the americanization of edward bok-第37节

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e　for　those　mortal　men　who　strive　to　do　right　in　the　world　which　he　himself　has　stocked　with　birds；　animals；　and　men；at　all　events；　I　will　trust　Him　with　absolute　confidence。

〃With　great　respect　and　affection；

〃Yours　truly；

〃W。　T。　Sherman。〃



XX。　Meeting　a　Reverse　or　Two

With　the　hitherto　unreached　magazine　circulation　of　a　million　copies　a　month　in　sight；　Edward　Bok　decided　to　give　a　broader　scope　to　the　periodical。　He　was　determined　to　lay　under　contribution　not　only　the　most　famous　writers　of　the　day；　but　also　to　seek　out　those　well…known　persons　who　usually　did　not　contribute　to　the　magazines；　always　keeping　in　mind　the　popular　appeal　of　his　material；　but　likewise　aiming　constantly　to　widen　its　scope　and　gradually　to　lift　its　standard。

Sailing　again　for　England；　he　sought　and　secured　the　acquaintance　of　Rudyard　Kipling；　whose　alert　mind　was　at　once　keenly　interested　in　what　Bok　was　trying　to　do。　He　was　willing　to　co…operate；　with　the　result　that　Bok　secured　the　author's　new　story；　William　the　Conqueror。　When　Bok　read　the　manuscript；　he　was　delighted；　he　had　for　some　time　been　reading　Kipling's　work　with　enthusiasm；　and　he　saw　at　once　that　here　was　one　of　the　author's　best　tales。

At　that　time；　Frances　E。　Willard　had　brought　her　agitation　for　temperance　prominently　before　the　public；　and　Bok　had　promised　to　aid　her　by　eliminating　from　his　magazine；　so　far　as　possible；　all　scenes　which　represented　alcoholic　drinking。　It　was　not　an　iron…clad　rule；　but；　both　from　the　principle　fixed　for　his　own　life　and　in　the　interest　of　the　thousands　of　young　people　who　read　his　magazine；　he　believed　it　would　be　better　to　minimize　all　incidents　portraying　alcoholic　drinking　or　drunkenness。　Kipling's　story　depicted　several　such　scenes；　so　when　Bok　sent　the　proofs　he　suggested　that　if　Kipling　could　moderate　some　of　these　scenes；　it　would　be　more　in　line　with　the　policy　of　the　magazine。　Bok　did　not　make　a　special　point　of　the　matter；　leaving　it　to　Kipling's　judgment　to　decide　how　far　he　could　make　such　changes　and　preserve　the　atmosphere　of　his　story。

From　this　incident　arose　the　widely　published　story　that　Bok　cabled　Kipling；　asking　permission　to　omit　a　certain　drinking　reference；　and　substitute　something　else；　whereupon　Kipling　cabled　back：　〃Substitute　Mellin's　Food。〃　As　a　matter　of　fact　（although　it　is　a　pity　to　kill　such　a　clever　story）；　no　such　cable　was　ever　sent　and　no　such　reply　ever　received。　As　Kipling　himself　wrote　to　Bok：　〃No；　I　said　nothing　about　Mellin's　Food。　I　wish　I　had。〃　An　American　author　in　London　happened　to　hear　of　the　correspondence　between　the　editor　and　the　author；　it　appealed　to　his　sense　of　humor；　and　the　published　story　was　the　result。　If　it　mattered；　it　is　possible　that　Brander　Matthews　could　accurately　reveal　the　originator　of　the　much…published　yarn。

From　Kipling's　house　Bok　went　to　Tunbridge　Wells　to　visit　Mary　Anderson；　the　one…time　popular　American　actress；　who　had　married　Antonio　de　Navarro　and　retired　from　the　stage。　A　goodly　number　of　editors　had　tried　to　induce　the　retired　actress　to　write；　just　as　a　number　of　managers　had　tried　to　induce　her　to　return　to　the　stage。　All　had　failed。　But　Bok　never　accepted　the　failure　of　others　as　a　final　decision　for　himself；　and　after　two　or　three　visits；　he　persuaded　Madame　de　Navarro　to　write　her　reminiscences；　which　he　published　with　marked　success　in　the　magazine。

