the americanization of edward bok-第44章

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〃Exactly；〃　he　replied。　〃So　do　we。　That　fellow　Bok　certainly　has　the　women　buffaloed　for　good。　Ever　see　him？〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　answered　Bok。

〃Live　in　Philadelphia？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃There's　where　the　thing　is　published；　all　right。　What　does　Bok　look　like？〃

〃Oh；〃　answered　Bok　carelessly；　〃just　like；　well；　like　all　of　us。　In　fact；　he　looks　something　like　me。〃

〃Does　he；　now？〃　echoed　the　man。　〃Shouldn't　think　it　would　make　you　very　proud！〃

And；　the　train　pulling　in　at　Baltimore；　Bok's　genial　neighbor　sent　him　a　hearty　good…bye　and　ran　out　with　the　much…maligned　magazine　under　his　arm！

He　had　an　occasion　or　two　now　to　find　out　what　women　thought　of　him！

He　was　leaving　the　publication　building　one　evening　after　office　hours　when　just　as　he　opened　the　front　door；　a　woman　approached。　Bok　explained　that　the　building　was　closed。

〃Well；　I　am　sorry；〃　said　the　woman　in　a　dejected　tone；　〃for　I　don't　think　I　can　manage　to　come　again。〃

〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do？〃　asked　Bok。　〃I　am　employed　here。〃

〃No…o；〃　said　the　woman。　〃I　came　to　see　Mr。　Curtis　on　a　personal　matter。〃

〃I　shall　see　him　this　evening；〃　suggested　Bok；　〃and　can　give　him　a　message　for　you　if　you　like。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　if　you　can。　I　came　to　complain　to　him　about　Mr。　Bok；〃　announced　the　woman。

〃Oh；　well；〃　answered　Bok；　with　a　slight　start　at　the　matter…of…fact　announcement；　〃that　is　serious；　quite　serious。　If　you　will　explain　your　complaint；　I　will　surely　see　that　it　gets　to　Mr。　Curtis。〃

Bok's　interest　grew。

〃Well；　you　see；〃　said　the　woman；　〃it　is　this　way。　I　live　in　a　three…family　flat。　Here　is　my　name　and　card；〃　and　a　card　came　out　of　a　bag。　〃I　subscribe　to　The　Ladies'　Home　Journal。　It　is　delivered　at　my　house　each　month　by　Mr。　Bok。　Now　I　have　told　that　man　three　times　over　that　when　he　delivers　the　magazine；　he　must　ring　the　bell　twice。　But　he　just　persists　in　ringing　once　and　then　that　cat　who　lives　on　the　first　floor　gets　my　magazine；　reads　it；　and　keeps　it　sometimes　for　three　days　before　I　get　it！　Now；　I　want　Mr。　Curtis　to　tell　Mr。　Bok　that　he　must　do　as　I　ask　and　ring　the　bell　twice。　Can　you　give　him　that　message　for　me？　There's　no　use　talking　to　Mr。　Bok；　I've　done　that；　as　I　say。〃

And　Bok　solemnly　assured　his　subscriber　that　he　would！

Bok's　secretary　told　him　one　day　that　there　was　in　the　outer　office　the　most　irate　woman　he　had　ever　tried　to　handle；　that　he　had　tried　for　half　an　hour　to　appease　her；　but　it　was　of　no　use。　She　threatened　to　remain　until　Bok　admitted　her；　and　see　him　she　would；　and　tell　him　exactly　what　she　thought　of　him。　The　secretary　looked　as　if　he　had　been　through　a　struggle。　〃It's　hopeless；〃　he　said。　〃Will　you　see　her？〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Bok。　〃Show　her　in。〃

The　moment　the　woman　came　in；　she　began　a　perfect　torrent　of　abuse。　Bok　could　not　piece　out；　try　as　he　might；　what　it　was　all　about。　But　he　did　gather　from　the　explosion　that　the　woman　considered　him　a　hypocrite　who　wrote　one　thing　and　did　another；　that　he　was　really　a　thief；　stealing　a　woman's　money；　and　so　forth。　There　was　no　chance　of　a　word　for　fully　fifteen　minutes　and　then；　when　she　was　almost　breathless；　Bok　managed　to　ask　if　his　caller　would　kindly　tell　him　just　what　he　had　done。

Another　torrent　of　incoherent　abuse　came　forth；　but　after　a　while　it　became　apparent　that　the　woman's　complaint　was　that　she　had　sent　a　dollar　for　a　subscription　to　The　Ladies'　Home　Journal；　had　never　had　a　copy　of　the　magazine；　had　complained；　and　been　told　there　was　no　record　of　the　money　being　received。　And　as　she　had　sent　her　subscription　to　Bok　personally；　he　had　purloined　the　dollar！

