the americanization of edward bok-第60部分

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infully　traversed　by　her　forefathers　during　　　the　preceding　thousand　years。　When　we　tend　to　　　grow　disheartened　over　some　of　the　developments　　　of　our　American　civilization；　it　is　well　　　worth　while　seeing　what　this　same　　　civilization　holds　for　starved　and　noble　　　souls　who　have　elsewhere　been　denied　what　　　here　we　hold　to　be；　as　a　matter　of　course；　rights　　　free　to　allaltho　we　do　not；　as　we　should　do；　　　make　these　rights　accessible　to　all　who　are　　　willing　with　resolute　earnestness　to　strive　for　them。　　　I　most　cordially　commend　this　story。

　　Theodore　Roosevelt

　　One　of　Theodore　Roosevelt's　〃Reports〃　as　a　reader　of　　　special　manuscripts〃

Not　long　after；　Bok　decided　to　induce　Colonel　Roosevelt　to　embark　upon　an　entirely　new　activity；　and　negotiations　were　begun　（alas；　too　late！　for　it　was　in　the　autumn　of　1918）；　which；　owing　to　their　tentative　character；　were　never　made　public。　Bok　told　Colonel　Roosevelt　that　he　wanted　to　invest　twenty…five　thousand　dollars　a　year　in　American　boyhoodthe　boyhood　that　he　felt　twenty　years　hence　would　be　the　manhood　of　America；　and　that　would　actually　solve　the　problems　with　which　we　were　now　grappling。

Although；　all　too　apparently；　he　was　not　in　his　usual　vigorous　health；　Colonel　Roosevelt　was　alert　in　a　moment。

〃Fine！〃　he　said；　with　his　teeth　gleaming。　〃Couldn't　invest　better　anywhere。　How　are　you　going　to　do　it？〃

〃By　asking　you　to　assume　the　active　headship　of　the　National　Boy　Scouts　of　America；　and　paying　you　that　amount　each　year　as　a　fixed　salary。〃

The　colonel　looked　steadily　ahead　for　a　moment；　without　a　word；　and　then　with　the　old　Roosevelt　smile　wreathing　his　face　and　his　teeth　fairly　gleaming；　he　turned　to　his　〃tempter；〃　as　he　called　him；　and　said：

〃Do　you　know　that　was　very　well　put？　Yes；　sir；　very　well　put。〃

〃Yes？〃　answered　Bok。　〃Glad　you　think　so。　But　how　about　your　acceptance　of　the　idea？〃

〃That's　another　matter；　quite　another　matter。　How　about　the　organization　itself？　There　are　men　in　it　that　don't　approve　of　me　at　all；　you　know；〃　he　said。

Bok　explained　that　the　organization　knew　nothing　of　his　offer；　that　it　was　entirely　unofficial。　It　was　purely　a　personal　thought。　He　believed　the　Boy　Scouts　of　America　needed　a　leader；　that　the　colonel　was　the　one　man　in　the　United　States　fitted　by　every　natural　quality　to　be　that　leader；　that　the　Scouts　would　rally　around　him；　and　that；　at　his　call；　instead　of　four　hundred　thousand　Scouts；　as　there　were　then；　the　organization　would　grow　into　a　million　and　more。　Bok　further　explained　that　he　believed　his　connection　with　the　national　organization　was　sufficient；　if　Colonel　Roosevelt　would　favorably　consider　such　a　leadership；　to　warrant　him　in　presenting　it　to　the　national　officers；　and　he　was　inclined　to　believe　they　would　welcome　the　opportunity。　He　could　not　assure　the　colonel　of　this！　He　had　no　authority　for　saying　they　would；　but　was　Colonel　Roosevelt　receptive　to　the　idea？

At　first；　the　colonel　could　not　see　it。　But　he　went　over　the　ground　as　thoroughly　as　a　half…hour　talk　permitted；　and　finally　the　opportunity　for　doing　a　piece　of　constructive　work　that　might　prove　second　to　none　that　he　had　ever　done；　made　its　appeal。

〃You　mean　for　me　to　be　the　active　head？〃　asked　the　colonel。

〃Could　you　be　anything　else；　colonel？〃　answered　Bok。

〃Quite　so；〃　said　the　colonel。　〃That's　about　right。　Do　you　know；〃　he　pondered；　〃I　think　Edie　（Mrs。　Roosevelt）　might　like　me　to　do　something　like　that。　She　would　figure　it　would　keep　me　out　of　mischief　in　1920；〃　and　the　colonel's　smile　spread　over　his　face。

