The newspaper paragraphers were now having a delightful time with Edward Bok and his woman's magazine, and he was having a delightful time with them.The editor's publicity sense made him realize how valuable for his purposes was all this free advertising.The paragraphers believed, in their hearts, that they were annoying the young editor; they tried to draw his fire through their articles.But he kept quiet, put his tongue in his cheek, and determined to give them some choice morsels for their wit.
He conceived the idea of making familiar to the public the women who were back of the successful men of the day.He felt sure that his readers wanted to know about these women.But to attract his newspaper friends he labelled the series, "Unknown Wives of Well-Known Men" and "Clever Daughters of Clever Men."The alliterative titles at once attracted the paragraphers; they fell upon them like hungry trout, and a perfect fusillade of paragraphs began.This is exactly what the editor wanted; and he followed these two series immediately by inducing the daughter of Charles Dickens to write of "My Father as I Knew Him," and Mrs.Henry Ward Beecher, of "Mr.
Beecher as I Knew Him." Bok now felt that he had given the newspapers enough ammunition to last for some time; and he turned his attention to building up a more permanent basis for his magazine.
The two authors of that day who commanded more attention than any others were William Dean Howells and Rudyard Kipling.Bok knew that these two would give to his magazine the literary quality that it needed, and so he laid them both under contribution.He bought Mr.Howells's new novel, "The Coast of Bohemia," and arranged that Kipling's new novelette upon which he was working should come to the magazine.Neither the public nor the magazine editors had expected Bok to break out along these more permanent lines, and magazine publishers began to realize that a new competitor had sprung up in Philadelphia.Bok knew they would feel this;so before he announced Mr.Howells's new novel, he contracted with the novelist to follow this with his autobiography.This surprised the editors of the older magazines, for they realized that the Philadelphia editor had completely tied up the leading novelist of the day for his next two years' output.
Meanwhile, in order that the newspapers might be well supplied with barbs for their shafts, he published an entire number of his magazine written by famous daughters of famous men.This unique issue presented contributions by the daughters of Charles Dickens, Nathaniel Hawthorne, President Harrison, Horace Greeley, William M.Thackeray, William Dean Howells, General Sherman, Julia Ward Howe, Jefferson Davis, Mr.
Gladstone, and a score of others.This issue simply filled the paragraphers with glee.Then once more Bok turned to material calculated to cement the foundation for a more permanent structure.
He noted, early in its progress, the gathering strength of the drift toward woman suffrage, and realized that the American woman was not prepared, in her knowledge of her country, to exercise the privilege of the ballot.Bok determined to supply the deficiency to his readers, and concluded to put under contract the President of the United States, Benjamin Harrison, the moment he left office, to write a series of articles explaining the United States.No man knew this subject better than the President; none could write better; and none would attract such general attention to his magazine, reasoned Bok.He sought the President, talked it over with him, and found him favorable to the idea.
But the President was in doubt at that time whether he would be a candidate for another term, and frankly told Bok that he would be taking too much risk to wait for him.He suggested that the editor try to prevail upon his then secretary of state, James G.Blaine, to undertake the series, and offered to see Mr.Blaine and induce him to a favorable consideration.Bok acquiesced, and a few days afterward received from Mr.Blaine a request to come to Washington.
Bok had had a previous experience with Mr.Blaine which had impressed him to an unusual degree.Many years before, he had called upon him at his hotel in New York, seeking his autograph, had been received, and as the statesman was writing his signature he said: "Your name is a familiar one to me.I have had correspondence with an Edward Bok who is secretary of state for the Transvaal Republic.Are you related to him?"Bok explained that this was his uncle, and that he was named for him.
Years afterward Bok happened to be at a public meeting where Mr.Blaine was speaking, and the statesman, seeing him, immediately called him by name.Bok knew of the reputed marvels of Mr.Blaine's memory, but this proof of it amazed him.
"It is simply inconceivable, Mr.Blaine," said Bok, "that you should remember my name after all these years.""Not at all, my boy," returned Mr.Blaine."Memorizing is simply association.You associate a fact or an incident with a name and you remember the name.It never leaves you.The moment I saw you Iremembered you told me that your uncle was secretary of state for the Transvaal.That at once brought your name to me.You see how simple a trick it is."But Bok did not see, since remembering the incident was to him an even greater feat of memory than recalling the name.It was a case of having to remember two things instead of one.
At all events, Bok was no stranger to James G.Blaine when he called upon him at his Lafayette Place home in Washington.
"You've gone ahead in the world some since I last saw you," was the statesman's greeting."It seems to go with the name."This naturally broke the ice for the editor at once.
"Let's go to my library where we can talk quietly.What train are you making back to Philadelphia, by the way?""The four, if I can," replied Bok.
