the americanization of edward bok-第39章

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〃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　and　whispered　in　the　President's　ear。

〃I　know；　I　know。　I'll　see　him　later。　Say　that　I　am　very　busy　now。〃　And　the　face　beamed　with　smiles。

〃Now；　Mr。　President〃　began　the　father。

〃No；　sir；　no；　sir；　not　at　all。　Affairs　can　wait。　This　is　a　long…standing　engagement　between　Curtis　and　me；　and　that　must　come　first。　Isn't　that　so；　Curtis？〃

Of　course　the　boy　agreed。

Suddenly　the　boy　looked　around　the　room　and　said：

〃Where's　your　gun；　Mr。　President？　Got　it　here？〃

〃No；〃　laughingly　came　from　the　President；　〃but　I'll　tell　you〃and　then　the　two　heads　were　together　again。

A　moment　for　breath…taking　came；　and　the　boy　said：

〃Aren't　you　ever　afraid　of　being　shot？〃

〃You　mean　while　I　am　hunting？〃

〃Oh；　no。　I　mean　as　President。〃

〃No；〃　replied　the　smiling　President。　〃I'll　tell　you；　Curtis；　I'm　too　busy　to　think　about　that。　I　have　too　many　things　to　do　to　bother　about　anything　of　that　sort。　When　I　was　in　battle　I　was　always　too　anxious　to　get　to　the　front　to　think　about　the　shots。　And　herewell；　here　I'm　too　busy　too。　Never　think　about　it。　But　I'll　tell　you；　Curtis；　there　are　some　men　down　there；〃　pointing　out　of　the　window　in　the　direction　of　the　capitol；　〃called　the　Congress；　and　if　they　would　only　give　me　the　four　battleships　I　want；　I'd　be　perfectly　willing　to　have　any　one　take　a　crack　at　me。〃　Then；　for　the　first　time　recognizing　the　existence　of　the　parents；　the　President　said：　〃And　I　don't　know　but　if　they　did　pick　me　off　I'd　be　pretty　well　ahead　of　the　game。〃

Just　in　that　moment　only　did　the　boy…knowing　President　get　a　single　inch　above　the　boy…interest。　It　was　astonishing　to　see　the　natural　accuracy　with　which　the　man　gauged　the　boy…level。

〃Now；　how　would　you　like　to　see　a　bear；　Curtis？〃　came　next。　〃I　know　where　there's　a　beauty；　twelve　hundred　pounds。〃

〃Must　be　some　bear！〃　interjected　the　boy。

〃That's　what　it　is；〃　put　in　the　President。　〃Regular　cinnamon…brown　type〃and　then　off　went　the　talk　to　the　big　bear　at　the　Washington　〃Zoo〃　where　the　President　was　to　send　the　boy。

Then；　after　a　little：　〃Now；　Curtis；　see　those　men　over　there　in　that　room。　They've　travelled　from　all　parts　of　the　country　to　come　here　at　my　invitation；　and　I've　got　to　make　a　little　speech　to　them；　and　I'll　do　that　while　you　go　off　to　see　the　bear。〃

And　then　the　hand　came　forth　to　say　good…by。　The　boy　put　his　in　it；　each　looked　into　the　other's　face；　and　on　neither　was　there　a　place　big　enough　to　put　a　ten…cent　piece　that　was　not　wreathed　in　smiles。　〃He　certainly　is　all　right；〃　said　the　boy　to　the　father；　looking　wistfully　after　the　President。

Almost　to　the　other　room　had　the　President　gone　when　he；　too；　instinctively　looked　back　to　find　the　boy　following　him　with　his　eyes。　He　stopped；　wheeled　around；　and　then　the　two　instinctively　sought　each　other　again。　The　President　came　back；　the　boy　went　forward。　This　time　each　held　out　both　hands；　and　as　each　looked　once　more　into　the　other's　eyes　a　world　of　complete　understanding　was　in　both　faces；　and　every　looker…on　smiled　with　them。

〃Good…by；　Curtis；〃　came　at　last　from　the　President。

〃Good…by；　Mr。　President；〃　came　from　the　boy。

Then；　with　another　pump…handly　shake　and　with　a　〃Gee；　but　he's　great；　all　right！〃　the　boy　went　out　to　see　the　cinnamon…bear　at　the　〃Zoo；〃　and　to　live　it　all　over　in　the　days　to　come。

Two　boy…hearts　had　met；　although　one　of　them　belonged　to　the　President　of　the　United　States。



XXVI。　The　Literary　Back…Stairs

His　complete　absorption　in　the　magazine　work　now　compelled　Bok　to　close　his　newspaper　syndicate　in　New　York　and　end　the　writing　of　his　weekly　newspaper　literary　letter。　He　decided；　however；　to　transfer　to　the　pages　of　his　magazine　his　idea　of　making　the　American　public　more　conversant　with　books　and　authors。　Accordingly；　he　engaged　Robert　Bridges　（the　present　editor　of　Scribner's　Magazine）　to　write　a　series　of　conversational　book…talks　under　his　nom　de　plume　of　〃Droch。〃　Later；　this　was　supplemented　by　the　engagement　of　Hamilton　W。　Mabie；　who　for　years　reviewed　the　newest　books。

In　almost　every　issue　of　the　magazine　there　appeared　also　an　article　addressed　to　the　literary　novice。　Bok　was　eager；　of　course；　to　attract　the　new　authors　to　the　magazine；　but；　particularly；　he　had　in　mind　the　correction　of　the　popular　notion；　then　so　prevalent　（less　so　to…day；　fortunately；　but　still　existent）；　that　only　the　manuscripts　of　famous　authors　were　given　favorable　reading　in　editorial　offices；　that　in　these　offices　there　really　existed　a　clique；　and　that　unless　the　writer　knew　the　literary　back…stairs　he　had　a　slim　chance　to　enter　and　be　heard。

In　the　minds　of　these　misinformed　writers；　these　back…stairs　are　gained　by　〃knowing　the　editor〃　or　through　〃having　some　influence　with　him。〃　These　writers　have　conclusively　settled　two　points　in　their　own　minds：　first；　that　an　editor　is　antagonistic　to　the　struggling　writer；　and；　second；　that　a　manuscript　sent　in　the　ordinary　manner　to　an　editor　never　reaches　him。　Hence；　some　〃influence〃　is　necessary；　and　they　set　about　to　secure　it。

Now；　the　truth　is