the americanization of edward bok-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



An　opportunity　offered　itself　when　the　city　editor　of　the　Brooklyn　Eagle　asked　him　to　report　two　speeches　at　a　New　England　Society　dinner。　The　speakers　were　to　be　the　President　of　the　United　States；　General　Grant；　General　Sherman；　Mr。　Evarts；　and　General　Sheridan。　Edward　was　to　report　what　General　Grant　and　the　President　said；　and　was　instructed　to　give　the　President's　speech　verbatim。

At　the　close　of　the　dinner；　the　reporters　came　in　and　Edward　was　seated　directly　in　front　of　the　President。　In　those　days　when　a　public　dinner　included　several　kinds　of　wine；　it　was　the　custom　to　serve　the　reporters　with　wine；　and　as　the　glasses　were　placed　before　Edward's　plate　he　realized　that　he　had　to　make　a　decision　then　and　there。　He　had；　of　course；　constantly　seen　wine　on　his　father's　table；　as　is　the　European　custom；　but　the　boy　had　never　tasted　it。　He　decided　he　would　not　begin　then；　when　he　needed　a　clear　head。　So；　in　order　to　get　more　room　for　his　note…book；　he　asked　the　waiter　to　remove　the　glasses。

It　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever　attempted　to　report　a　public　address。　General　Grant's　remarks　were　few；　as　usual；　and　as　he　spoke　slowly；　he　gave　the　young　reporter　no　trouble。　But　alas　for　his　stenographic　knowledge；　when　President　Hayes　began　to　speak！　Edward　worked　hard；　but　the　President　was　too　rapid　for　him；　he　did　not　get　the　speech；　and　he　noticed　that　the　reporters　for　the　other　papers　fared　no　better。　Nothing　daunted；　however；　after　the　speechmaking；　Edward　resolutely　sought　the　President；　and　as　the　latter　turned　to　him；　he　told　him　his　plight；　explained　it　was　his　first　important　〃assignment；〃　and　asked　if　he　could　possibly　be　given　a　copy　of　the　speech　so　that　he　could　〃beat〃　the　other　papers。

The　President　looked　at　him　curiously　for　a　moment；　and　then　said：　〃Can　you　wait　a　few　minutes？〃

Edward　assured　him　that　he　could。

After　fifteen　minutes　or　so　the　President　came　up　to　where　the　boy　was　waiting；　and　said　abruptly：

〃Tell　me；　my　boy；　why　did　you　have　the　wine…glasses　removed　from　your　place？〃

Edward　was　completely　taken　aback　at　the　question；　but　he　explained　his　resolution　as　well　as　he　could。

〃Did　you　make　that　decision　this　evening？〃　the　President　asked。

He　had。

〃What　is　your　name？〃　the　President　next　inquired。

He　was　told。

〃And　you　live；　where？〃

Edward　told　him。

〃Suppose　you　write　your　name　and　address　on　this　card　for　me；〃　said　the　President；　reaching　for　one　of　the　place…cards　on　the　table。

The　boy　did　so。

〃Now；　I　am　stopping　with　Mr。　A。　A。　Low；　on　Columbia　Heights。　Is　that　in　the　direction　of　your　home？〃

It　was。

〃Suppose　you　go　with　me；　then；　in　my　carriage；〃　said　the　President；　〃and　I　will　give　you　my　speech。〃

Edward　was　not　quite　sure　now　whether　he　was　on　his　head　or　his　feet。

As　he　drove　along　with　the　President　and　his　host；　the　President　asked　the　boy　about　himself；　what　he　was　doing；　etc。　On　arriving　at　Mr。　Low's　house；　the　President　went　up…stairs；　and　in　a　few　moments　came　down　with　his　speech　in　full；　written　in　his　own　hand。　Edward　assured　him　he　would　copy　it；　and　return　the　manuscript　in　the　morning。

The　President　took　out　his　watch。　It　was　then　after　midnight。　Musing　a　moment；　he　said：　〃You　say　you　are　an　office　boy；　what　time　must　you　be　at　your　office？〃

〃Half　past　eight；　sir。〃

〃Well；　good　night；〃　he　said；　and　then；　as　if　it　were　a　second　thought：　〃By　the　way；　I　can　get　another　copy　of　the　speech。　Just　turn　that　in　as　it　is；　if　they　can　read　it。〃

Afterward；　Edward　found　out　that；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　it　was　the　President's　only　copy。　Though　the　boy　did　not　then　appreciate　this　act　of　consideration；　his　instinct　fortunately　led　him　to　copy　the　speech　and　leave　the　original　at　the　President's　stopping…place　in　the　morning。

And　for　all　his　trouble；　the　young　reporter　was　amply　repaid　by　seeing　that　The　Eagle　was　the　only　paper　which　had　a　verbatim　report　of　the　President's　speech。