The　editor　was　very　desirous　of　securing　something　for　his　magazine　that　would　delight　children；　and　he　hit　upon　the　idea　of　trying　to　induce　Lewis　Carroll　to　write　another　Alice　in　Wonderland　series。　He　was　told　by　English　friends　that　this　would　be　difficult；　since　the　author　led　a　secluded　life　at　Oxford　and　hardly　ever　admitted　any　one　into　his　confidence。　But　Bok　wanted　to　beard　the　lion　in　his　den；　and　an　Oxford　graduate　volunteered　to　introduce　him　to　an　Oxford　don　through　whom；　if　it　were　at　all　possible；　he　could　reach　the　author。　The　journey　to　Oxford　was　made；　and　Bok　was　introduced　to　the　don；　who　turned　out　to　be　no　less　a　person　than　the　original　possessor　of　the　highly　colored　vocabulary　of　the　〃White　Rabbit〃　of　the　Alice　stories。

〃Impossible；〃　immediately　declared　the　don。　〃You　couldn't　persuade　Dodgson　to　consider　it。〃　Bok；　however；　persisted；　and　it　so　happened　that　the　don　liked　what　he　called　〃American　perseverance。〃

〃Well；　come　along；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　beard　the　lion　in　his　den；　as　you　say；　and　see　what　happens。　You　know；　of　course；　that　it　is　the　Reverend　Charles　L。　Dodgson　that　we　are　going　to　see；　and　I　must　introduce　you　to　that　person；　not　to　Lewis　Carroll。　He　is　a　tutor　in　mathematics　here；　as　you　doubtless　know；　lives　a　rigidly　secluded　life；　dislikes　strangers；　makes　no　friends；　and　yet　withal　is　one　of　the　most　delightful　men　in　the　world　if　he　wants　to　be。〃

But　as　it　happened　upon　this　special　occasion　when　Bok　was　introduced　to　him　in　his　chambers　in　Tom　Quad；　Mr。　Dodgson　did　not　〃want　to　be〃　delightful。　There　was　no　doubt　that　back　of　the　studied　reserve　was　a　kindly；　charming；　gracious　gentleman；　but　Bok's　profession　had　been　mentioned　and　the　author　was　on　rigid　guard。

When　Bok　explained　that　one　of　the　special　reasons　for　his　journey　from　America　this　summer　was　to　see　him；　the　Oxford　mathematician　sufficiently　softened　to　ask　the　editor　to　sit　down。

Bok　then　broached　his　mission。

〃You　are　quite　in　error；　Mr。　Bok；〃　was　the　Dodgson　comment。　〃You　are　not　speaking　to　the　person　you　think　you　are　addressing。〃

For　a　moment　Bok　was　taken　aback。　Then　he　decided　to　go　right　to　the　point。

〃Do　I　understand；　Mr。　Dodgson；　that　you　are　not　'Lewis　Carroll'；　that　you　did　not　write　Alice　in　Wonderland？〃

For　an　answer　the　tutor　rose；　went　into　another　room；　and　returned　with　a　book　which　he　handed　to　Bok。　〃This　is　my　book；〃　he　said　simply。　It　was　entitled　An　Elementary　Treatise　on　Determinants；　by　C。　L。　Dodgson。　When　he　looked　up；　Bok　found　the　author's　eyes　riveted　on　him。

〃Yes；〃　said　Bok。　〃I　know；　Mr。　Dodgson。　If　I　remember　correctly；　this　is　the　same　book　of　which　you　sent　a　copy　to　Her　Majesty；　Queen　Victoria；　when　she　wrote　to　you　for　a　personal　copy　of　your　Alice。〃

