Eugene Field, a Study in Heredity and Contradictions - Volume 2

inclined to think there is very much to be found of the true individuality of men in their letters. All men, and especially literary men, seem to consider themselv

venson, or confined to the circle of his village associates, never appears to pen a line without some affectation. The literary artist does this with an ease and grace that provokes comment upon its charming naturalnes

erately for reproduction in his "Memoirs." If he had done so they would have been written so skilfully that he would have made himself out to be pretty much the particular kind of a character he pleased. For obvious reasons most of the communications

NIGHT'S DI

g in his n

ut impecun

ng Thomp

great incr

new glory

er round

knight but

y valor i

xploits

mit the pl

t eloquent

thy socia

lord and v

incline a

ow-men

ounded, sic

knight doth

htly aid

gentle knig

solace t

so fair

sweeter b

ffection-b

a stamp

, 'tis my s

uch an hone

on straigh

the proffered

ng off a s

the cas

2d,

on" couched in such lordly pomp of

riends I went up to Mackinac Island to spend a few days. By the first mail that reached the island after I had registered at th

ustrious and Puis

sson Th

Chicago, but

nac I

hig

guise, he is acco

he fish that do i

re consumed with curiosity as to the contents of an envelope over w

July 19

T KN

e thy departure. Upon Saturday I did lunch with that ill-tempered knight, Sir P--, and in the evening did I discuss a goodly feast with Sir Cowan, than whom a more hospitable knight doth not exist-saving only and always thyself, which art the paragon of courte

vert thee. Soothly they are most honest chronicles, al

y next week. Meanwhile the valorous Sir Ballantyne saweth wood but sayeth naught. That wi

hes thee for seducing the good Knight into that Milwaukee journey, of the responsibilit

htly chin as I pen these few lines, and my shirt cleaveth to my back like a porous plaster. The good knight of the Talking Cat speaket

from Lake Okeboji to-day, which the same did I and my heirdom devour triumphantly this very evening. I have not beheld the Knight of the Lawn since thy

nd times, I sign myself T

EL

and Hones

over addressed

od and Gene

sson Th

rejoicings and with

nac I

hig

llowing poe

IR SLOSSON

ARRULOUS S

and compan

at reeked with

wn the go

g on the p

the sullen,

on eve

lorence sai

ot half so g

our quic

see in my

the well-grea

he foam

quoth, "In

ot so, impe

ur made h

rn breeze wi

delicious

ods upon

Helen fain

ut in his r

ur nipped

hree were d

arbour's gli

sound w

that maje

on the nor

a murm

oiled and cri

ard this 'F

ed we cou

paled with

emitted f

his blood

ising swee

ow and breath

for Good

, too, we

vived that f

all 'Fr

hance you ha

a person

ise now

as a most entertaining, albeit incessant, story-teller and conversationalist. Pretty nearly all subjects that interest humanity have engaged his attention. He could no more rest from travel than Ulysses; and he brought to those he associated with all the fruits that

bour" was not the rhyme of chief interest (

n more elaborately addressed and embellis

oyous, Triumphant a

and Courteous Fl

rantry and Pole St

sson Th

r the nonce

Island,

guise of a lon

tuous cheer and d

oth right me

se" himself bore the title "How the Good Knight protected Sir Slosson's Cred

t hour, Sir

Field: "Good

i' faith

ave not a s

God our gen

on now we

the Impecun

of his pit

, you say

ur friend h

volve on t

I starve

rom their

ereaved but

ed unto

buttered toa

hey were a

st roasts

knights," a

lie, famous

s devoted

son teleg

traightwa

r you d

with radiant

ge dated

red sumpt

orth, at least

is counter C

tigati

Charlie d

ram was b

Sir Sloss

absence o

Knight made

legram

Field I to

of an abs

efiled

ervice for

tly courte

rlastin

allantyne, I think, and purporting to come from "Charlie," showing

D THO

ht ordering one supper. But they have been eatin

ur

. BU

this comforting epistle

July the

SIR K

Boyle's and had sumptuous cheer at your expense. Charlie has begun to demur, and intends to write you a letter. Browne w

ne important change I am not at liberty to specify, but you will approve it. By the way, Stone spoke very highly of you and your work. It would be safe for you to strike him on the salary question as soon as you please. The weather is

NE F

remember, Mr. Browne was favorably disposed toward putting out a volume of Field's writings, but General McClurg was not enamoured of the breezy sort of personal persiflage with which Field's name was then chiefly associated. This was several years before Field made th

newspaper and periodical verse entitled "The Humbler

e resources of his colored inks and literary ingenuity on our friendship, I must pay the freight. I think he had a superstition that it would c

