The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-08-20

OA' AAoe w AAo uiN II - i IoN'l.
He left everything to Marks. detroit
Free Prass
STORIES OF TIE DAY.
Anecdotes of Eugene Field Both Humor-
Gus and Pathetic.
Superintendent T. B. Jennings of the
weather bureau Of Kansas was a room
mate and close friend of Eugene Field
at the State University of Missouri at
Columbia. Speaking of Field, he told Of
an experience Field had that came near
ending the poets life "a years ago.
Said MI. Jennings: I'm June, 1871,
Field and two other friends and l start
ed south on a hunting trip. We went
down through Missouri and Arkansas,
into Louisiana. Cholera was bad that
year. All the boys except myself We're
taken with it. One day the doctor came
and found Field rigid. He pronounced
him dead and preparations were made
to bury him. He was pat into a rough
pine box. and l got two darkies to help
me take him>to the graveyard. On the
way we had to go over what once had
been q planked road. but which was
badly worn out. We We're going along
the best we could, when a moan a Il
from the coffin. The two darkies turned
and ran, and no inducement l could of
fer would bring them back. l got a
plank and pried open the coffin and
found the occupant alive. He had been
in a stupor, and the rough riding had
aroused him. l took him on my shcul-
ders and carried him back to the camp,
where he was nursed until he recovered.
1t was a mighty narrow escape for Eu-
gene. Our two other friends both died
Of the disease
The first practical joke that is record
ed of Field occurred in st. Joseph, Mo-,
where, during his early newspaper days,
he was city editor of The Gazette. The
proprietor of the establishment promised
frequently to raise the salary of his en-
ployees, and quite frequently neglected
to do so. One day when he was expected
home from Il visit to st. Louis Mr..
Field hired a brass band, and collecting
all his associates, went to the station.
When the train arrived, the proprietor
Of the st. Joseph Gazette was astounded
to find himself received by a brass band
and the entire editorial and reportorial
staff Of his paper, each one carrying q
large cotton banner, on which was
painted the legend, How About That
Raise:' The joke had its effect, and
next morning the salary list was in
creased 20 per cent.
Mr.. H. H. kohlsaat, like Mr.. Stone,
was a frequent victim Of Eugene's jokes.
One time Mr.. Field, purposely or acct
dentally, obtained q list of guests whom
the Kohlsaats had invited to a dinner
and wrote each q note asking that they
be so kind as not to appear in evening
dress. The dinner, the note read, would
be entirely informal, and it vas hoped
that the gentlemen would come in their
business suits and the ladies would wear
their bonnets. The party assembled in
the toilets suggested, much to the amaze
ment Of their host and hostess, who had
prepared a very handsome dinner. nor
did any one offer an explanation until
several days after, when they heard
that their peculiar behavior had been
remarked upon.
People who looked upon the still form
in the casket at Fields funeral saw q
large white rose in one of the hands.
This is how it came there: A friend of
Mr.. Fields went to a florists to order
some flowers for the grave. A poorly
dressed girl was gazing into the win
dow as she went in, and before she left
the child had entered the store.
Are those flowers for Mr.. Field:'
she asked. "Oh, l wish ! could send
him just one. Won't you please give me
one flower"
With tears in his eyes the florist put
a rose i'll the hands of the girl. Then
turning to the friend of the poet the
child said, please put it near Mr..
Field with your flowers" And this
was done.