as, of course, hardly
within Bok's mental reach, so he kept discreetly silent when Stevenson
asked his opinion.

In fact, Bok reasoned it out that the novelist did not really expect an
answer or an opinion, but was at such times thinking aloud. The mental
process, however, was immensely interesting, particularly when
Stevenson would ask Bok to hand him a book on words lying on an
adjacent table. "So hard to find just the right word," Stevenson would
say, and Bok got his first realization of the truth of the maxim: "Easy
writing, hard reading; hard writing, easy reading."

On this particular occasion when Stevenson finished, Bok pulled out his
clippings, told the author how his book was being received, and was
selling, what the house was doing to advertise it, explained the
forthcoming play by Richard Mansfield, and then offered the press
notices.

Stevenson took the bundle and held it in his hand.

"That's very nice to tell me all you have," he said, "and I have been
greatly interested. But you have really told me all about it, haven't
you, so why should I read these notices? Hadn't I better get busy on
another paper for Mr. Burlingame for the next magazine, else he'll be
after me? You know how impatient these editors are." And he handed
back the notices.

Bok saw it was of no use: Stevenson was interested in his work, but,
beyond a certain point, not in the world's reception of it. Bok's
estimate of the author rose immeasurably. His attitude was in such
sharp contrast to that of others who came almost daily into the office
to see what the papers said, often causing discomfiture to the young
advertising director by insisting upon taking the notices with them.
But Bok always countered this desire by reminding the author that, of
course, in that case he could not quote from these desirable notices in
his advertisements of the book. And, invariably, the notices were left
behind!

It now fell to the lot of the young advertiser to arouse the interest
of the public in what were to be some of the most widely read and
best-known books of the day: Robert Louis Stevenson's _Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde_; Frances Hodgson Burnett's _Little Lord Fauntleroy_; Andrew
Carnegie's _Triumphant Democracy_; Frank R. Stockton's _The Lady, or
the Tiger?_ and his _Rudder Grange_, and a succession of other books.

The advertising of these books keenly sharpened the publicity sense of
the developing advertising director. One book c