第10章 The Hunger for Self-Education (2)

Several of the writers felt an interest in a boy who frankly told them that he wanted to educate himself, and asked Edward to come and see them.Accordingly, when they lived in New York or Brooklyn, or came to these cities on a visit, he was quick to avail himself of their invitations.He began to note each day in the newspapers the "distinguished arrivals" at the New York hotels; and when any one with whom he had corresponded arrived, Edward would, after business hours, go up-town, pay his respects, and thank him in person for his letters.No person was too high for Edward's boyish approach; President Garfield, General Grant, General Sherman, President Hayes--all were called upon, and all received the boy graciously and were interested in the problem of his self-education.It was a veritable case of making friends on every hand; friends who were to be of the greatest help and value to the boy in his after-years, although he had no conception of it at the time.

The Fifth Avenue Hotel, in those days the stopping-place of the majority of the famous men and women visiting New York, represented to the young boy who came to see these celebrities the very pinnacle of opulence.

Often while waiting to be received by some dignitary, he wondered how one could acquire enough means to live at a place of such luxury.The main dining-room, to the boy's mind, was an object of special interest.

He would purposely sneak up-stairs and sit on one of the soft sofas in the foyer simply to see the well-dressed diners go in and come out.

Edward would speculate on whether the time would ever come when he could dine in that wonderful room just once!

One evening he called, after the close of business, upon General and Mrs.Grant, whom he had met before, and who had expressed a desire to see his collection.It can readily be imagined what a red-letter day it made in the boy's life to have General Grant say: "It might be better for us all to go down to dinner first and see the collection afterward."Edward had purposely killed time between five and seven o'clock, thinking that the general's dinner-hour, like his own, was at six.He had allowed an hour for the general to eat his dinner, only to find that he was still to begin it.The boy could hardly believe his ears, and unable to find his voice, he failed to apologize for his modest suit or his general after-business appearance.

As in a dream he went down in the elevator with his host and hostess, and when the party of three faced toward the dining-room entrance, so familiar to the boy, he felt as if his legs must give way under him.

There have since been other red-letter days in Edward Bok's life, but the moment that still stands out preeminent is that when two colored head waiters at the dining-room entrance, whom he had so often watched, bowed low and escorted the party to their table.At last, he was in that sumptuous dining-hall.The entire room took on the picture of one great eye, and that eye centred on the party of three--as, in fact, it naturally would.But Edward felt that the eye was on him, wondering why he should be there.

What he ate and what he said he does not recall.General Grant, not a voluble talker himself, gently drew the boy out, and Mrs.Grant seconded him, until toward the close of the dinner he heard himself talking.He remembers that he heard his voice, but what that voice said is all dim to him.One act stamped itself on his mind.The dinner ended with a wonderful dish of nuts and raisins, and just before the party rose from the table Mrs.Grant asked the waiter to bring her a paper bag.Into this she emptied the entire dish, and at the close of the evening she gave it to Edward "to eat on the way home." It was a wonderful evening, afterward up-stairs, General Grant smoking the inevitable cigar, and telling stories as he read the letters of different celebrities.Over those of Confederate generals he grew reminiscent; and when he came to a letter from General Sherman, Edward remembers that he chuckled audibly, reread it, and then turning to Mrs.Grant, said: "Julia, listen to this from Sherman.Not bad." The letter he read was this:

"Dear Mr.Bok:--

"I prefer not to make scraps of sentimental writing.When I write anything I want it to be real and connected in form, as, for instance, in your quotation from Lord Lytton's play of 'Richelieu,' 'The pen is mightier than the sword.' Lord Lytton would never have put his signature to so naked a sentiment.

Surely I will not.

"In the text there was a prefix or qualification:

"Beneath the rule of men entirely great The pen is mightier than the sword.

"Now, this world does not often present the condition of facts herein described.Men entirely great are very rare indeed, and even Washington, who approached greatness as near as any mortal, found good use for the sword and the pen, each in its proper sphere.

"You and I have seen the day when a great and good man ruled this country (Lincoln) who wielded a powerful and prolific pen, and yet had to call to his assistance a million of flaming swords.

"No, I cannot subscribe to your sentiment, 'The pen is mightier than the sword,' which you ask me to write, because it is not true.

"Rather, in the providence of God, there is a time for all things;a time when the sword may cut the Gordian knot, and set free the principles of right and justice, bound up in the meshes of hatred, revenge, and tyranny, that the pens of mighty men like Clay, Webster, Crittenden, and Lincoln were unable to disentangle.

"Wishing you all success, I am, with respect, your friend, "W.T.Sherman."Mrs.Grant had asked Edward to send her a photograph of himself, and after one had been taken, the boy took it to the Fifth Avenue Hotel, intending to ask the clerk to send it to her room.Instead, he met General and Mrs.Grant just coming from the elevator, going out to dinner.The boy told them his errand, and said he would have the photograph sent up-stairs.