Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-09-07
GENE FIELDS HOAX.
Played on Edward Box, Of the Ladies'
Homo Journal,

0esSs Ct6eO0 0OANs
Played on Edward Box, Of the Ladies'
Homo Journal.
l miss the advertisements of lydia
Pinkham. The sweet. sad face of that
lady has disappeared from the adyer-
Using columns of the and
no n is able to tell me why. Many
years ago Eugene Field announced i'm
his columns of the Chicago Record the
engagement and approaching marriage
OF Edward BOX, editor of the Ladies'
Home Journal to Miss Lydia Pinkham.
and namesake of the friend
of women" whom everybody supposed
to be a myth. Field gave so MANY
plausible and interesting details CON
corning the young lady and the ap-
preaching wedding that many people
VINO read his columns, and scores of
editors who reprinted his paragraphs.
were actually convinced that she was
a real person living with her grand
mother in a splendid villa In a New
England village; that the engagement
was h elimination of a Fascinating
romance, and that Mr.. Box had made
a great catch.
1t 80 happened that while this par
agraph was going the rounds of the
papers that Mr.. Box visited Boston.
and a reporter vino had the hotel as
signment asked for an interview. Az
ter obtaining Mr.. Bok's views concern
ing the literary situation in Boston and
other subjects, the reporter %hesitatinR-
y that the people Of New
England had been considerably inter-
ested In his forthcoming marriage to
the daughter of Lydia P!nkham. and
inquired II he expected to spend anv
time with the family.
Mr.. Box replied with some temper
that ne was not engaEed to the lady:
that ne did not enjoy the honor of her
acquaintance; that he had never heard
OF her outside Of Eugene Fields coll
umns; that he did not want to know
her; that he did not want to hear anv-
thing more of her and that he was
tired Of the joke.
The reporter assured Mr.. Boil that he
could not throw a blum like that. for
Lydia Pinkham was an actual person.
n had q residence in Boston and a
villa In the country; she had a son
who managed her business, a man Of
reputation and large wealth. and that
he g q daughter who was very at
tractive and popular in the circle in
winch the family moved. If MI. Box
supposed he could throw reporters off
the scent OF matrimonial events he was
very much mistaken.
II you don't believe me-" said Mr..
BOX, smiling. and ask Mr.. Pink
nam, II there Is such q man. whether
q OAsA W marry NlA OAnRnf0Y
OR you might hunt up the young lady
and ask her. I would like to see what
she thinks about It,"
The mystified reporter went of with
q look OF determination on his face.
shortly. The first thing he did was to
look IN the city directory. and then he
started for a street car which carried
MN to the steps Of a comfortable man
sion on n Of the principal streets of
for MI. Pinkham. A gentieman an
SWering to that name received him po-
litely and admitted that he had .
daughter. The reporter asked IL his
daughter wa engaged to marry the
eaitor Of the Ladies' Home Journal.
lady could speak for herself. and. ring.
ing 9 bell. told the servant that he
wanted MS daughter. Presently a nurse
ear carrying a babe in her arms.
Alow me to present you to Miss
reporter. .'she is the only sirl in the
family and Is named after her grand
motner.. / have read in the newspa-
Rers mat she is engaged to marry Mr..
Q OF the Ladies' Home Journal. but
! nav interferred with her love
ter them herself. with the expectation
ina would take me into her con-
ndence at the proper time. You are
az liberty to ask her all the questions
Hall an hour later an excited report
hotel telling his experience with great
eusto. and the editor was not only
deeply interested In learning Of his
alleged 1iancee, who. he supposed until
tnat momen existed only in the imag-
inatlon OF Eugene Field but at the same
time was considerably relieved. because
ne wa. intending to propose to the
young lady. who is now Mrs. Box.