Part 23 (1/2)
”J A Early”
Bok wrote to Eugene Field, once, asking his, and suggesting that the story of Jacob and Rachel would have made a the and characteristic, and throws a light on an omission in his works at which many have wondered:
”Dear Bok:
”I'll see what I can do with the suggestion as to Jacob and Rachel
Several have asked s That is hard to answer I presu I was in to write until I enty-nine Most of s; so is 'To a Usurper,' 'A Valentine,' 'The Little Bit of a Woman,' 'Lovers' Lane,'
etc, but not the kind co you herewith , and even into it has crept a cadence thatof maturity rather than of youth I do not know that you will care to have it, but it will interest you as the first
”Ever sincerely yours,
”Eugene Field”
During the last years of his life, Bok tried to interest Benjaolf, since his physician had ordered ”moderate outdoor exercise” Bok offered to equip him with the necessary clubs and balls When he received the balls, the ex-president wrote:
”Thanks But does not a bottle of linio with each ball?”
When William Howard Taft becaiven out that journalists would not be so welco the ad to Bok about another matter, asked why he had not called and talked it over while in Washi+ngton Bok explained the impression that was current; whereupon came the answer, swift and definite!
”There are no _personae non gratae_ at the White House I long ago learned the waste of ti such a class”
There was in circulation during Henry Ward Beecher's lifetime a story, which is still revived every now and then, that on a hot Sunday an his ser that ”It is too dareat preacher, asked him the truth of this report, and received this definite denial:
”My Dear Friend:
”No, I never did begin a sermon with the remark that ”it is d--d hot,”
etc It is a story a hundred years old, revamped every few years to suit soone, it will be told to the rising generation respecting some other man, and then, as now, there will be fools ill swear that they heard it!
”Henry Ward Beecher”
When Bok's father passed away, he left, ae number of Confederate bonds Bok wrote to Jefferson Davis, asking if they had any value, and received this characteristic answer:
”I regret ive an opinion The theory of the Confederate Government, like that of the United States, was to separate the sword from the purse Therefore, the Confederate States Treasury was under the control not of the Chief Executive, but of the Congress and the Secretary of the Treasury This ard to the Confederate States Bonds Generally, I may state that the Confederate Government cannot have preserved a fund for the redemption of its Bonds other than the cotton subscribed by our citizens for that purpose At the ter to be the successor of the Confederate Government, seized all its property which could be found, both at home and abroad I have not heard of any purpose to apply these assets to the payment of the liabilities of the Confederacy, and, therefore, have been at a loss to account for the demand which has lately been made for the Confederate Bonds
”Jefferson Davis”
Always the soul of courtesy itself, andthe nuraph, William Dean Howells finally turned; and Bok always considered himself fortunate that the novelist announced his decision to hi characteristic letter:
”The requests for ed either to refuse all or to make some sort of limitation
Every author nature is 'collected'
at ti the collectors for other signatures That would not matter so much if the applicants were always able to spell his name, or were apparently acquainted with his work or interested in it
”I propose, therefore, to give my name hereafter only to such askers as can furnish ent comment upon it that they have read some book of mine If they can inclose a bookseller's certificate that they have bought the book, their case will be very thened; but I do not insist upon this In all instances a card and a stamped and directed envelope must be inclosed I will never 'add a sentiive me proof that they have read all my books, now some thirty or forty in number