he determined to finish the collection and publish it as a memorial for private distribution。 After a prodigious correspondence； the work was at last completed； and in June； 1887； the volume was published； in a limited edition of five hundred copies。 Bok distributed copies of the volume to the members of Mr。 Beecher's family； he had orders from Mr。 Beecher's friends； one hundred copies were offered to the American public and one hundred copies were issued in an English edition。
With such a figure to whom to do honor； the contributors； of course； included the foremost men and women of the time。 Grover Cleveland was then President of the United States； and his tribute was a notable one。 Mr。 Gladstone； the Duke of Argyll； Pasteur； Canon Farrar； Bartholdi； Salvini； and a score of others represented English and European opinion。 Oliver Wendell Holmes； John Greenleaf Whittier； T。 De Witt Talmage； Robert G。 Ingersoll； Charles Dudley Warner； General Sherman； Julia Ward Howe； Andrew Carnegie； Edwin Booth； Rutherford B。 Hayesthere was scarcely a leader of thought and of action of that day unrepresented。 The edition was； of course； quickly exhausted； and when to…day a copy occasionally appears at an auction sale； it is sold at a high price。
The newspapers gave very large space to the distinguished memorial； and this fact angered a journalist； Joseph Howard； Junior； a man at one time close to Mr。 Beecher； who had befriended him。 Howard had planned to be the first in the field with a hastily prepared biography of the great preacher； and he felt that Bok had forestalled him。 Forthwith； he launched a vicious attack on the compiler of the memorial； accusing him of 〃making money out of Henry Ward Beecher's dead body〃 and of 〃seriously offending the family of Mr。 Beecher； who had had no say in the memorial； which was therefore without authority； and hence extremely distasteful to all。〃
Howard had convinced a number of editors of the justice of his position； and so he secured a wide publication for his attack。 For the second time； Edward Bok was under fire； and remembering his action on the previous occasion； he again remained silent； and again the argument was put forth that his silence implied guilt。 But Mrs。 Beecher and members of the Beecher family did not observe silence； and quickly proved that not only had Bok compiled the memorial as a labor of love and had lost money on it； but that he had the full consent of the family in its preparation。
When； shortly afterward； Howard's hastily compiled 〃biography〃 of Mr。 Beecher appeared； a reporter asked Mrs。 Beecher whether she and her family had found it accurate。
〃Accurate； my child；〃 said Mrs。 Beecher。 〃Why； it is so accurate in its absolute falsity that neither I nor the boys can find one fact or date given correctly； although we have studied it for two days。 Even the year of Mr。 Beecher's birth is wrong； and that is the smallest error！〃
Edward Bok little dreamed that these two experiences with public criticism were to serve him as a foretaste of future attacks when he would get the benefit of hundreds of pencils especially sharpened for him。
XIII。 Publishing Incidents and Anecdotes
One evening some literary men were dining together previous to going to a private house where a number of authors were to give readings from their books。 At the table the talk turned on the carelessness with which the public reads books。 Richard Harding Davis； one of the party； contended that the public read more carefully than the others believed。 It was just at the time when Du Maurier's Trilby was in every one's hands。
〃Don't you believe it；〃 said one of the diners。 〃I'll warrant you could take a portion of some well…known story to…night and palm it off on most of your listeners as new stuff。〃
〃Done；〃 said Davis。 〃Come along； and I'll prove you wrong。〃
The reading was to be at the house of John Kendrick Bangs at Yonkers。 When Davis's 〃turn〃 in the programme came； he announced that he would read a portion from an unpublished story written by himself。 Immediately there was a flutter in the audience； particularly among the younger element。
Pulling a roll of manuscript out of his pocket； Davis began：
〃It was a fine； sunny； showery day in April。 The big studio window〃
He got no farther。 Almost the entire audience broke into a shout of laughter and applause。 Davis had read thirteen of the opening words of Trilby。
All publishing houses employ 〃readers〃 outside of those in their own offices for the reading of manuscripts on special subjects。 One of these 〃outside readers〃 was given a manuscript for criticism。 He took it home and began its reading。 He had finished only a hundred pages or so when； by a curious coincidence； the card of the author of the manuscript was brought to the 〃reader。〃 The men were close friends。
Hastily gathering up the manuscript； the critic shoved the work into a drawer of his desk； and asked that his friend be shown in。
The evening was passed in conversation； as the visitor rose to leave； his host； rising also and seating himself on his desk； asked：
〃What have you been doing lately？ Haven't seen much of you。〃
