This reporter was Ripley Hitchcock, who afterward became literary adviser for the Appletons and Harpers.

Of course Hitchcock at once saw a "story" in the boy's letters, and within a few days _The Tribune_ appeared with a long article on its principal news page giving an account of the Brooklyn boy's remarkable letters and how he had secured them.

The _Brooklyn Eagle_ quickly followed with a request for an interview; the _Boston Globe_ followed suit; the _Philadelphia Public Ledger_ sent its New York correspondent; and before Edward was aware of it, newspapers in different parts of the country were writing about "the well-known Brooklyn autograph collector." Edward Bok was quick to see the value of the publicity which had so suddenly come to him.

He received letters from other autograph collectors all over the country who sought to "exchange" with him.
References began to creep into letters from famous persons to whom he had written, saying they had read about his wonderful collection and were proud to be included in it.

George W.Childs, of Philadelphia, himself the possessor of probably one of the finest collections of autograph letters in the country, asked Edward to come to Philadelphia and bring his collection with him--which he did, on the following Sunday, and brought it back greatly enriched.
Several of the writers felt an interest in a boy who frankly told them that he wanted to educate himself, and asked Edward to come and see them.