It　was　fully　half　an　hour　before　Bok　could　explain　to　the　irate　woman　that　he　never　remembered　receiving　a　letter　from　her；　that　subscriptions；　even　when　personally　addressed　to　him；　did　not　come　to　his　desk；　etc。；　that　if　she　would　leave　her　name　and　address　he　would　have　the　matter　investigated。　Absolutely　unconvinced　that　anything　would　be　done；　and　unaltered　in　her　opinion　about　Bok；　the　woman　finally　left。

Two　days　later　a　card　was　handed　in　to　the　editor　with　a　note　asking　him　to　see　for　a　moment　the　husband　of　his　irate　caller。　When　the　man　came　in；　he　looked　sheepish　and　amused　in　turn；　and　finally　said：

〃I　hardly　know　what　to　say；　because　I　don't　know　what　my　wife　said　to　you。　But　if　what　she　said　to　me　is　any　index　of　her　talk　with　you；　I　want　to　apologize　for　her　most　profoundly。　She　isn't　well；　and　we　shall　both　have　to　let　it　go　at　that。　As　for　her　subscription；　you；　of　course；　never　received　it；　for；　with　difficulty；　I　finally　extracted　the　fact　from　her　that　she　pinned　a　dollar　bill　to　a　postal　card　and　dropped　it　in　a　street　postal　box。　And　she　doesn't　yet　see　that　she　has　done　anything　extraordinary；　or　that　she　had　a　faith　in　Uncle　Sam　that　I　call　sublime。〃

The　Journal　had　been　calling　the　attention　of　its　readers　to　the　defacement　of　the　landscape　by　billboard　advertisers。　One　day　on　his　way　to　New　York　he　found　himself　sitting　in　a　sleeping…car　section　opposite　a　woman　and　her　daughter。

The　mother　was　looking　at　the　landscape　when　suddenly　she　commented：

〃There　are　some　of　those　ugly　advertising　signs　that　Mr。　Bok　says　are　such　a　defacement　to　the　landscape。　I　never　noticed　them　before；　but　he　is　right；　and　I　am　going　to　write　and　tell　him　so。〃

〃Oh；　mamma；　don't；〃　said　the　girl。　〃That　man　is　pampered　enough　by　women。　Don't　make　him　worse。　Ethel　says　he　is　now　the　vainest　man　in　America。〃

Bok's　eyes　must　have　twinkled；　and　just　then　the　mother　looked　at　him；　caught　his　eye；　she　gave　a　little　gasp；　and　Bok　saw　that　she　had　telepathically　discovered　him！

He　smiled；　raised　his　hat；　presented　his　card　to　the　mother；　and　said：　〃Excuse　me；　but　I　do　want　to　defend　myself　from　that　last　statement；　if　I　may。　I　couldn't　help　overhearing　it。〃

The　mother；　a　woman　of　the　world；　read　the　name　on　the　card　quickly　and　smiled；　but　the　daughter's　face　was　a　study　as　she　leaned　over　and　glanced　at　the　card。　She　turned　scarlet　and　then　white。

〃Now；　do　tell　me；〃　asked　Bok　of　the　daughter；　〃who　'Ethel'　is；　so　that　I　may　try　at　least　to　prove　that　I　am　not　what　she　thinks。〃

The　daughter　was　completely　flustered。　For　the　rest　of　the　journey；　however；　the　talk　was　informal；　the　girl　became　more　at　ease；　and　Bok　ended　by　dining　with　the　mother　and　daughter　at　their　hotel　that　evening。

But　he　never　found　out　〃Ethel's〃　other　name！

There　were　curiously　amusing　sides　to　a　man's　editorship　of　a　woman's　magazine！



XXIX。　An　Excursion　into　the　Feminine　Nature

The　strangling　hold　which　the　Paris　couturiers　had　secured　on　the　American　woman　in　their　absolute　dictation　as　to　her　fashions　in　dress；　had　interested　Edward　Bok　for　some　time。　As　he　studied　the　question；　he　was　constantly　amazed　at　the　audacity　with　which　these　French　dressmakers　and　milliners；　often　themselves　of　little　taste　and　scant　morals；　cracked　the　whip；　and　the　docility　with　which　the　American　woman　blindly　and　unintelligently　danced　to　their　measure。　The　deeper　he　went　into　the　matter；　too；　the　more　deceit　and　misrepresentation　did　he　find　in　the　situation。　It　was　inconceivable　that　the　American　woman　should　submit　to　what　was　being　imposed　upon　her　if　she　knew　the　facts。　He　determined　that　she　should。　The　process　of　Americanization　going　on　within　him　decided　him　to　expose　the　Paris　conditions　and　advocate　and　present　American…designed　fashions　for　women。

