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Edward believed he could convince editors of the public interest in a newsy； readable New York literary letter； and he prevailed upon the editor of the New York Star to allow him to supplement the book reviews of George Parsons Lathrop in that paper by a column of literary chat called 〃Literary Leaves。〃 For a number of weeks he continued to write this department； and confine it to the New York paper； feeling that he needed the experience for the acquirement of a readable style； and he wanted to be sure that he had opened a sufficient number of productive news channels to ensure a continuous flow of readable literary information。
Occasionally he sent to an editor here and there what he thought was a particularly newsy letter just 〃for his information； not for sale。〃 The editor of the Philadelphia Times was the first to discover that his paper wanted the letter； and the Boston Journal followed suit。 Then the editor of the Cincinnati Times…Star discovered the letter in the New York Star； and asked that it be supplied weekly with the letter。 These newspapers renamed the letter 〃Bok's Literary Leaves；〃 and the feature started on its successful career。
Edward had been in the employ of Henry Holt and Company as clerk and stenographer for two years when Mr。 Cary sent for him and told him that there was an opening in the publishing house of Charles Scribner's Sons； if he wanted to make a change。 Edward saw at once the larger opportunities possible in a house of the importance of the Scribners； and he immediately placed himself in communication with Mr。 Charles Scribner； with the result that in January； 1884； he entered the employ of these publishers as stenographer to the two members of the firm and to Mr。 Edward L。 Burlingame； literary adviser to the house。 He was to receive a salary of eighteen dollars and thirty…three cents per week； which was then considered a fair wage for stenographic work。 The typewriter had at that time not come into use； and all letters were written in long…hand。 Once more his legible handwriting had secured for him a position。
Edward Bok was now twenty…one years of age。 He had already done a prodigious amount of work for a boy of his years。 He was always busy。 Every spare moment of his evenings was devoted either to writing his literary letter； to the arrangement or editing of articles for his newspaper syndicate； to the steady acquirement of autograph letters in which he still persisted； or to helping Mr。 Beecher in his literary work。 The Plymouth pastor was particularly pleased with Edward's successful exploitation of his pen work； and he afterward wrote： 〃Bok is the only man who ever seemed to make my literary work go and get money out of it。〃
Enterprise and energy the boy unquestionably possessed； but one need only think back even thus far in his life to see the continuous good fortune which had followed him in the friendships he had made； and in the men with whom his life； at its most formative period； had come into close contact。 If we are inclined to credit young Bok with an ever…willingness to work and a certain quality of initiative； the influences which played upon him must also be taken into account。
Take； for example； the peculiarly fortuitous circumstances under which he entered the Scribner publishing house。 As stenographer to the two members of the firm； Bok was immediately brought into touch with the leading authors of the day； their works as they were discussed in the correspondence dictated to him； and the authors' terms upon which books were published。 In fact； he was given as close an insight as it was possible for a young man to get into the inner workings of one of the large publishing houses in the United States； with a list peculiarly noted for the distinction of its authors and the broad scope of its books。
The Scribners had the foremost theological list of all the publishing houses； its educational list was exceptionally strong； its musical list excelled； its fiction represented the leading writers of the day； its general list was particularly noteworthy； and its foreign department； importing the leading books brought out in Great Britain and Europe； was an outstanding feature of the business。 The correspondence dictated to Bok covered； naturally； all these fields； and a more remarkable opportunity for self…education was never offered a stenographer。
Mr。 Burlingame was known in the publishing world for his singularly keen literary appreciation； and was accepted as one of the best judges of good fiction。 Bok entered the Scribner employ as Mr。 Burlingame was selecting the best short stories published within a decade for a set of books to be called 〃Short Stories by American Authors。〃 The correspondence for this series was dictated to Bok； and he decided to read after Mr。 Burlingame and thus get an idea of the best fiction of the day。 So whenever his chief wrote to an author asking for permission to include his story in the proposed series； Bok immediately hunted up the story and read it。
Later； when the house decided to start Scribner's Magazine； and Mr。 Burlingame was selected to be its editor； all the preliminary correspondence was dictated to Bok through his employers； and he received a firsthand education in the setting up of the machinery necessary for the publication of a magazine。 All this he eagerly absorbed。
He was again fortunate in that his desk was placed in the advertising department of the house； and here he found； as manager； an old…time Brooklyn boy friend with whom he had gone to school： Frank N。 Doubleday； to…day the senior partner of Doubleday； Page and Company。 Bok had been attracted to advertising through his theatre programme and Brooklyn Magazine experience； and here was presented a chance to learn the art at first hand and according to the best traditions。 So； whenever his stenographic work permitted； he assisted Mr。 Doubleday in preparing and placing the advertisements of the books of the house。
Mr。 Doubleday was just reviving the publication of a house…organ called The Book Buyer； and； given a chance to help in this； Bok felt he was getting back into the periodical field； especially since； under Mr。 Doubleday's guidance； the little monthly soon developed into a literary magazine of very respectable size and generally bookish contents。
The house also issued another periodical； The Presbyterian Review； a quarterly under the editorship of a board of professors connected with the Princeton and Union Theological Seminaries。 This ponderous…looking magazine was not composed of what one might call 〃light reading；〃 and as the price of a single copy was eighty cents； and the advertisements it could reasonably expect were necessarily limited in number； the periodical was rather difficult to move。 Thus the whole situation at the Scribners' was adapted to give Edward an all…round training in the publishing business。 It was an exceptional opportunity。
He worked early and late。 An increase in his salary soon told him that he was satisfying his employers； and then； when the new Scribner's Magazine appeared； and a little later Mr。 Doubleday was delegated to take charge of the business end of it； Bok himself was placed in charge of the advertising department； with the publishing details of the two periodicals on his hands。
He suddenly found himself directing a stenographer instead of being a stenographer himself。 Evidently his apprentice days were over。 He had； in addition； the charge of sending all the editorial copies of the new books to the press for review； and of keeping a record of those reviews。 This naturally brought to his desk the authors of the house who wished to see how the press received their works。
The study of the writers who were interested in following the press notices of their books； and those who were indifferent to them became a fascinating game to young Bok。 He soon discovered that the greater the author the less he seemed to care about his books once they were published。 Bok noticed this； particularly； in the case of Robert Louis Stevenson； whose work had attracted him； but； although he used the most subtle means to inveigle the author into the office to read the press notices； he never succeeded。 Stevenson never seemed to have the slightest interest in what the press said of his books。
One day Mr。 Burlingame asked Bok to take some proofs to Stevenson at his home； thinking it might be a propitious moment to interest the author in the popular acclaim that followed the publication of Doctor Jekyll and Mr。 Hyde； Bok put a bunch of press notices in his pocket。 He found the author in bed； smoking his inevitable cigarette。
As the proofs were to be brought back； Bok waited； and thus had an opportunity for nearly two hours to see the author at work。 No man ever went over his proofs more carefully than did Stevenson； his corrections were numerous； and sometimes for ten minutes at a time he would sit smoking and thinking over a single sentence； which； when he had satisfactorily shaped it in his mind； he would recast on the proof。
Stevenson was not a prepossessing figure at these times。 With his sallow skin and his black dishevelled hair； with finger…nails which had been allowed to grow very long； with fingers discolored by