〃Bok；〃　he　at　last　concluded；　〃do　you　know；　after　all；　I　think　you've　said　something！　Let's　think　it　over。　Let's　see　how　I　get　along　with　this　trouble　of　mine。　I　am　not　sure；　you　know；　how　far　I　can　go　in　the　future。　Not　at　all　sure；　you　knownot　at　all。　That　last　trip　of　mine　to　South　America　was　a　bit　too　much。　Shouldn't　have　done　it；　you　know。　I　know　it　now。　Well；　as　I　say；　let's　both　think　it　over　and　through；　I　will；　gladly　and　most　carefully。　There's　much　in　what　you　say；　it's　a　great　chance；　I'd　love　doing　it。　By　Jove！　it　would　be　wonderful　to　rally　a　million　boys　for　real　Americanism；　as　you　say。　It　looms　up　as　I　think　it　over。　Suppose　we　let　it　simmer　for　a　month　or　two。〃

And　so　it　was　leftfor　〃a　month　or　two。〃　It　was　to　be　foreverunfortunately。　Edward　Bok　has　always　felt　that　the　most　worth…while　idea　that　ever　came　to　him　had；　for　some　reason　he　never　could　understand；　come　too　late。　He　felt；　as　he　will　always　feel；　that　the　boys　of　America　had　lost　a　national　leader　that　might　have　led　themwhere　would　have　been　the　limit？



XXV。　The　President　and　the　Boy

One　of　the　incidents　connected　with　Edward　Bok　that　Theodore　Roosevelt　never　forgot　was　when　Bok's　eldest　boy　chose　the　colonel　as　a　Christmas　present。　And　no　incident　better　portrays　the　wonderful　character　of　the　colonel　than　did　his　remarkable　response　to　the　compliment。

A　vicious　attack　of　double　pneumonia　had　left　the　heart　of　the　boy　very　weakand　Christmas　was　close　by！　So　the　father　said：

〃It's　a　quiet　Christmas　for　you　this　year；　boy。　Suppose　you　do　this：　think　of　the　one　thing　in　the　world　that　you　would　rather　have　than　anything　else　and　I'll　give　you　that；　and　that　will　have　to　be　your　Christmas。〃

〃I　know　now；〃　came　the　instant　reply。

〃But　the　world　is　a　big　place；　and　there　are　lots　of　things　in　it；　you　know。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　said　the　boy；　〃but　this　is　something　I　have　wanted　for　a　long　time；　and　would　rather　have　than　anything　else　in　the　world。〃　And　he　looked　as　if　he　meant　it。

〃Well；　out　with　it；　then；　if　you're　so　sure。〃

And　to　the　father's　astonished　ears　came　this　request：

〃Take　me　to　Washington　as　soon　as　my　heart　is　all　right；　introduce　me　to　President　Roosevelt；　and　let　me　shake　hands　with　him。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　the　father；　after　recovering　from　his　surprise。　〃I'll　see　whether　I　can　fix　it。〃　And　that　morning　a　letter　went　to　the　President　saying　that　he　had　been　chosen　as　a　Christmas　present。　Naturally；　any　man　would　have　felt　pleased；　no　matter　how　high　his　station；　and　for　Theodore　Roosevelt；　father　of　boys；　the　message　had　a　special　appeal。

The　letter　had　no　sooner　reached　Washington　than　back　came　an　answer；　addressed　not　to　the　father　but　to　the　boy！　It　read：

〃The　White　House；　Washington。

〃November　13th；　1907。

〃Dear　Curtis：

〃Your　father　has　just　written　me；　and　I　want　him　to　bring　you　on　and　shake　hands　with　me　as　soon　as　you　are　well　enough　to　travel。　Then　I　am　going　to　give　you；　myself；　a　copy　of　the　book　containing　my　hunting　trips　since　I　have　been　President；　unless　you　will　wait　until　the　new　edition；　which　contains　two　more　chapters；　is　out。　If　so；　I　will　send　it　to　you；　as　this　new　edition　probably　won't　be　ready　when　you　come　on　here。

〃Give　my　warm　regards　to　your　father　and　mother。

〃Sincerely　yours；

〃Theodore　Roosevelt。〃

Here　was　joy　serene！　But　the　boy's　heart　had　acted　queerly　for　a　few　days；　and　so　the　father　wrote；　thanked　the　President；　and　said　that　as　soon　as　the　heart　moderated　a　bit　the　letter　would　be　given　the　boy。　It　was　a　rare　bit　of　consideration　that　now　followed。　No　sooner　had　the　father's　letter　reached　the　White　House　than　an　answer　came　back　by