circulars had not been sent heard of the proposed publication and wrote asking to be allowed to subscribe.  The largest single subscription was for five shares.  There were three for two shares, and all the rest were for one share each, many echoed the “Certainly! and glad of the chance,” which was Stuart Robson’s response.  F.J.V.  Skiff, Field’s old associate on the Denver Tribune, added a postscript to his order, saying, “And wish I could take it all,” while Victor F. Lawson, in a personal note to me accompanying his order, wrote, “If you run short on this scheme I shall be glad to increase my subscription whenever advised that it is needed.”  This spirit pervaded the replies to our circular and gave Field keener pleasure than he ever experienced through the publication of any of his other books.

Chicago, as was to be expected, took a majority of the shares; Denver came next, and then Kansas City.  Comparatively few shares were taken in the East, for Field’s fame had scarcely yet penetrated that region.  But the names of Charles A. Dana, of Whitelaw Reid, and of Field’s “Cousin Kate” were early among the subscribers.  His friends among the stage folk responded numerously, and so did journalists and railway men.  There were only some half dozen bibliomaniacs on the list, for Field had not then become the poet, torment, and idol of the devotees of rare and eccentric editions.  To remind them of the unusual opportunity they missed, let me recall the negotiations for the making of this original edition de luxe, which was not published for profit, but as an example of the excellence of simplicity and clearness in printing.  From the start Field insisted that everything about the “Little Books” should be American, and the best procurable of their kind.  The letters from John Wilson & Son show the progress of the negotiations for the printing of the two books, which were carried on in full assurance that there would be no failure of funds to carry out the enterprise.  I quote their first reply to my request for an estimate on the work: 

CAMBRIDGE, MASS., February 5, 1889.

SLASON THOMPSON, ESQ.,

Dear Sir:—­In your request for a rough estimate of two volumes of 200 pages each, on paper 5 x 8 and printed page 2-1/2 x 4-1/2 you forgot to state the number of copies desired and the size of the type.  We enclose two samples of paper that we can find.  We have doubts about finding enough of the 5 x 8, but think we can that of the 5 x 7-1/2.  We prefer the former.  If the edition is small—­say 100 or 150—­we can, we think, scrape up enough of the 5 x 8.  The size of your page could not, we think, be improved on.  We also enclose samples of long primer, bourgeois and brevier sizes of type. [Here followed a detailed estimate on 250 copies of bourgeois type of $668.70 for the two volumes.]

We should be most happy to execute the work.  Hoping to hear from you again,

We are respectfully yours,