But　the　day　was　not　yet　done！

That　evening；　upon　reaching　home；　what　was　the　boy's　astonishment　to　find　the　following　note：

MY　DEAR　YOUNG　FRIEND：

I　have　been　telling　Mrs。　Hayes　this　morning　of　what　you　told　me　at　the　dinner　last　evening；　and　she　was　very　much　interested。　She　would　like　to　see　you；　and　joins　me　in　asking　if　you　will　call　upon　us　this　evening　at　eight…thirty。

Very　faithfully　yours；

RUTHERFORD　B。　HAYES。

Edward　had　not　risen　to　the　possession　of　a　suit　of　evening　clothes；　and　distinctly　felt　its　lack　for　this　occasion。　But；　dressed　in　the　best　he　had；　he　set　out；　at　eight　o'clock；　to　call　on　the　President　of　the　United　States　and　his　wife！

He　had　no　sooner　handed　his　card　to　the　butler　than　that　dignitary；　looking　at　it；　announced：　〃The　President　and　Mrs。　Hayes　are　waiting　for　you！〃　The　ring　of　those　magic　words　still　sounds　in　Edward's　ears：　〃The　President　and　Mrs。　Hayes　are　waiting　for　you！〃and　he　a　boy　of　sixteen！

Edward　had　not　been　in　the　room　ten　minutes　before　he　was　made　to　feel　as　thoroughly　at　ease　as　if　he　were　sitting　in　his　own　home　before　an　open　fire　with　his　father　and　mother。　Skilfully　the　President　drew　from　him　the　story　of　his　youthful　hopes　and　ambitions；　and　before　the　boy　knew　it　he　was　telling　the　President　and　his　wife　all　about　his　precious　Encyclopedia；　his　evening　with　General　Grant；　and　his　efforts　to　become　something　more　than　an　office　boy。　No　boy　had　ever　so　gracious　a　listener　before；　no　mother　could　have　been　more　tenderly　motherly　than　the　woman　who　sat　opposite　him　and　seemed　so　honestly　interested　in　all　that　he　told。　Not　for　a　moment　during　all　those　two　hours　was　he　allowed　to　remember　that　his　host　and　hostess　were　the　President　of　the　United　States　and　the　first　lady　of　the　land！

That　evening　was　the　first　of　many　thus　spent　as　the　years　rolled　by；　unexpected　little　courtesies　came　from　the　White　House；　and　later　from　〃Spiegel　Grove〃；　a　constant　and　unflagging　interest　followed　each　undertaking　on　which　the　boy　embarked。　Opportunities　were　opened　to　him；　acquaintances　were　made　possible；　a　letter　came　almost　every　month　until　that　last　little　note；　late　in　1892。

　　My　Dear　Friend：

　　I　would　write　you　more　fully　　　if　I　could。　You　are　always　thoughtful　　　&　kind。

　　Thankfully　your　friend　　　Rutherford　B。　Hayes

　　ThanksThanks　for　your　steady　friendship。

The　simple　act　of　turning　down　his　wine…glasses　had　won　for　Edward　Bok　two　gracious　friends。

The　passion　for　autograph　collecting　was　now　leading　Edward　to　read　the　authors　whom　he　read　about。　He　had　become　attached　to　the　works　of　the　New　England　group：　Longfellow；　Holmes；　and；　particularly；　of　Emerson。　The　philosophy　of　the　Concord　sage　made　a　peculiarly　strong　appeal　to　the　young　mind；　and　a　small　copy　of　Emerson's　essays　was　always　in　Edward's　pocket　on　his　long　stage　or　horse…car　rides　to　his　office　and　back。

He　noticed　that　these　New　England　authors　rarely　visited　New　York；　or；　if　they　did；　their　presence　was　not　heralded　by　the　newspapers　among　the　〃distinguished　arrivals。〃　He　had　a　great　desire　personally　to　meet　these　writers；　and；　having　saved　a　little　money；　he　decided　to　take　his　week's　summer　vacation　in　the　winter；　when　he　knew　he　should　be　more　likely　to　find　the　people　of　his　quest　at　home；　and　to　spend　his　savings　on　a　trip　to　Boston。　He　had　never　been　away　from　home；　so　this　trip　was　a　momentous　affair。

He　arrived　in　Boston　on　Sunday　evening；　and　the　first　thing　he　did　was　to　despatch　a　note；　by　messenger；　to　Doctor　Oliver　Wendell　Holmes；　announcing　the　important　fact　that　he　was　there；　and　what　his　errand　was；　and　asking　whether　he　might　come　up　and　see　Doctor　Holmes　any　time　the　next　day。　Edward　naively　told　him　that　he　could　come　as　early　as　Doctor　Holmes　likedby　breakfast…time；　he　was　assured；　as　Edward　was　all　alone！　Doctor　Holmes's　amusement　at　this　ingenuous　note　may　be　imagined。