〃No；〃 said the friend。 〃It may interest you to know that I have been turning to literary work； and have just completed what I consider to be an important book。〃
〃Really？〃 commented the 〃reader。〃
〃Yes；〃 went on his friend。 〃I submitted it a few days ago to one of the big publishing houses。 But； great Scott； you can never tell what these publishers will do with a thing of that sort。 They give their manuscripts to all kinds of fools to read。 I suppose； by this time； some idiot； who doesn't know a thing of the subject about which I have written； is sitting on my manuscript。〃
Mechanically； the 〃reader〃 looked at the desk upon which he was sitting； thought of the manuscript lying in the drawer directly under him； and said：
〃Yes； that may be。 Quite likely； in fact。〃
Of no novel was the secret of the authorship ever so well kept as was that of The Breadwinners； which； published anonymously in 1883； was the talk of literary circles for a long time； and speculation as to its authorship was renewed in the newspapers for years afterward。 Bok wanted very much to find out the author's name so that he could announce it in his literary letter。 He had his suspicions； but they were not well founded until an amusing little incident occurred which curiously revealed the secret to him。
Bok was waiting to see one of the members of a publishing firm when a well…known English publisher； visiting in America； was being escorted out of the office； the conversation continuing as the two gentlemen walked through the outer rooms。 〃My chief reason；〃 said the English publisher； as he stopped at the end of the outer office where Bok was sitting； 〃for hesitating at all about taking an English set of plates of the novel you speak of is because it is of anonymous authorship； a custom of writing which has grown out of all decent proportions in your country since the issue of that stupid book； The Breadwinners。〃
As these last words were spoken； a man seated at a desk directly behind the speaker looked up； smiled； and resumed reading a document which he had dropped in to sign。 A smile also spread over the countenance of the American publisher as he furtively glanced over the shoulder of the English visitor and caught the eye of the smiling man at the desk。
Bok saw the little comedy； realized at once that he had discovered the author of The Breadwinners； and stated to the publisher that he intended to use the incident in his literary letter。 But it proved to be one of those heart…rending instances of a delicious morsel of news that must be withheld from the journalist's use。 The publisher acknowledged that Bok had happened upon the true authorship； but placed him upon his honor to make no use of the incident。 And Bok learned again the vital journalistic lesson that there are a great many things in the world that the journalist knows and yet cannot write about。 He would have been years in advance of the announcement finally made that John Hay wrote the novel。
At another time； while waiting； Bok had an experience which； while interesting； was saddening instead of amusing。 He was sitting in Mark Twain's sitting…room in his home in Hartford waiting for the humorist to return from a walk。 Suddenly sounds of devotional singing came in through the open window from the direction of the outer conservatory。 The singing was low； yet the sad tremor in the voice seemed to give it special carrying power。
〃You have quite a devotional servant；〃 Bok said to a maid who was dusting the room。
〃Oh； that is not a servant who is singing； sir；〃 was the answer。 〃You can step to this window and see for yourself。〃
Bok did so； and there； sitting alone on one of the rustic benches in the flower…house； was a small； elderly woman。 Keeping time with the first finger of her right hand； as if with a baton； she was slightly swaying her frail body as she sang； softly yet sweetly； Charles Wesley's hymn； 〃Jesus； Lover of My Soul；〃 and Sarah Flower Adams's 〃Nearer； My God； to Thee。〃
But the singer was not a servant。 It was Harriet Beecher Stowe！
On another visit to Hartford； shortly afterward； Bok was just turning into Forrest Street when a little old woman came shambling along toward him； unconscious； apparently； of people or surroundings。 In her hand she carried a small tree…switch。 Bok did not notice her until just as he had passed her he heard her calling to him： 〃Young man； young man。〃 Bok retraced his steps； and then the old lady said： 〃Young man； you have been leaning against something white；〃 and taking her tree…switch she whipped some wall dust from the sleeve of Bok's coat。 It was not until that moment that Bok recognized in his self…appointed 〃brush〃 no less a personage than Harriet Beecher Stowe。
〃This is Mrs。 Stowe； is it not？〃 he asked； after tendering his thanks to her。
Those blue eyes looked strangely into his as she answered：
〃That is my name； young man。 I live on this street。 Are you going to have me arrested for stopping you？〃 with which she gathered up her skirts and quickly ran away； looking furtively over her shoulder at the amazed young man； sorrowfu