Dodgson　made　no　comment。　The　face　was　absolutely　without　expression　save　a　kindly　compassion　intended　to　convey　to　the　editor　that　he　was　making　a　terrible　mistake。

〃As　I　said　to　you　in　the　beginning；　Mr。　Bok；　you　are　in　error。　You　are　not　speaking　to　'Lewis　Carroll。'〃　And　then：　〃Is　this　the　first　time　you　have　visited　Oxford？〃

Bok　said　it　was；　and　there　followed　the　most　delightful　two　hours　with　the　Oxford　mathematician　and　the　Oxford　don；　walking　about　and　into　the　wonderful　college　buildings；　and　afterward　the　three　had　a　bite　of　lunch　together。　But　all　efforts　to　return　to　〃Lewis　Carroll〃　were　futile。　While　saying　good…by　to　his　host；　Bok　remarked：

〃I　can't　help　expressing　my　disappointment；　Mr。　Dodgson；　in　my　quest　in　behalf　of　the　thousands　of　American　children　who　love　you　and　who　would　so　gladly　welcome　'Lewis　Carroll'　back。〃

The　mention　of　children　and　their　love　for　him　momentarily　had　its　effect。　For　an　instant　a　different　light　came　into　the　eyes；　and　Bok　instinctively　realized　Dodgson　was　about　to　say　something。　But　he　checked　himself。　Bok　had　almost　caught　him　off　his　guard。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　he　finally　said　at　the　parting　at　the　door；　〃that　you　should　be　disappointed；　for　the　sake　of　the　children　as　well　as　for　your　own　sake。　I　only　regret　that　I　cannot　remove　the　disappointment。〃

And　as　the　trio　walked　to　the　station；　the　don　said：　〃That　is　his　attitude　toward　all；　even　toward　me。　He　is　not　'Lewis　Carroll'　to　any　one；　is　extremely　sensitive　on　the　point；　and　will　not　acknowledge　his　identity。　That　is　why　he　lives　so　much　to　himself。　He　is　in　daily　dread　that　some　one　will　mention　Alice　in　his　presence。　Curious；　but　there　it　is。〃

Edward　Bok's　next　quest　was　to　be　even　more　disappointing；　he　was　never　even　to　reach　the　presence　of　the　person　he　sought。　This　was　Florence　Nightingale；　the　Crimean　nurse。　Bok　was　desirous　of　securing　her　own　story　of　her　experiences；　but　on　every　hand　he　found　an　unwillingness　even　to　take　him　to　her　house。　〃No　use；〃　said　everybody。　〃She　won't　see　any　one。　Hates　publicity　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　and　shuns　the　public。〃　Nevertheless；　the　editor　journeyed　to　the　famous　nurse's　home　on　South　Street；　in　the　West　End　of　London；　only　to　be　told　that　〃Miss　Nightingale　never　receives　strangers。〃

〃But　I　am　not　a　stranger；〃　insisted　the　editor。　〃I　am　one　of　her　friends　from　America。　Please　take　my　card　to　her。〃

This　mollified　the　faithful　secretary；　but　the　word　instantly　came　back　that　Miss　Nightingale　was　not　receiving　any　one　that　day。　Bok　wrote　her　a　letter　asking　for　an　appointment；　which　was　never　answered。　Then　he　wrote　another；　took　it　personally　to　the　house；　and　awaited　an　answer；　only　to　receive　the　message　that　〃Miss　Nightingale　says　there　is　no　answer　to　the　letter。〃

Bok　had　with　such　remarkable　uniformity　secured　whatever　he　sought；　that　these　experiences　were　new　to　him。　Frankly；　they　puzzled　him。　He　was　not　easily　baffled；　but　baffled　he　now　was；　and　that　twice　in　succession。　Turn　as　he　might；　he　could　find　no　way　in　which　to　reopen　an　approach　to　either　the　Oxford　tutor　or　the　Crimean　nurse。　The