In that paper, each week, the letter had been
read by Mr. Cyrus H. K. Curtis, the owner and publisher of _The Ladies'
Home Journal_. Mr. Curtis had decided that he needed an editor for his
magazine, in order to relieve his wife, who was then editing it, and he
fixed upon the writer of _Literary Leaves_ as his man. He came to New
York, consulted Will Carleton, the poet, and found that while the
letter was signed by William J. Bok, it was actually written by his
brother who was with the Scribners. So he sought Bok out there.
The publishing house had been advertising in the Philadelphia magazine,
so that the visit of Mr. Curtis was not an occasion for surprise. Mr.
Curtis told Bok he had read his literary letter in the _Philadelphia
Times_, and suggested that perhaps he might write a similar department
for _The Ladies' Home Journal_. Bok saw no reason why he should not,
and told Mr. Curtis so, and promised to send over a trial instalment.
The Philadelphia publisher then deftly went on, explained editorial
conditions in his magazine, and, recognizing the ethics of the occasion
by not offering Bok another position while he was already occupying
one, asked him if he knew the man for the place.
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