MP AC

sson Th

ene Fi

at 2 cts - J

mp - Jul

al

se r

th the following verses, enlivened with several drawings in

t rowing out i

strait in t

light and h

as as new as th

ool and his br

were soft as a

the booming

his bark from t

chuckled a ho

o tittered a

pson merrily

unced over the

I

e bobbling bac

e bay as the

knew there wa

he first who ha

kinned and his

s speckled his

s hat and had

-shirt was a

ing chuckled

tittered a h

son anchored

a schooner to

young lady travelling home under my escort. When we reached Chicago I casually remarked that if she was so moved by Field's financial straits I would take pleasure in conveying as much truage to the impecunious knight as would provide him with buttered toast, coffee, and pie at Henrici's. She accordingly entrusted m

GHT AND THE

n this good k

chattels w

Sir Thom

I' faith acc

from a fai

ot ask h

ht dropped hi

e proffered

tiously

but it woul

nvince the g

not cou

e Good Knight

is boon I m

ld I sor

of this t

ho would al

ut unknow

o her, O ga

with my so

r presence

ts or a ca

ome evil d

her cast

faithful squi

sent this

ng aid

ith, with th

erse the ba

the prin

ir Thompson

to my unkn

rdize m

ir signet w

doth not be

my braw

ot risk so

vation fo

rough jeal

e fair unkn

he ring up

's a courte

pake, the Goo

down, an

son fond

pon his co

he drawbridge

ycleped

rnoon. The dinner had not progressed quite to the withdrawal of the ladies when, with some confusion, one of the waiting-men brought in and gave to me a large packet from the office marked "Personal; deliver at once." Thinking it had something to do with work for the Morning

OOD KNIGH

SIR S

A WOEF

YOUS AND DI

ER

RANT DID C

T THEM

E PRODIGIE

N

F SWEET F

ory was told in variegated

y raw Nov

dull elect

past ten

ht, wan and h

half-expe

and down

of viands

ght from a b

alized h

classic, kn

fragrance

y a stea

tews not bre

t stood there

agon

ed in a ch

ir Slosson mu

ng to rai

e Good and H

himself in

sson di

thin a cas

Good Kn

ed stoup

knights and

recked the

tterly

pelting stor

friend's dys

d the me

eath the c

he impecun

ngry an

from Sir S

ent mayhap

the Fair

s and the cricket's friendly chirps of the Boston Oyster House. The reference to Field's "dyspeptic frame" is not without its significance, for it

already mentioned as the possessor of Field's two masterpieces in color. Each day of my stay was enlivened by a letter from Field. As they are admirable specimens of the wonderful pains he took with letters of this sort, and the expertness he attained in the command o

al. Aye, marry, by my faith, I swear't, it hath gone ill with me since you strode from my castle in the direction of the province wherein doth dwell Sir Walter, the Knight of the Tennis and Toboggan. I beseech thee to hie presently unto me, or at least to send silver or gold wherewith I may procure cheer-else will it go hard with me, mayhap I sh

, O glorious and ever-to-be-mulcted Sir Knight of the well-stored wallet. I do beseech thee to have a care to spread about in the province wherein thou dost sojourn a fair report of my gentleness and valor. Commend me to the glorious and triumphant ladies and privily advise them to send me hence guerdons of gold or silver if haply they are tormented by base enchanters, cruel dragons, vile hippogriffins, or other untoward monsters, and I do swear to redress their wrongs when those guerdons do come unto

in that far-off province, heaven grant ye prosperity and happiness such as

ing. How goeth the jousts and tourneys with the toboggan, and hath the cyclonic Sir Barbour wrought

t and so

OOD K

te-paper with such generous margins that the text only covered a space of two and one-h

e come upon me lest haply thou dost not understand this matter ere this missive reach thee. I do beseech thee have a care to tell the fair princesses and glorious ladies that I am in very truth a courteous knight and learned eke, and that I shall neither taste food nor wine until I have slain the evil enchanter that did so foully bewitch me. Odds bobs, I t

writing editorials this eve, from the hoary and senile D

thy slumbers, good gentle sir, and may heaven speed the day

g and swe

OOD K

er 28t

t interesting of this series, addressed to me by my knightly title at "Blai

ugusta, wherein did Sir Ballantyne write how that he did not believe that the poem "Thine Eyes" was printed in Sir Slosson's book. Now by St. Dunstan! right merrily will he rail when so he learneth the whole truth. Sir Melville hath not yet crossed the drawbridge of the castle, albeit it lacketh now but the length of a barleycorn till the tenth hour. Sir Frank de Dock hath hied him home for

den angels, and farthings. Then soothly shall we make merry o'er butts of good October brewing. Commend me to the discreet and beauteous ladies after the manner of that country, for I have heard their virtues highly praised, it being said that they do sing well, play

OOD K

er 29t