New-York tribune., 1920-10-10

years later ne retired after q
successful career as editor of The
Ladies' Home Journal His autobiog-
raphy, The Americanization Of Ed
ward Bck (Scribners), is full of rem
iniscences of distinguished individuals:
Henry Ward Beecher, Theodore Roosc-
welt, Grover Cleveland, Jay Gould,
Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kip
hng-to mention only few we'll
known names.
AS boy Box was a Jealous collect
CT Of autographs, and in this way he
made number of acquaintances which
proved useful and profitable in later
years. he always seems to have pos
sessed knack for gaining and main
tanning the friendship of eminent peo-
pie. He attracted the attention of
President Rutherford B. Hayes by turn
ing down his wine glass at dinner
which he was reporting. The Presi-
dent was delighted with this evidence
of temperate habits in a young man,
and gave Box several proofs Of his
friendship and esteem.
A Hard Worker
Box was always a faithful devotee
of the gospel of work. His industry
and his commendable devotion to the
interests of his employers are illus
trated by the following anecdotes:
zone morning Bok's employer hap
pened to come to the Office earlier than
usual, to find the letters he had die
tated late in the afternoon before
lying on his desk ready to be signed.
"'These are the letters I gave you
late yesterday afternoon. are they
not?' asked the employer.
"'Yes, sir
"'Must have started early this
morning, didn't your
"'No, sir answered Box. Il wrote
them out last night before I left
{" Like to get your notes written out
before they get stale?
"Yes, sir
Good idea, said the employer.
Yes, SIR answered Box, and
think it is even better idea to get a
days work off before I take my apron
Off
"'Well said, answered the EMPLOYER.
and the following pay day Box found
an increase in his weekly envelope"
While working for Scribner's pub
llshing house the author met a num-
Der of authors, some of whom still are
famous, while others are practically
forgotten. He relates several anec-
dotes Of Mark Twain. The great
humorist once explained his method of
breaking In bis favorite corncob pipes:
How Mark Twain Broke In Pipes
II get cheap mana man who
doesn't amount to much, anyhow, who
would be as well, or better, dead-and
pay him dollar to break In the pine
for me. get him to smoke the pipe
for couple Of weeks, then put in a
new stem, and continue operations a.
long as The pipe holds together"
-|NN ~ooi0 his True ll1SW0rk IN d. |
rectlng the destinies of The Ladies'
Homo Journal. Like Petronius h.
was something of an arbiter elegan-
tiarum; through his magazine he at
tempted to exert wholesome and up-
lifting influence upon popular tastes
and fashions. Among other things h.
attempted to eliminate from his pub
hcation, go far as possible. all scenes
which represented alcoholic drinking"
he vigorously denies, however. tn.
story that he once asked Kiplinr to
substitute something else for a drink
rig reference; whsreupon Kipling rs-
'lied; Substitute Melln's Food.
Despite the enormous circulation ~
he magazine Box was not ALWAYS snc.
,essful in challenging the accented
'anons OF fashions. He launched
to diminish the popularity Of
'aris costumes, but met with a COM
lete repulse. On another occasion he
nobilized the moral force of his mava-
inc against the shuttle, the bunny
us' the turkey trot and "otHr un-