The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-04
STORIES OF EUGENE FIELD.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
During one financial crisis that was
especially severe. Eugene Field couiu
see no way out of his difficulties except
to ask for a raise of salary, and that
was as abhorent to his fine nature as 1t
would have been to do a mean action.
Several days in succession he came TO
the office resolved to make appeal to
Mr. Stone. and each day he went home
having failed to nerve himself up 10
the speaking point. Finally he formed
thoroughly characteristic resolution
and for a week was not seen in the office
at all. Then one afternoon he marched
into Mr.. Stones office followed by four
Of his little children. the five of them
presenting such pitiable appearance
as would have wrung tears from his
employer had his heart and his name
been synonymous. which was far from
being the case. Father and children
were dressed in rags and tatters from
head to foot. the children's toes were
sticking out bare through holes In their
shoes, their faces were unwashed, and
their eyes red as If they had been cry
ing. Field himself was in no better
plight and there the five stood in front
of MIR. stone. speaking not n word. but
looking at him with appealing glances
All this. of course. had been carefully
rehearsed by Field during the week of
conspiracy. and the result was simply
overwhelming. At last Field broke the
silence. looking at his employer. who
was also his best friend. out of those
big eyes so full of human kindness. and
said
do you think you can see your way,
Mr.. Stone. to raising my salary"'
Needless to say he got the raise.
-
One of Fields happiest impromptu
verses was written on the fly leaf of n
book he presented to Francis Wilson
one day while they We're together in
what Field called the Saint and Sinners
corner in Chicago book store.
Strangely enough. the verses were en-
titled 'The Passing of Eugene" and 1t
Is said me turned them off with aston
ishing rapidity. writing down the rhym-
ing words at the the end of the line first.
and then filling in the lines. This is
what he wrote:
When Eugene Field was dying
The death all good men die.
Came Francis Wilson flying
AS only he can fly.
"AIy friend before YOU peter
And seek the shining shore
Write me In common metre
Some autographic lore"
Then Eugene Tield smiled sadly
And his eyes, grew wan and dim,
But he wrote the verses gladly
His friend required of him.
And having done his duty,
From out its home of clay
That soul of spotless beauty
To Canaan scared away.
In the same book store slip of paper
bearing some lines in Fields hand was
found one day by a clerk in a costly
volume where Field had placed it with
no word to any one:
Swete friend. for Jesus sake forbeare
To buy We boke thou findest heare.
For that when l doe get ye pelf
l meane to buye We boke my seife.
-
One of the queer things he did at the
News office was the establishing of
what he called the "Field memorial
window" really a portion of a glass
door over which he had an artist draw
n cherub with the orthodox wings at
| tached to his own head and face Under
this cherub's head he took delight i'm
pasting all the disagreeable clippings
he could gather from newspapers and
periodicals regarding any one in the
Office, and especially about himself.
This window came to be regarded as
regular bulletin board of spleen, and
many quiet chuckle Field would have
watching the long faces of his cOmpan
ions as they read sarcastic or facetiOus
remarks about them. Field never cared
how much fun was made of him. and he
| was the first to applaud when the laugh
was at his own expense.