The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-25

asked for a newspaper notice. He expected
column at least, but next morning he SIM
ply read:
'As Eli Perkins will lectureihere tonight,
all the railroads have arranged TO give eX-
cursions out of town at greatly reduced
rates
Perkins was wild, supposinS great in
jury had been done him, but instead the
paragraph attracted so much attention that
he had crowded house. The next night
Perkins was to lecture in town short
distance away, where Field was well known
by reputation and not by sight. 1t was ar
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, an
nounced that Eli Perkins was taken sud
denly i'll. Then, leading Perkins to the
front, he said: But you will miss
nothing by it, for | now have the
pleasure OF introducing to you Mr.. Eugene
Field, the brilliant young humorlst OF the
st. Joseph Gazette He will entertain you
equally as well if not better than Mr.. Per
kins would have done" Instead OF receiY-
ing this announcement by signs OF dlsap-
polntment the audience received 1t with
hearty applause which resulted in Mr..
Perkins going on with the lecture without
making a correction. 1t was not until 1t
was over that Fields joke was discovered.
Leaving ST. Joseph Field took a position
as a paragrapher on St Louis paper. lie
confined his writings 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 writing, and his
writings were extensively copied all over
the country, but he did not become gen
orally known until after he had written
few humorous verses entitled the bull
frogs Boom" which We're published in
st. Louis newspaper. They attracted little
attention being copied only by New ork
papers. A month after this London Truth
published them as original. From thence
it was copied all over this country credited
to the London Truth, and greatly com
mented on Field waited patiently, and at
the opportune time claimed the authorship.
This made his name widely known III liter
airy circles.
From ST. Louis Field went to Kansas
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 sew
eral years Field was really out of the insti-
buttons of Denver. Many a man-and
woman too--became famous by visiting
him there. Field would write them up in
his inimitable style and such notices were
invariably copied extensively. Theatrical
people found it paid them TO go to
Denver simply for the advertisement There
were a ooterie of good fellows in Denver
who had suddenly become millionaires, and
they were always in for anything that Field
proposed. 1t was a favorite pastime for
Field to get these men together and give
dinner to some actress who happened to be
playing in the city. There was a
lawyer in Denver who was known as
''the silver-tOngued orator of Colorado"
and 'the Chauncey NJ. Depew of
Denver" who Field. always had on hand to
deliver speech that he would prepare. At
the conclusion of the banquet this silver
tongued gentleman would make a speech,
presenting the actress with paste diamond
which he would state cost some fabulous
price. The next day the Associated Press
would inform the country that Miss Foot
light had been presented with 500
diamond by the citizens of Denver. While
in Denver Field wrote the "Children's
Princes" which made the people laugh all
over the world
-Four years ago Field left Denver and
settled in Chicago, where he became at
tached to the staff of the Ddily NelOS. His
funny sayings about Marquis Pullman and
other millionaires of the Lake City have
made many New Yorker smile. While
he is still the same hght-hearted Gene
that his many friends know to love, he has
been an exceedingly hard worker during
the last few years. He is now about turn
ing out work that will soon be given to the
public, and which good judges say will take
its place among the best literature of this
country. He has just been to Boston for
the purpose of arranging for the publica-
Of