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 his years. He was always busy. Every
spare moment of his evenings was devoted either to writing his literary
letter, 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.
Pages:
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145