Within　the　hour　the　boy　brought　back　this　answer：

　　MY　DEAR　BOY：

　　I　shall　certainly　look　for　you　to…morrow　morning　at　eight　　　o'clock　to　have　a　piece　of　pie　with　me。　That　is　real　New　　　England；　you　know。

　　Very　cordially　yours；

　　OLIVER　WENDELL　HOLMES。〃

Edward　was　there　at　eight　o'clock。　Strictly　speaking；　he　was　there　at　seven…thirty；　and　found　the　author　already　at　his　desk　in　that　room　overlooking　the　Charles　River；　which　he　learned　in　after　years　to　know　better。

〃Well；〃　was　the　cheery　greeting；　〃you　couldn't　wait　until　eight　for　your　breakfast；　could　you？　Neither　could　I　when　I　was　a　boy。　I　used　to　have　my　breakfast　at　seven；〃　and　then　telling　the　boy　all　about　his　boyhood；　the　cheery　poet　led　him　to　the　dining…room；　and　for　the　first　time　he　breakfasted　away　from　home　and　ate　pieand　that　with　〃The　Autocrat〃　at　his　own　breakfast…table！

A　cosier　time　no　boy　could　have　had。　Just　the　two　were　there；　and　the　smiling　face　that　looked　out　over　the　plates　and　cups　gave　the　boy　courage　to　tell　all　that　this　trip　was　going　to　mean　to　him。

〃And　you　have　come　on　just　to　see　us；　have　you？〃　chuckled　the　poet。　〃Now；　tell　me；　what　good　do　you　think　you　will　get　out　of　it？〃

He　was　told　what　the　idea　was：　that　every　successful　man　had　something　to　tell　a　boy；　that　would　be　likely　to　help　him；　and　that　Edward　wanted　to　see　the　men　who　had　written　the　books　that　people　enjoyed。　Doctor　Holmes　could　not　conceal　his　amusement　at　all　this。

When　breakfast　was　finished；　Doctor　Holmes　said：　〃Do　you　know　that　I　am　a　full…fledged　carpenter？　No？　Well；　I　am。　Come　into　my　carpenter…shop。〃

And　he　led　the　way　into　a　front…basement　room　where　was　a　complete　carpenter's　outfit。

〃You　know　I　am　a　doctor；〃　he　explained；　〃and　this　shop　is　my　medicine。　I　believe　that　every　man　must　have　a　hobby　that　is　as　different　from　his　regular　work　as　it　is　possible　to　be。　It　is　not　good　for　a　man　to　work　all　the　time　at　one　thing。　So　this　is　my　hobby。　This　is　my　change。　I　like　to　putter　away　at　these　things。　Every　day　I　try　to　come　down　here　for　an　hour　or　so。　It　rests　me　because　it　gives　my　mind　a　complete　change。　For；　whether　you　believe　it　or　not；〃　he　added　with　his　inimitable　chuckle；　〃to　make　a　poem　and　to　make　a　chair　are　two　very　different　things。〃

〃Now；〃　he　continued；　〃if　you　think　you　can　learn　something　from　me；　learn　that　and　remember　it　when　you　are　a　man。　Don't　keep　always　at　your　business；　whatever　it　may　be。　It　makes　no　difference　how　much　you　like　it。　The　more　you　like　it；　the　more　dangerous　it　is。　When　you　grow　up　you　will　understand　what　I　mean　by　an　'outlet'a　hobby；　that　isin　your　life；　and　it　must　be　so　different　from　your　regular　work　that　it　will　take　your　thoughts　into　an　entirely　different　direction。　We　doctors　call　it　a　safety…valve；　and　it　is。　I　would　much　rather；〃　concluded　the　poet；　〃you　would　forget　all　that　I　have　ever　written　than　that　you　should　forget　what　I　tell　you　about　having　a　safety…valve。〃

〃And　now　do　you　know；〃　smilingly　said　the　poet；　〃about　the　Charles　River　here？〃　as　they　returned　to　his　study　and　stood　before　the　large　bay　window。　〃I　love　this　river；〃　he　said。　〃Yes；　I　love　it；〃　he　repeated；　〃love　it　in　summer　or　in　winter。〃　And　then　he　was　quiet　for　a　minute　or　so。

Edward　asked　him　which　of　his　poems　were　his　favorites。

〃Well；〃　he　said　musingly；　〃I　think　'The　Chambered　Nautilus'　is　my　most　finished　piece　of　work；　and　I　suppose　it　is　my　favorite。　But　there　are　also　'The　Vo