t a distance and eye me； and I see wonder on their faces rather than a desire to mix。〃
〃You've noticed that； then？〃 smilingly asked the poet。
〃Yes； and I can't quite get it。 At home； my friends are men。 Why should it be different in other cities？〃
〃I'll tell you；〃 said Riley。 〃Five or six of the men you met to…night were loath to come。 When I pinned them down to their reason； it was I thought： they regard you as an effeminate being； a sissy。〃
〃Good heavens！〃 interrupted Bok。
〃Fact；〃 said Riley； 〃and you can't wonder at it nor blame them。 You have been most industriously paragraphed； in countless jests； about your penchant for pink teas； your expert knowledge of tatting； crocheting； and all that sort of stuff。 Look what Eugene Field has done in that direction。 These paragraphs have； doubtless； been good advertising for your magazine； and； in a way； for you。 But； on the other hand； they have given a false impression of you。 Men have taken these paragraphs seriously and they think of you as the man pictured in them。 It's a fact； I know。 It's all right after they meet you and get your measure。 The joke then is on them。 Four of the men I fairly dragged to the dinner this evening said this to me just before I left。 That is one reason why I advise you to keep on lecturing。 Get around and show yourself； and correct this universal impression。 Not that you can't stand when men think of you； but it's unpleasant。〃
It was unpleasant； but Bok decided that the solution as found in lecturing was worse than the misconception。 From that day to this he never lectured again。
But the public conception of himself； especially that of men； awakened his interest and amusement。 Some of his friends on the press were still busy with their paragraphs； and he promptly called a halt and asked them to desist。 〃Enough was as good as a feast；〃 he told them； and explained why。
One day Bok got a distinctly amusing line on himself from a chance stranger。 He was riding from Washington to Philadelphia in the smoking compartment； when the newsboy stuck his head in the door and yelled： 〃Ladies' Home Journal； out to…day。〃 He had heard this many times before； but on this particular day； upon hearing the title of his own magazine yelled almost in his ears； he gave an involuntary start。
Opposite to him sat a most companionable young fellow； who； noticing Bok's start； leaned over and with a smile said： 〃I know； I know just how you feel。 That's the way I feel whenever I hear the name of that damned magazine。 Here； boy；〃 he called to the retreating magazine…carrier； 〃give me a copy of that Ladies' Home Disturber： I might as well buy it here as in the station。〃
Then to Bok： 〃Honest； if I don't bring home that sheet on the day it is out； the wife is in a funk。 She runs her home by it literally。 Same with you？〃
〃The same；〃 answered Bok。 〃As a matter of fact； in our family； we live by it； on it； and from it。〃
Bok's neighbor； of course； couldn't get the real point of this； but he thought he had it。
〃Exactly；〃 he replied。 〃So do we。 That fellow Bok certainly has the women buffaloed for good。 Ever see him？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 answered Bok。
〃Live in Philadelphia？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃There's where the thing is published； all right。 What does Bok look like？〃
〃Oh；〃 answered Bok carelessly； 〃just like； well； like all of us。 In fact； he looks something like me。〃
〃Does he； now？〃 echoed the man。 〃Shouldn't think it would make you very proud！〃
And； the train pulling in at Baltimore； Bok's genial neighbor sent him a hearty good…bye and ran out with the much…maligned magazine under his arm！
He had an occasion or two now to find out what women thought of him！
He was leaving the publication building one evening after office hours when just as he opened the front door； a woman approached。 Bok explained that the building was closed。
〃Well； I am sorry；〃 said the woman in a dejected tone； 〃for I don't think I can manage to come again。〃
〃Is there anything I can do？〃 asked Bok。 〃I am employed here。〃
〃No…o；〃 said the woman。 〃I came to see Mr。 Curtis on a personal matter。〃
〃I shall see him this evening；〃 suggested Bok； 〃and can give him a message for you if you like。〃
〃Well； I don't know if you can。 I came to complain to him about Mr。 Bok；〃 announced the woman。
〃Oh； well；〃 answered Bok； with a slight start at the matter…of…fact announcement； 〃that is serious； quite serious。 If you will explain your complaint； I will surely see that it gets to Mr。 Curtis。〃
Bok's interest grew。
〃Well； you see；〃 said the woman； 〃it is this way。 I live in a three…family flat。 Here is my name and card；〃 and a card came out of a bag。 〃I subscribe to The Ladies' Home Journal。 It is delivered at my house each month by Mr。 Bok。 Now I have told that man three times over that when he delivers the magazine； he must ring the bell twice。 But he just persists in ringing once and then that cat who lives on the first floor gets my magazine； reads it； and keeps it sometimes for three days before I get it！ Now； I want Mr。 Curtis to tell Mr。 Bok that he must do as I ask and ring the bell twice。 Can you give him that message for me？ There's no use talking to Mr。 Bok； I've done that； as I say。〃
