The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-02
A TAX ON EUGENE FIELD.
New Role by Francis Wilson in Aid
Of a Charity.

New York Commercial Advsrtiser1
! Persons who have seen Francis Wilson 8
grCteSqUe figure and neXIbie race over the
I rootughts and heard his drOH sayings al
/ the knickerbocker theatre, went TO the
I Waldort-Astorla yesterday afternoon
/ with conflicting emotions TO hear the ac-
tor talk about Eugene Field, the poet.
some We're disappointed and all were sur
I pRsed TO see scholarly LOOKING. clean
/ snayen little man clad in conventional
I IrOck coat There was nothing theatrical
about Mr. Wilson's appearance. and his
hearers soon learned that Francis Wilson
/ the actor. and Francis Wilson the lee
I turer are very different representations
of the same man.
The occasion was a benefit for the Lit
tie Mothers Aid association, with Mr..
( Wilson scheduled to speak on Personal
"Reminiscences Concerning the Life and
Character of Eugene Field. At the start
Mr.. Wilson declared that Field was in
I his mind, one Of the greatest of modern
poets, and he was thoroughly biased in
Fleld s favor. There Is one thing in
Fields favor and that is that while, like
all poets of childhood, he wrote mainly
of the little Mothers he did not neglect
; the little fathers. His songs about boys
are pathetic enough to bring honest tears
to the eyes Of even dishonest politicians.
said the actor. Mr. Wilson then told of
some Of Air. Fields amusing pranss some
OF which, the speaker declared, were not
vet known 10 an interested public Not
long before Fields death the poet was
In this city, and, while chatting with
Bill Nye' and James WhitcOmb Riley,
said ne had mad dream the night be-
fore. The three men were, apparently,
fellow transformers in a country viii
lage. After the play Field said he met
a man in the street who heartily shook
his hand and added: "Oh, I know you
all right. Field, but who're those other
fellows"
Dir. Wilson told Of an episode of the
early career of the poet. He had been
invited TO sit on the platform at a public
meeting at which Carl SChurZ was the
star speaker The presiding officer of the
meeting was detained and Field was
asked to introduce the speaker in his
usual inimitable style" Field was absO-
lutely unprepared and not a little en-
barrassed. but he was equal TO the 0c-
caSiOn. He advanced to the front OF the
platform and said in a hOaTSe voice and
a strong German accent:
Ladies and Gentlemens-P am very
mOOtch sorry dat I hat a very bad cold
by der head and am unable to speech, but
1t gives me very moOch happiness to in
trOduce mine old but clever freUnd, Eu
gene Field, who viii now address you.
The audience was puzzled and Mr. SchuTZ
so amused that 1t took him several min
utes to compose himself before he could
speak Then the audience saw the joke
and rOared.
He spoke Of Fields influence and per-
sonal magnetism, which he employed 10
excite Young mems ambitions. Field took
pleasure IN discovering and helping lheSe
Young men. urging them TO read and d.
Eest the best books by the best authors
Fields work showed many contrasts, MS
interest never tagged, and his humor
was as abundant as his mOdesty- He told
many anecdotes about Field. including
the following: When the poet was in Den
yer be was invited out to dinner. I1e
dinner was an expensive affair, and, al
though in the dead of winter, each guest
had before his plate a huge dish of lus-
ciOus Strawberries. Field sadly pushed
his away from him.
Why what is the natter? inquired
the host. don't YOU like strawberries
Yes" responded Field, but / m afraid
they'll spoil my appetite for prunes
I'm closing Mr.. Wilson said: Eugene
Field as knew him WAS q man OF jest,
as well as a man OF infinite tenderness,
ana the world IS better Tor his having
lived IL it.
After Mr. Wilson's talk Miss Carrie
Bridewell Of the Metropolitan Opera COM
paay sang two Of Fields poems, set 70
music j. II. Johnson. whose wife Is
president Of the Little Mothers Aid as
SOciation. presented Mr. Wilson with a
framed manuscript and photograph Of
Walt Whitman. The hall was crowded.
Al Z financially. as we'll as socially AMI
ar :5tically. the affair was a success.
The Little Mothers Aid association
cares for those children Of wage-eaTne-S
who must assume the cares of mother
hood while the real mother seeks TO earn
bread for the family.