Out of the remarkable series of postal appeals which Field sent to me when I was visiting in New Brunswick grew an animated correspondence between Field and my youngest sister.  She bore the good old-fashioned Christian names of Mary Matilda—­a combination that struck a responsive chord in Field’s taste in nomenclature, while his “come at once, we are starving” aroused her sense of humor to the point of forwarding an enormous raised biscuit two thousand miles for the relief of two Chicago sufferers.  The result was an exchange of letters, one of which has a direct bearing on his whimsical adoption of many-colored inks in his writing.  It read as follows: 

[Illustration:  A PROPER SONET. From a drawing in colors by Eugene Field.

  Then Kriee 3 times his breast he smote,
    And gruesome oaths swore he;
  “Oh, bring back mine, and take your coat—­
    Your painted coat, the which I note
      Full ill besemmeth me!”
  But swere and plede he as he mote,
  Old Field said “No, ol’ Nompy, no! 
  You’ll get your coat not none no mo!”]

[Illustration:  FIELD AND BALLANTYNE AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF A BISCUIT FROM NEW BRUNSWICK. From a drawing by Eugene Field.]

  [red ink] CHICAGO, May the 7th, 1885.

  [blue ink] Dear Miss: 

I make bold to send herewith a diagram of the new rooms in which your brother Slason is now [brown ink] ensconced.  The drawing may be bad and the perspective may be out of plumb, but the motif is good, as you [green ink] will allow.  All that Brother Slason needs now to symmetrize his new abode is a box from home—­a box filled [purple ink] with those toothsome goodies which only a kind, loving, indulgent sister can make and donate to an absent [black ink] brother.  Having completed my contribution to the Larned gallery, and having exhibited the pictures in the [red ink] recent salon, I have a large supply of colored inks on hand, which fact accounts for that appearance of an [blue ink] Easter necktie or a crazy quilt which this note has.  In a few days I shall take the liberty of sending [brown ink] you the third volume of the “Aunt Mary Matilda” series—­a tale of unusual power and interest.  With [green ink] many reverential obeisances and respectful assurances of regard, I beg to remain,

[lilac ink] Your obedient servant, [purple ink] EUGENE FIELD, [red ink] per [blue ink] William Smith, [brown ink] Secretary.

This epistle did indeed look like a crazy quilt.  There was a change of color at the beginning of each line, as I have endeavored to indicate.  It is beautifully written and in many respects besides its variegated aspect is the most perfect specimen of Field’s painstaking epistolary handiwork I know of.