And Bok solemnly assured his subscriber that he would！
Bok's secretary told him one day that there was in the outer office the most irate woman he had ever tried to handle； that he had tried for half an hour to appease her； but it was of no use。 She threatened to remain until Bok admitted her； and see him she would； and tell him exactly what she thought of him。 The secretary looked as if he had been through a struggle。 〃It's hopeless；〃 he said。 〃Will you see her？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Bok。 〃Show her in。〃
The moment the woman came in； she began a perfect torrent of abuse。 Bok could not piece out； try as he might； what it was all about。 But he did gather from the explosion that the woman considered him a hypocrite who wrote one thing and did another； that he was really a thief； stealing a woman's money； and so forth。 There was no chance of a word for fully fifteen minutes and then； when she was almost breathless； Bok managed to ask if his caller would kindly tell him just what he had done。
Another torrent of incoherent abuse came forth； but after a while it became apparent that the woman's complaint was that she had sent a dollar for a subscription to The Ladies' Home Journal； had never had a copy of the magazine； had complained； and been told there was no record of the money being received。 And as she had sent her subscription to Bok personally； he had purloined the dollar！
It was fully half an hour before Bok could explain to the irate woman that he never remembered receiving a letter from her； that subscriptions； even when personally addressed to him； did not come to his desk； etc。； that if she would leave her name and address he would have the matter investigated。 Absolutely unconvinced that anything would be done； and unaltered in her opinion about Bok； the woman finally left。
Two days later a card was handed in to the editor with a note asking him to see for a moment the husband of his irate caller。 When the man came in； he looked sheepish and amused in turn； and finally said：
〃I hardly know what to say； because I don't know what my wife said to you。 But if what she said to me is any index of her talk with you； I want to apologize for her most profoundly。 She isn't well； and we shall both have to let it go at that。 As for her subscription； you； of course； never received it； for； with difficulty； I finally extracted the fact from her that she pinned a dollar bill to a postal card and dropped it in a street postal box。 And she doesn't yet see that she has done anything extraordinary； or that she had a faith in Uncle Sam that I call sublime。〃
The Journal had been calling the attention of its readers to the defacement of the landscape by billboard advertisers。 One day on his way to New York he found himself sitting in a sleeping…car section opposite a woman and her daughter。
The mother was looking at the landscape when suddenly she commented：
〃There are some of those ugly advertising signs that Mr。 Bok says are such a defacement to the landscape。 I never noticed them before； but he is right； and I am going to write and tell him so。〃
〃Oh； mamma； don't；〃 said the girl。 〃That man is pampered enough by women。 Don't make him worse。 Ethel says he is now the vainest man in America。〃
Bok's eyes must have twinkled； and just then the mother looked at him； caught his eye； she gave a little gasp； and Bok saw that she had telepathically discovered him！
He smiled； raised his hat； presented his card to the mother； and said： 〃Excuse me； but I do want to defend myself from that last statement； if I may。 I couldn't help overhearing it。〃
The mother； a woman of the world； read the name on the card quickly and smiled； but the daughter's face was a study as she leaned over and glanced at the card。 She turned scarlet and then white。
〃Now； do tell me；〃 asked Bok of the daughter； 〃who 'Ethel' is； so that I may try at least to prove that I am not what she thinks。〃
The daughter was completely flustered。 For the rest of the journey； however； the talk was informal； the girl became more at ease； and Bok ended by dining with the mother and daughter at their hotel that evening。
But he never found out 〃Ethel's〃 other name！
There were curiously amusing sides to a man's editorship of a woman's magazine！
XXIX。 An Excursion into the Feminine Nature
The strangling hold which the Paris couturiers had secured on the American woman in their absolute dictation as to her fashions in dress； had interested Edward Bok for some time。 As he studied the question； he was constantly amazed at the audacity with which these French dressmakers and milliners； often themselves of little taste and scant morals； cracked the whip； and the docility with which the American woman blindly and unintelligently danced to their measure。 The deeper he went into the matter； too； the more deceit and misrepresentation did he find in the situation。 It was inconceivable that the American woman should submit to what was being imposed upon her if she knew the facts。 He determined that she should。 The proce