the americanization of edward bok-第25章

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〃Taine；　T…a…i…n…e；〃　replied　Mrs。　Clemens。

Then　did　the　youthfulness　of　the　salesman　assert　itself。　Assuming　an　air　of　superior　knowledge；　and　looking　at　the　customer　with　an　air　of　sympathy；　he　corrected　Mrs。　Clemens：

〃Pardon　me；　madam；　but　you　have　the　name　a　trifle　wrong。　You　mean　Twain…not　Taine。〃

With　so　many　young　men　of　the　same　age；　there　was　a　natural　sense　of　team…work　and　a　spirit　of　comradeship　that　made　for　successful　co…operation。　This　spirit　extended　outside　of　business　hours。　At　luncheon　there　was　a　Scribner　table　in　a　neighboring　restaurant；　and　evenings　saw　the　Scribner　department　heads　mingling　as　friends。　It　was　a　group　of　young　men　who　understood　and　liked　each　other；　with　the　natural　result　that　business　went　easier　and　better　because　of　it。

But　Bok　did　not　have　much　time　for　evening　enjoyment；　since　his　outside　interests　had　grown　and　prospered　and　they　kept　him　busy。　His　syndicate　was　regularly　supplying　over　a　hundred　newspapers：　his　literary　letter　had　become　an　established　feature　in　thirty　different　newspapers。

Of　course；　his　opportunities　for　making　this　letter　interesting　were　unusual。　Owing　to　his　Scribner　connection；　however；　he　had　taken　his　name　from　the　letter　and　signed　that　of　his　brother。　He　had；　also；　constantly　to　discriminate　between　the　information　that　he　could　publish　without　violation　of　confidence　and　that　which　he　felt　he　was　not　at　liberty　to　print。　This　gave　him　excellent　experience；　for　the　most　vital　of　all　essentials　in　the　journalist　is　the　ability　unerringly　to　decide　what　to　print　and　what　to　regard　as　confidential。

Of　course；　the　best　things　that　came　to　him　he　could　not　print。　Whenever　there　was　a　question；　he　gave　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　to　the　confidential　relation　in　which　his　position　placed　him　with　authors；　and　his　Dutch　caution；　although　it　deprived　him　of　many　a　toothsome　morsel　for　his　letter；　soon　became　known　to　his　confreres；　and　was　a　large　asset　when；　as　an　editor；　he　had　to　follow　the　golden　rule　of　editorship　that　teaches　one　to　keep　the　ears　open　but　the　mouth　shut。

This　Alpha　and　Omega　of　all　the　commandments　in　the　editorial　creed　some　editors　learn　by　sorrowful　experience。　Bok　was；　again；　fortunate　in　learning　it　under　the　most　friendly　auspices。　He　continued　to　work　without　sparing　himself；　but　his　star　remained　in　the　ascendency。　Just　how　far　a　man's　own　efforts　and　standards　keep　a　friendly　star　centred　over　his　head　is　a　question。　But　Edward　Bok　has　always　felt　that　he　was　materially　helped　by　fortuitous　conditions　not　of　his　own　creation　or　choice。

He　was　now　to　receive　his　first　public　baptism　of　fire。　He　had　published　a　symposium；　through　his　newspaper　syndicate；　discussing　the　question；　〃Should　Clergymen　Smoke？〃　He　had　induced　all　the　prominent　clergymen　in　the　country　to　contribute　their　views；　and　so　distinguished　was　the　list　that　the　article　created　widespread　attention。

One　of　the　contributors　was　the　Reverend　Richard　S。　Storrs；　D。D。；　one　of　the　most　distinguished　of　Brooklyn's　coterie　of　clergy　of　that　day。　A　few　days　after　the　publication　of　the　article；　Bok　was　astounded　to　read　in　the　Brooklyn　Eagle　a　sensational　article；　with　large　headlines；　in　which　Doctor　Storrs　repudiated　his　contribution　to　the　symposium；　declared　that　he　had　never　written　or　signed　such　a　statement；　and　accused　Edward　Bok　of　forgery。

Coming　from　a　man　of　Doctor　Storrs's　prominence；　the　accusation　was；　of　course；　a　serious　one。　Bok　realized　this　at　once。　He　foresaw　the　damage　it　might　work　to　the　reputation　of　a　young　man　trying　to　climb　the　ladder　of　success；　and　wondered　why　Doctor　Storrs　had　seen　fit　to　accuse　him　in　this　public　manner　instead　of　calling　upon　him　for　a　personal　explanation。　He　thought　perhaps　he　might　find　such　a　letter　from　Doctor　Storrs　when　he　reached　home；　but　instead　he　met　a　small　corps　of　reporters　from　the　Brooklyn　and　New　York　newspapers。　He　told　them　frankly　that　no　one　was　more　surprised　at　the　accusation　than　he；　but　that　the　original　contributions　were　in　the　New　York　office　of　the　syndicate；　and　he　could　not　corroborate　his　word　until　he　had　looked　into　the　papers　and　found　Doctor　Storrs's　contribution。

