as in America.  When Mrs. Ward learned that Field hailed from that city, she said to him, “I am so glad to meet somebody from Chicago, for I am greatly interested in the town.  Do tell me, did you know Dr. Cronin or any of those horrid Clan-na-gaels?”

“I had the satisfaction of telling her,” said Field, “that Martin Bourke (one of the suspects) and I had been very intimate friends, and that Dan Coughlin (another) and I belonged to the same hunting club, and had often shot buffaloes and cougars on the prairie a few miles west of Chicago.  As for Sullivan, the ice-man, I assured her that if that man was convicted it would be a severe blow to the best circles of the city.”  “Still more satisfaction had I,” Field added, “in the conviction that my auditor believed every one of the preposterous yarns I told her.”

“The new volume” referred to in Field’s letter to Mr. Gray was that which subsequently took the form of “Echoes from the Sabine Farm,” published by his friend and fellow-bibliomaniac, Francis Wilson.  The story of how it came to be issued in that particular form is told by Mr. Wilson in his introduction to the subscription edition.  It was originally Field’s intention that I should take charge of this publication, although I had never been consulted about it.  Therefore I was somewhat surprised on receiving the following note: 

PHILADELPHIA, December 20th, 1889.

MR. SLASON THOMPSON—­

DEAR SIR: 

Enclosed find my check for $20 (Twenty Dollars) for No. 1 copy Mr. Eugene Field’s proposed book of “Horace”—­printed on Japanese proof and pasted on Whatman’s hand-made paper, with etched vignettes, initial and tail-pieces, rubricated throughout.

Very truly,

FRANCIS WILSON.

In acknowledging the receipt of Mr. Wilson’s check I ventured to question whether Field’s paraphrases of Horace up to that time warranted the elaborate setting proposed, to which I received the following semi-indignant and semi-jocose rejoinder: 

PHILADELPHIA, December 27th, 1889.

MR. SLASON THOMPSON—­

REVEREND SIGNOR: 

It is Mr. Field’s intention to produce a Horace at $20 a copy, the edition limited to fifty; printed on Japanese proof and pasted on Whatman hand-made paper; rubricated throughout, with etched vignettes and tail-pieces, and I want copy No. 1.  Sometimes even the swift citizens of Chicago must get their information from slow-going Philadelphia.  I do not know whether it is Mr. F.’s intention to have you get out his affectionate effort, but I should hope not—­being guided, of course, by your expressed doubt and wonderment in the matter.  However, I promise not to say anything about this to Mr. Field.  I sent you the $20 so as to be in time for the copy I wish, and I know you’ll not object to holding it until Mr. Field’s return, which ought to be not later than May—­as he writes.  I shall also send you other subscriptions, which you may turn over to Mr. Hobart Taylor in the event of your discovering that gentleman has fewer qualms of conscience than yourself in the matter.  If he has not, you must keep the money as a punishment for the uncomplimentary allusion you have made to Field’s Horace.