The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-03-17
A FAMOUS WESTERN HUMoR-
 IST.
BY HARRY WALKER.

man might we'll envy, stroiled into the crowded rotun1a of the As;oT Mouse this morning and was immediately surrounded by crowd of people all eager to shake him by the hand.
 It was Eugene Field, the distin- guishe1 Chicago humorist, poet and good fellow generally. He Is here on his customary annual visit east. Field is a native of Missouri, and he is the only humorist that great state ever produced. His father, Judge Roswell Field, was member of the supreme court of Missouri, and probably the ablest jurist the state ever had. He died when Eugene was quite young, leaving him and another son--a prom inent Journalist of Kansas City-well provided for.
 When Eugene became of age he con- verted his property into money, and then, collecting several jolly compan- ions together, started with them on a tour of Europe. Field paid all the expenses, and the party did not re- turn until Field had relieved himself of his fortune. Then he settled down in St. Joseph, Mo, and began life as a reporter. Unlike most newspaper humorists, Field is thorough jour- nalist, and he has an excellent reputa- tion as a reporter and as an editor He had not been long in journalism until his quaint paragraphs about individ- uals made him known all over his sec- tion of country.
 Field is humorist in every sense of the word. He is a circus in him. self. He is all the time playing some joke, and there is not an actor in the country that is greater mimic. After he had been in the newspaper business a year, Eli Perkins was in Missouri on a featuring tour, and among other places came to St. Joseph. He called on Field and asked for newspaper notice. He expected a column at least, but next morning he simply read:
 "As Eli Perkins will lecture here to- night, all the railroads have ar ranged to give excursions out of town at greatly reduced rates."
 Perkins was wild, supposing great injury had been done him; but, in- stead, the paragraph attracted so much attention that he had a crowded house The next night Perkins was to lecture in a town short distance away, where Field was well known by repu- tation but not by sight. It was arr ranged and advertised that Field was to introduce Perkins. When the time arrived Field stepped in front of the platform, and, representing himself as Perkins agent, announced that Eli Perkins was taken suddenly i'll. Then, leading Perkins to the front, he said But you will miss nothing by it, for now have the pleasure of introduce ing to you MT. Eugene Field, the brilliant young humorist of the St. Joseph Gozette. He will entertain you equally as we'll, if not better, than Mir Perkins would have donc." In- stead of receiving this announcement by signs of disappointment, the audi ence received it with hearty applause, which resulted in Perkins going on with the lecture without making a correction. It was not until 1t was over that Fields joke was discovered.
 Leaving St. Joseph, Field took a position as paragrapher on St. Louis paper He confined his writ ings principally to local and state topics, but in short time he was thoroughly known over the state, and was the idol of the country editors.
 After this Field devoted himself almost exclusively to humorous writ ing, and his writings were extensively copied all over the country, but he did not become generally known until after he had written a few humorous verses entitled the "Bullfrog's Boom" ;" which were published in St. Louis newspaper. They attracted little at tention, being copied only by New York papers. A month after this, London Truth published them as original. From thence it was copied all over this country credited to the London T,uh and greatly commented on. Field waited patiently, and at the opportune time claimed the authorship. This made his name widely known in literary circles.
 From St. Louis, Field went to Kan sas City, where he practically ran the town and the leading newspaper of the city for two years. He gained some fame there, but managing the paper took most of his time. Then he went to Denver, where his greatest fame was achieved. He also made the Tribune of that city famous. For several years Field was really one of the institutions of Denver. Many a man-and woman too-became fa- nous by visiting him there. Field would write them up in his inimita- ble style, and such notices we're inva- riably copied extensively. Theatrical people found it paid them to go to Denver simply for the advertisement.