In explanation of the final scene in this “sad, eventful history” it should be said that “poor Eddie” was a harmless, half-witted giant who sawed the cord wood and did odd chores about my father’s place.  This gives significance to the pendant buck-saw and the lonely wood-horse.  His lance rusts upon the wall and his steed stands silent in the stall.  The reader should not pass from these examples of Field’s humor with pen and ink without marking the changes that come across the face of the moon as the tragedy unfolds.

That Field found a congenial spirit and correspondent in my sister is further evidenced in the following letter written in gamboge brown: 

  CHICAGO, July the 2d, 1885.

  DEAR MISS: 

In order that you may no longer groan under the erroneous impression which you appear to harbor, touching my physique, I remit to you a photograph of a majority of myself.  The photograph was made last December, when I was, so to speak, at my perihelion in the matter of avoirdupois.  You may be gratified to know that I have not shrunken much since that time.  I have taken the timely precaution to label the picture in order that none of your Fredericton people thumbing over your domestic album shall mistake me for either a young Episcopal rector or a rising young negro minstrel.

The several drawings and paintings I have sent you ever and anon at your brother’s expense are really not the best samples of my art.  Mr. Walter Cranston Larned, a wealthy young tennis player of this city, has most of my chef d’oeuvres in his private gallery.  I hope to be able to paint you a landscape in oil very soon.  There is no sacrifice I would not be willing to make for one whom I esteem so highly as I do you.  It might be just as well not to read this line to the old folks.  Your brother Slosson has recently developed an insatiate passion for horse racing, and in consequence of his losses at pools I find him less prone to regale me with sumptuous cheer than he was before the racing season broke out.  The prince, too, has blossomed out as a patron of the track, and I am slowly becoming more and more aware that this is a bitter world.  I think I may safely say that I look wholly to such noble, generous young women as you and your sisters to preserve in me a consciousness that there is in life such a boon as generosity.

You will observe (if you have any eye for color) that I pen you these lines in gamboge brown; this is because Fourth of July is so near at hand.  This side of the line we are fairly reeking with patriotism just now; even that mugwump-alien—­your brother—­contemplates celebrating in a fitting manner the anniversary of our country’s independence of British Tyranny!

  Will you please slap Bessie for me—­the pert minx!  I heard of her
  remarks about my story of Mary Matilda and the Prince.