The　Journal　engaged　the　best…informed　woman　in　Paris　frankly　to　lay　open　the　situation　to　the　American　women；　she　proved　that　the　designs　sent　over　by　the　so…called　Paris　arbiters　of　fashion　were　never　worn　by　the　Frenchwoman　of　birth　and　good　taste；　that　they　were　especially　designed　and　specifically　intended　for　〃the　bizarre　American　trade；〃　as　one　polite　Frenchman　called　it；　and　that　the　only　women　in　Paris　who　wore　these　grotesque　and　often　immoderate　styles　were　of　the　demimonde。

This　article　was　the　opening　gun　of　the　campaign；　and　this　was　quickly　followed　by　a　second　equally　convincingboth　articles　being　written　from　the　inside　of　the　gilded　circles　of　the　couturiers'　shops。　Madame　Sarah　Bernhardt　was　visiting　the　United　States　at　the　time；　and　Bok　induced　the　great　actress　to　verify　the　statements　printed。　She　went　farther　and　expressed　amazement　at　the　readiness　with　which　the　American　woman　had　been　duped；　and　indicated　her　horror　on　seeing　American　women　of　refined　sensibilities　and　position　dressed　in　the　gowns　of　the　declasse　street…women　of　Paris。　The　somewhat　sensational　nature　of　the　articles　attracted　the　attention　of　the　American　newspapers；　which　copied　and　commented　on　them；　the　gist　of　them　was　cabled　over　to　Paris；　and；　of　course；　the　Paris　couturiers　denied　the　charges。　But　their　denials　were　in　general　terms；　and　no　convincing　proof　of　the　falsity　of　the　charges　was　furnished。　The　French　couturier　simply　resorted　to　a　shrug　of　the　shoulder　and　a　laugh；　implying　that　the　accusations　were　beneath　his　notice。

Bok　now　followed　the　French　models　of　dresses　and　millinery　to　the　United　States；　and　soon　found　that　for　every　genuine　Parisian　model　sold　in　the　large　cities　at　least　ten　were　copies；　made　in　New　York　shops；　but　with　the　labels　of　the　French　dressmakers　and　milliners　sewed　on　them。　He　followed　the　labels　to　their　source；　and　discovered　a　firm　one　of　whose　specialties　was　the　making　of　these　labels　bearing　the　names　of　the　leading　French　designers。　They　were　manufactured　by　the　gross；　and　sold　in　bundles　to　the　retailers。　Bok　secured　a　list　of　the　buyers　of　these　labels　and　found　that　they　represented　some　of　the　leading　merchants　throughout　the　country。　All　these　facts　he　published。　The　retailers　now　sprang　up　in　arms　and　denied　the　charges；　but　again　the　denials　were　in　general　terms。　Bok　had　the　facts　and　they　knew　it。　These　facts　were　too　specific　and　too　convincing　to　be　controverted。

The　editor　had　now　presented　a　complete　case　before　the　women　of　America　as　to　the　character　of　the　Paris…designed　fashions　and　the　manner　in　which　women　were　being　hoodwinked　in　buying　imitations。

Meanwhile；　he　had　engaged　the　most　expert　designers　in　the　world　of　women's　dress　and　commissioned　them　to　create　American　designs。　He　sent　one　of　his　editors　to　the　West　to　get　first…hand　motifs　from　Indian　costumes　and　adapt　them　as　decorative　themes　for　dress　embroideries。　Three　designers　searched　the　Metropolitan　Museum　for　new　and　artistic　ideas；　and　he　induced　his　company　to　install　a　battery　of　four…color　presses　in　order　that　the　designs　might　be　given　in　all　the　beauty　of　their　original　colors。　For　months　designers　and　artists　worked；　he　had　the　designs　passed　upon　by　a　board　of　judges　composed　of　New　York　women　who　knew　good　clothes；　and　then　he　began　their　publication。

The　editor　of　The　New　York　Times　asked　Bok　to　conduct　for　that　newspaper　a　prize　contest　for　the　best　American…designed　dresses　and　hats；　and　edit　a　special　supplement　presenting　them　in　full　colors；　the　prizes　to　be　awarded　by　a　jury　of　six　of　the　leading　New　York　women　best　versed　in　matters　of　dress。　Hundreds　of　designs　were　submitted；　the　best　were　selected；　and　the　supplement　issued　under　the　most　successful　auspices。

In　his　own　magazine；　Bok　published　pages　of　American…designed　fashions：　their　presence　in　the　magazine　was　advertised