f Pook's Hill。〃 He induced F。 Hopkinson Smith to tell the best stories he had ever heard in his wide travels in 〃The Man in the Arm Chair〃； he got Kate Douglas Wiggin to tell a country church experience of hers in 〃The Old Peabody Pew〃； and Jean Webster her knowledge of almshouse life in 〃Daddy Long Legs。〃
The readers of The Ladies' Home Journal realized that it searched the whole field of endeavor in literature and art to secure what would interest them； and they responded with their support。
Another of Bok's methods in editing was to do the common thing in an uncommon way。 He had the faculty of putting old wine in new bottles and the public liked it。 His ideas were not new； he knew there were no new ideas； but he presented his ideas in such a way that they seemed new。 It is a significant fact； too； that a large public will respond more quickly to an idea than it will to a name。
This The Ladies' Home Journal proved again and again。 Its most pronounced successes； from the point of view of circulation； were those in which the idea was the sole and central appeal。 For instance； when it gave American women an opportunity to look into a hundred homes and see how they were furnished； it added a hundred thousand copies to the circulation。 There was nothing new in publishing pictures of rooms and； had it merely done this； it is questionable whether success would have followed the effort。 It was the way in which it was done。 The note struck entered into the feminine desire； reflected it； piqued curiosity； and won success。
Again； when The Journal decided to show good taste and bad taste in furniture； in comparative pictures； another hundred thousand circulation came to it。 There was certainly nothing new in the comparative idea； but applied to a question of taste； which could not be explained so clearly in words； it seemed new。
Had it simply presented masterpieces of art as such； the series might have attracted little attention。 But when it announced that these masterpieces had always been kept in private galleries； and seen only by the favored few； that the public had never been allowed to get any closer to them than to read of the fabulous prices paid by their millionaire owners； and that now the magazine would open the doors of those exclusive galleries and let the public inpublic curiosity was at once piqued； and over one hundred and fifty thousand persons who had never before bought the magazine were added to the list。
In not one of these instances； nor in the case of other successful series； did the appeal to the public depend upon the names of contributors； there were none： it was the idea which the public liked and to which it responded。
The editorial Edward Bok enjoyed this hugely； the real Edward Bok did not。 The one was bottled up in the other。 It was a case of absolute self…effacement。 The man behind the editor knew that if he followed his own personal tastes and expressed them in his magazine； a limited audience would be his instead of the enormous clientele that he was now reaching。 It was the man behind the editor who had sought expression in the idea of Country Life； the magazine which his company sold to Doubleday； Page & Company； and which he would personally have enjoyed editing。
It was in 1913 that the real Edward Bok； bottled up for twenty…five years； again came to the surface。 The majority stockholders of The Century Magazine wanted to dispose of their interest in the periodical。 Overtures were made to The Curtis Publishing Company； but its hands were full； and the matter was presented for Bok's personal consideration。 The idea interested him； as he saw in The Century a chance for his self…expression。 He entered into negotiations； looked carefully into the property itself and over the field which such a magazine might fill； decided to buy it； and install an active editor while he； as a close adviser； served as the propelling power。
Bok figured out that there was room for one of the trio of what was； and still is； called the standard…sized magazines； namely Scribner's； Harper's； and The Century。 He believed； as he does to…day； that any one of these magazines could be so edited as to preserve all its traditions and yet be so ingrafted with the new progressive； modern spirit as to dominate the field and constitute itself the leader in that particular group。 He believed that there was a field which would produce a circulation in the neighborhood of a quarter of a million copies a month for one of those magazines； so that it would be considered not； as now； one of three； but the one。
What Bok saw in the possibilities of the standard illustrated magazine has been excellently carried out by Mr。 Ellery Sedgwick in The Atlantic Monthly； every tradition has been respected； and yet the new progressive note introduced has given it a position and a circulation never before attained by a non…illustrated magazine of the highest class。
