the americanization of edward bok-第29部分

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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　for　private　distribution。　After　a　prodigious　correspondence；　the　work　was　at　last　completed；　and　in　June；　1887；　the　volume　was　published；　in　a　limited　edition　of　five　hundred　copies。　Bok　distributed　copies　of　the　volume　to　the　members　of　Mr。　Beecher's　family；　he　had　orders　from　Mr。　Beecher's　friends；　one　hundred　copies　were　offered　to　the　American　public　and　one　hundred　copies　were　issued　in　an　English　edition。

With　such　a　figure　to　whom　to　do　honor；　the　contributors；　of　course；　included　the　foremost　men　and　women　of　the　time。　Grover　Cleveland　was　then　President　of　the　United　States；　and　his　tribute　was　a　notable　one。　Mr。　Gladstone；　the　Duke　of　Argyll；　Pasteur；　Canon　Farrar；　Bartholdi；　Salvini；　and　a　score　of　others　represented　English　and　European　opinion。　Oliver　Wendell　Holmes；　John　Greenleaf　Whittier；　T。　De　Witt　Talmage；　Robert　G。　Ingersoll；　Charles　Dudley　Warner；　General　Sherman；　Julia　Ward　Howe；　Andrew　Carnegie；　Edwin　Booth；　Rutherford　B。　Hayesthere　was　scarcely　a　leader　of　thought　and　of　action　of　that　day　unrepresented。　The　edition　was；　of　course；　quickly　exhausted；　and　when　to…day　a　copy　occasionally　appears　at　an　auction　sale；　it　is　sold　at　a　high　price。

The　newspapers　gave　very　large　space　to　the　distinguished　memorial；　and　this　fact　angered　a　journalist；　Joseph　Howard；　Junior；　a　man　at　one　time　close　to　Mr。　Beecher；　who　had　befriended　him。　Howard　had　planned　to　be　the　first　in　the　field　with　a　hastily　prepared　biography　of　the　great　preacher；　and　he　felt　that　Bok　had　forestalled　him。　Forthwith；　he　launched　a　vicious　attack　on　the　compiler　of　the　memorial；　accusing　him　of　〃making　money　out　of　Henry　Ward　Beecher's　dead　body〃　and　of　〃seriously　offending　the　family　of　Mr。　Beecher；　who　had　had　no　say　in　the　memorial；　which　was　therefore　without　authority；　and　hence　extremely　distasteful　to　all。〃

Howard　had　convinced　a　number　of　editors　of　the　justice　of　his　position；　and　so　he　secured　a　wide　publication　for　his　attack。　For　the　second　time；　Edward　Bok　was　under　fire；　and　remembering　his　action　on　the　previous　occasion；　he　again　remained　silent；　and　again　the　argument　was　put　forth　that　his　silence　implied　guilt。　But　Mrs。　Beecher　and　members　of　the　Beecher　family　did　not　observe　silence；　and　quickly　proved　that　not　only　had　Bok　compiled　the　memorial　as　a　labor　of　love　and　had　lost　money　on　it；　but　that　he　had　the　full　consent　of　the　family　in　its　preparation。

When；　shortly　afterward；　Howard's　hastily　compiled　〃biography〃　of　Mr。　Beecher　appeared；　a　reporter　asked　Mrs。　Beecher　whether　she　and　her　family　had　found　it　accurate。

〃Accurate；　my　child；〃　said　Mrs。　Beecher。　〃Why；　it　is　so　accurate　in　its　absolute　falsity　that　neither　I　nor　the　boys　can　find　one　fact　or　date　given　correctly；　although　we　have　studied　it　for　two　days。　Even　the　year　of　Mr。　Beecher's　birth　is　wrong；　and　that　is　the　smallest　error！〃

Edward　Bok　little　dreamed　that　these　two　experiences　with　public　criticism　were　to　serve　him　as　a　foretaste　of　future　attacks　when　he　would　get　the　benefit　of　hundreds　of　pencils　especially　sharpened　for　him。



XIII。　Publish