Songs and Other Verse | Page 2

the Chicago University next Monday evening. As there is
undoubtedly more or less jealousy between the presidents of the two
south side institutions of learning, I take it upon myself to invite the
lord bishop of Armourville, our holy père, to be present on that
occasion in his pontifical robes and followed by all the dignitaries of
his see, including yourself. The processional will occur at 8 o'clock
sharp, and the recessional circa 9:30. Pax vobiscum. Salute the holy
Father with a kiss, and believe me, dear brother,
Your fellow lamb in the old Adam,
EUGENIO AGRO.
(A. Lamb) SEAL.
The First Wednesday after Pay day,
September 11, 1895.
On an occasion of this lady's visit to the South-west, where Field's
fancied association of cowboys and miners was formed, she was
fortunate enough to obtain for the decoration of his library the rather
extraordinary Indian blanket which often appears in the sketches of his
loved workshop, and for the decoration of himself a very fine necktie
made of the skin of a diamond-back rattlesnake. Some other friend had
given his boys a "vociferant burro." After the presentation was made,
though for two years he had met her socially and at the pastor's office,
he wrote to the secretary, in acknowledgment, as follows:
DEAR BROTHER ----: I thank you most heartily for the handsome
specimens of heathen manufacture which you brought with you for me
out of the land of Nod. Mrs. Field is quite charmed--with the blanket,
but I think I prefer the necktie; the Old Adam predominates in me, and
this pelt of the serpent appeals with peculiar force to my appreciation of
the vicious and the sinful. Nearly every morning I don that necktie and
go out and twist the supersensitive tail of our intelligent imported burro
until the profane beast burthens the air with his ribald protests. I shall
ask the holy father--Pere ---- to bring you with him when he comes
again to pay a parochial visit to my house. I have a fair and gracious
daughter into whose companionship I would fain bring so circumspect

and diligent a young man as the holy father represents you to be.
Therefore, without fear or trembling accompany that saintly man
whensoever he says the word. Thereby you shall further make me your
debtor. I send you every assurance of cordial regard, and I beg you to
salute the holy father for me with a kiss, and may peace be unto his
house and unto all that dwell therein.
Always faithfully yours,
EUGENE FIELD.
CHICAGO, MAY 26, 1892.
He became acquainted with the leading ladies of the Aid Society of the
Plymouth Church, and was thoroughly interested in their work. Partly
in order to say "Goodbye" before his leaving for California in 1893,
and partly, no doubt, that he might continue this humorous
correspondence, as he did, he hunted up an old number of Peterson's
Magazine, containing a very highly colored and elaborate pattern for
knit slippers, such as clergymen received at Christmas thirty years ago,
and, inclosing it with utmost care, he forwarded it to the aforesaid
"Brother ----" with this note:
DEAR BROTHER ----: It has occurred to me that maybe the sisters of
our congregation will want to make our dear pastor a handsome present
this Christmas; so I inclose a lovely pattern for slippers, and I shall be
glad to ante up my share of the expense, if the sisters decide to give our
dear pastor this beautiful gift. I should like the pattern better if it had
more red in it, but it will do very nicely. As I intend to go to California
very soon, you'll have to let me know at once what the assessment _per
cap._ is, or the rest of the sisters will be compelled to bear the full
burthen of the expense. Brother, I salute you with an holy kiss, and I
rejoice with you, humbly and meekly and without insolent vaunting,
that some of us are not as other men are.
Your fellow-lamb,
EUGENE FIELD,

BUENA PARK, ILL., DECEMBER 4, 1893.
This was only one phase of the life of this great-hearted man, as it came
close to his friends in the ministry. Other clergymen who knew him
well will not forget his overflowing kindness in times of sickness and
weariness. At least one will not forget the last day of their meeting and
the ardor of the poet's prayer. Religion, as the Christian life, was not
less sacred to him because he knew how poorly men achieve the task of
living always at the best level, nor did the reality of the soul's approach
to God grow less noble or commanding to him because he knew that
too seldom do we lift our voices heavenward. I am permitted to copy
this