As Bok studied the field； his confidence in the proposition； as he saw it； grew。 For his own amusement； he made up some six issues of The Century as he visualized it； and saw that the articles he had included were all obtainable。 He selected a business manager and publisher who would relieve him of the manufacturing problems； but before the contract was actually closed Bok； naturally； wanted to consult Mr。 Curtis； who was just returning from abroad； as to this proposed sharing of his editor。
For one man to edit two magazines inevitably meant a distribution of effort； and this Mr。 Curtis counselled against。 He did not believe that any man could successfully serve two masters； it would also mean a division of public association； it might result in Bok's physical undoing； as already he was overworked。 Mr。 Curtis's arguments； of course； prevailed； the negotiations were immediately called off； and for the second timefor some wise reason； undoubtedlythe real Edward Bok was subdued。 He went back into the bottle！
A cardinal point in Edward Bok's code of editing was not to commit his magazine to unwritten material； or to accept and print articles or stories simply because they were the work of well…known persons。 And as his acquaintance with authors multiplied； he found that the greater the man the more willing he was that his work should stand or fall on its merit； and that the editor should retain his prerogative of declinationif he deemed it wise to exercise it。
Rudyard Kipling was； and is； a notable example of this broad and just policy。 His work is never imposed upon an editor； it is invariably submitted； in its completed form； for acceptance or declination。 〃Wait until it's done；〃 said Kipling once to Bok as he outlined a story to him which the editor liked； 〃and see whether you want it。 You can't tell until then。〃 （What a difference from the type of author who insists that an editor must take his or her story before a line is written！）
〃I told Watt to send you；〃 he writes to Bok； 〃the first four of my child stories （you see I hadn't forgotten my promise）； and they may serve to amuse you for a while personally； even if you don't use them for publication。 Frankly； I don't myself see how they can be used for the L。 H。 J。； but they're part of a scheme of mine for trying to give children not a notion of history； but a notion of the time sense which is at the bottom of all knowledge of history； and history； rightly understood； means the love of one's fellow…men and the land one lives in。〃
James Whitcomb Riley was another who believed that an editor should have the privilege of saying 〃No〃 if he so elected。 When Riley was writing a series of poems for Bok； the latter； not liking a poem which the Hoosier poet sent him； returned it to him。 He wondered how Riley would receive a declinationnaturally a rare experience。 But his immediate answer settled the question：
〃Thanks equally for your treatment of both poems； ＇he wrote＇； the one accepted and the other returned。 Maintain your own opinions and respect； and my vigorous esteem for you shall remain 'deep…rooted in the fruitful soil。' No occasion for apology whatever。 In my opinion； you are wrong； in your opinion； you are right； therefore； you are right；at least righter than wronger。 It is seldom that I drop other work for logic； but when I do； as my grandfather was wont to sturdily remark； 'it is to some purpose； I can promise you。'
〃Am goin' to try mighty hard to send you the dialect work you've so long wanted； in few weeks at furthest。 'Patience and shuffle the cards。'
〃I am really； just now； stark and bare of one commonsence idea。 In the writing line； I was never so involved before and see no end to the ink…（an humorous voluntary provocative； I trust of much merriment）…creasing pressure of it all。
〃Even the hope of waking to find myself famous is denied me； since I haven't time in which to fall asleep。 Therefore； very drowsily and yawningly indeed； I am your
〃James Whitcomb Riley。〃
Neither did the President of the United States consider himself above a possible declination of his material if it seemed advisable to the editor。 In 1916 Woodrow Wilson wrote to Bok：
〃Sometime ago you kindly intimated to me that you would like to publish an article from me。 At first； it seemed impossible for me to undertake anything of the kind； but I have found a little interval in which I have written something on Mexico which I hope you will think worthy of publication。 If not； will you return it to me？〃
The President； too； acted as an intermediary in turning authors in Bok's direction； when the way opened。 In a letter written not on the official White House letterhead； but on his personal 〃up…stairs〃 stationery； as it is called； he asks：
〃Will you do me the favor of reading the enclosed to see if it is worthy of your acceptance for the Journal； or whether you think it indicates that the writer； with a few directions and suggestions； might be useful to you？
〃It was written by 。 She is a woman of great refinement； of a very unusually broad social experience； and of many exceptional gifts； who thoroughly knows what she is writing about； whether she has yet discovered the best way to set it forth or not。 She is one of the most gifted and resourceful hostesses I have known； but has now fallen upon hard times。
〃Among o