a full recital of names。 Within a few weeks； Edward was turning in to The Eagle from two to three columns a week； his pay was raised to four dollars a column； the editor was pleased in having started a department that no other paper carried； and the 〃among those present〃 at the parties all bought the paper and were immensely gratified to see their names。
So everybody was happy； and Edward Bok； as a full…fledged reporter； had begun his journalistic career。
It is curious how deeply embedded in his nature； even in his earliest years； was the inclination toward the publishing business。 The word 〃curious〃 is used here because Edward is the first journalist in the Bok family in all the centuries through which it extends in Dutch history。 On his father's side； there was a succession of jurists。 On the mother's side； not a journalist is visible。
Edward attended the Sunday…school of the Carroll Park Methodist Episcopal Church； in Brooklyn； of which a Mr。 Elkins was superintendent。 One day he learned that Mr。 Elkins was associated with the publishing house of Harper and Brothers。 Edward had heard his father speak of Harper's Weekly and of the great part it had played in the Civil War； his father also brought home an occasional copy of Harper's Weekly and of Harper's Magazine。 He had seen Harper's Young People； the name of Harper and Brothers was on some of his school…books； and he pictured in his mind how wonderful it must be for a man to be associated with publishers of periodicals that other people read； and books that other folks studied。 The Sunday…school superintendent henceforth became a figure of importance in Edward's eyes； many a morning the boy hastened from home long before the hour for school； and seated himself on the steps of the Elkins house under the pretext of waiting for Mr。 Elkins's son to go to school； but really for the secret purpose of seeing Mr。 Elkins set forth to engage in the momentous business of making books and