That　evening　Bok　got　at　the　papers　in　the　case；　and　found　out　that；　technically；　Doctor　Storrs　was　right：　he　had　not　written　or　signed　such　a　statement。　The　compiler　of　the　symposium；　the　editor　of　one　of　New　York's　leading　evening　papers　whom　Bok　had　employed；　had　found　Doctor　Storrs's　declaration　in　favor　of　a　clergyman's　use　of　tobacco　in　an　address　made　some　time　before；　had　extracted　it　and　incorporated　it　into　the　symposium。　It　was；　therefore；　Doctor　Storrs's　opinion　on　the　subject；　but　not　written　for　the　occasion　for　which　it　was　used。　Bok　felt　that　his　editor　had　led　him　into　an　indiscretion。　Yet　the　sentiments　were　those　of　the　writer　whose　name　was　attached　to　them；　so　that　the　act　was　not　one　of　forgery。　The　editor　explained　that　he　had　sent　the　extract　to　Doctor　Storrs；　who　had　not　returned　it；　and　he　had　taken　silence　to　mean　consent　to　the　use　of　the　material。

Bok　decided　to　say　nothing　until　he　heard　from　Doctor　Storrs　personally；　and　so　told　the　newspapers。　But　the　clergyman　did　not　stop　his　attack。　Of　course；　the　newspapers　egged　him　on　and　extracted　from　him　the　further　accusation　that　Bok's　silence　proved　his　guilt。　Bok　now　took　the　case　to　Mr。　Beecher；　and　asked　his　advice。

〃Well；　Edward；　you　are　right　and　you　are　wrong；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher。　〃And　so　is　Storrs；　of　course。　It　is　beneath　him　to　do　what　he　has　done。　Storrs　and　I　are　not　good　friends；　as　you　know；　and　so　I　cannot　go　to　him　and　ask　him　the　reason　of　his　disclaimer。　Otherwise　I　would。　Of　course；　he　may　have　forgotten　his　remarks：　that　is　always　possible　in　a　busy　man's　life。　He　may　not　have　received　the　letter　enclosing　them。　That　is　likewise　possible。　But　I　have　a　feeling　that　Storrs　has　some　reason　for　wishing　to　repudiate　his　views　on　this　subject　just　at　this　time。　What　it　is　I　do　not；　of　course；　know；　but　his　vehemence　makes　me　think　so。　I　think　I　should　let　him　have　his　rein。　Keep　you　quiet。　It　may　damage　you　a　little　here　and　there；　but　in　the　end　it　won't　harm　you。　In　the　main　point；　you　are　right。　You　are　not　a　forger。　The　sentiments　are　his　and　he　uttered　them；　and　he　should　stand　by　them。　He　threatens　to　bring　you　into　court；　I　see　from　to…day's　paper。　Wait　until　he　does　so。〃

Bok；　chancing　to　meet　Doctor　Talmage；　told　him　Mr。　Beecher's　advice；　and　he　endorsed　it。　〃Remember；　boy；〃　said　Doctor　Talmage；　〃silence　is　never　so　golden　as　when　you　are　under　fire。　I　know；　for　I　have　been　there；　as　you　know；　more　than　once。　Keep　quiet；　and　always　believe　this：　that　there　is　a　great　deal　of　common　sense　abroad　in　the　world；　and　a　man　is　always　safe　in　trusting　it　to　do　him　justice。〃

They　were　not　pleasant　and　easy　days　for　Bok；　for　Doctor　Storrs　kept　up　the　din　for　several　days。　Bok　waited　for　the　word　to　appear　in　court。　But　this　never　came；　and　the　matter　soon　died　down　and　out。　And；　although　Bok　met　the　clergyman　several　times　afterward　in　the　years　that　followed；　no　reference　was　ever　made　by　him　to　the　incident。

But　Edward　Bok　had　learned　a　valuable　lesson　of　silence　under　firean　experience　that　was　to　stand　him　in　good　stead　when　he　was　again　publicly　attacked　not　long　afterward。

This　occurred　in　connection　with　a　notable　anniversary　celebration　in　honor　of　Henry　Ward　Beecher；　in　which　the　entire　city　of　Brooklyn　was　to　participate。　It　was　to　mark　a　mile…stone　in　Mr。　Beecher's　ministry　and　in　his　pastorate　of　Plymouth　Church。　Bok　planned　a　worldwide　tribute　to　the　famed　clergyman：　he　would　get　the　most　distinguished　men　and　women　of　this　and　other　countries　to　express　their　esteem　for　the　Plymouth　pastor　in　written　congratulations；　and　he　would　bind　these　into　a　volume　for　presentation　to　Mr。　Beecher　on　the　occasion。　He　consulted　members　of　the　Beecher　family；　and；　with　their　acquiescence；　began　to　assemble　the　material。　He　was　in　the　midst　of　the　work　when　Henry　Ward　Beecher　passed　away。　Bok　felt　that　the　tributes　already　received　were　too　wonderful　to　be　lost　to　the　world；　and；　after　again　consulting　Mrs。　Beecher　and　her　children；　he　determined　to　finish　the　collection　and　publish　it　as　a　memorial　f