A PLUNGE INTO WALL STREET The father of Edward Bok passed away when Edward was eighteen years of age, and it was found that the amount of the small insurance left behind would barely cover the funeral expenses.

Hence the two boys faced the problem of supporting the mother on their meagre income.
They determined to have but one goal: to put their mother back to that life of comfort to which she had been brought up and was formerly accustomed.

But that was not possible on their income.

It was evident that other employment must be taken on during the evenings.
The city editor of the _Brooklyn Eagle_ had given Edward the assignment of covering the news of the theatres; he was to ascertain "coming attractions" and any other dramatic items of news interest.

One Monday evening, when a multiplicity of events crowded the reportorial corps, Edward was delegated to "cover" the Grand Opera House, where Rose Coghlan was to appear in a play that had already been seen in Brooklyn, and called, therefore, for no special dramatic criticism.