Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-22
STORIES OF FIELD,
How he Secured His Wiit'S Forgiveness
for Buying a Spaniel.
,,,xrs AND SINNERS CORNER.
..,.,a.. curious ColIcctions-The IA
nou. watcb-Night Party of De-
o,,bcr IL. 1s92-"rhc Passing of
,,scnc~-MemoriaI window.

rvrlitcn for the Dispatch. Coyprishted)
uere are some OF the stories which
..,hered in Chicago from his friends and
,,,,ates about Eugene Field. the gifted.
,hirnsical oet-journalist. who loved chill
sren 50 much and always entered so
,eartily into the spirit Of the Christmas
time.
t5el6's relations with his children
we're those rather Of a friend than of a
fsffer. lie had a strong objection 10
ss,ipline. and was hardly ever known
N speak harsh word TO them. He
,reatcd them as equals. and they seemed
70 look upon him in the light Of a grown
,sri lie entered into all their amuse-
-,snts with almost the same zest that
hey did, and their friends were TO be
,,nnd all over the house. lie never went
way from home without bringing back
IONS toy or some other trille. Each
child had pet name, and was never
csued by any other. II was "Pinny, do
this. Totty, do that; or, Daisy, 90 tne
cher thing" He was continually teach
,rr the YOUNGER ones little tricks that
80 something humorous in them, ana
nothing delighted him more than for one
~ the little ones TO make some quaint
remark, accompanied with some facial
EXPRESSION, most probably taught by him
In q par with his love Of children was
his love Of animals; apparently, he never
f,rrot the helplessness Of poor dumb crea-
lures in their relation to the human race.
rrerything that orawled or ran or flew
-. -. e.. \, i'm q nd
his happiness was never absolutely COM
plete unless he had near him dog, e cat,
or a bird. and II was only by the earnest
.ntreaties of his wife that he was pre-
vented from turning his house into a
miniature menagerie. on one occasion,
having gone down town with so 10
nav some pressing bills, Field saw a
beautiful cocker spaniel. which he prompt
IL bought with the money and
took home; but on his arrival at the
house be recognized the fact that Mrs.
FIELD would bring up insurmountahle OBJ
sections to his retaining IT, In order 10
gain her forgiveness and permission 10
keen the dog, on entering the hall he
threw himself fiat on his face, and re-
fused 10 get up until she came and for
gave him and granted him permission 10
add one more 10 the small troubles or
tie household. Then ne arose and pro-
ceeded 10 race through the house with his
new pet
SAINTS AND SINNERS CORNER.
The Saints and Sinners Corner. at
NcClurg's book store, was one Of Fields
creations and finally became an estab-
Nshsd Institution in Chicago. AS one sees
q now without Field 20 give II importance
Il does not differ very much from any
other corner in large publishing house.
The walls are shelved with volumes in
rich bindings, some tables are piled with
other volumes, and in the corner stands
desk with a swinging chair very much
IKE any other chair and desk. but her
and there are evidences Of Fields recent
presence. For instance there is a large
picture Of Gladstone tackled up in one
place, showing the old man in his study
stretched ar fuu length reading an open
volume. The original caption has been
erased, and In It's place is written in
spirit OF friendly mischief: 1.-THE Right
Honorable W. f. Gladstone. reading
Eugene Fields Horauan Transitions"
And on the shelves about are many pho
tographs OF Field and cuts of him clipped
from the newspapers.
II you ask him. Mr.. Willard, the head
% the department, will take from the
drawers relics Of Field now carefully
treasured. Among these is a slip Of paper
bearing some lines in Fields hand that
were found one day BY a clerk in
costly volume where Field had placed it
with no word to any one:
swete friend. for Jesus sake forbare
To buye We boke thou fncest heare,
For that when ! doe get We pelf
J meane to buye Us boke my selfe.
Eugene Field.
FIELDS eccentricity showed itself in
;he books he purchased, many of which
had no possible bearing upon his work
and indeed had small intrinsic value
Ny library" he used to say rs full
o. fool books" and there was some truth
IN this. For example. he had hrr dreds
u volumes containing the works OF I'M
known. and for the most part. unworthy
poets. Nothing pleased him more than
% buy some little volume Of execrable
verse produced by a poet in Peoria or
Coldwater. or any other insignificant
place. and these he would range proudly
with the others and sometimes turn over
the pages lust 10 see how bad they
were" He told Mr.. Willard one ia that
things had either TO be very good or very
bad in order 10 please him.
HIS CURIOUS COLLECTIONS.
Nor was II books alone that Field col
iscted. Every conceivable thing that was
coilectable was included. At the time OF
his death his den" at the Sabine farm
was a vsritable museum, ranged and
hung with 'curios Of all sorts from all
parts q the world: collections Of auto
graphs, collections OF war envelopes,
collections Of china. collections Of
watches: souvenirs Of distinguished peo-
pie Ike Gladstone's axe; queer old can
t'estcks. cages OF canaries, cases Of but
teralas all sort Of dogs, and dolls by
the score. On one occasion friend or