the americanization of edward bok-第7部分

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The　important　point　is　that　Edward　Bok　was　being　led　more　and　more　to　writing　and　to　editorship。



IV。　A　Presidential　Friend　and　a　Boston　Pilgrimage

Edward　Bok　had　not　been　office　boy　long　before　he　realized　that　if　he　learned　shorthand　he　would　stand　a　better　chance　for　advancement。　So　he　joined　the　Young　Men's　Christian　Association　in　Brooklyn；　and　entered　the　class　in　stenography。　But　as　this　class　met　only　twice　a　week；　Edward；　impatient　to　learn　the　art　of　〃pothooks〃　as　quickly　as　possible；　supplemented　this　instruction　by　a　course　given　on　two　other　evenings　at　moderate　cost　by　a　Brooklyn　business　college。　As　the　system　taught　in　both　classes　was　the　same；　more　rapid　progress　was　possible；　and　the　two　teachers　were　constantly　surprised　that　he　acquired　the　art　so　much　more　quickly　than　the　other　students。

Before　many　weeks　Edward　could　〃stenograph〃　fairly　well；　and　as　the　typewriter　had　not　then　come　into　its　own；　he　was　ready　to　put　his　knowledge　to　practical　use。

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　R