with us:  with me he would have had advantages at his command which he cannot have when he goes alone.  I am looking daily for my books; I rather regret now that I did not print a larger edition, for a great many demands are coming in from outsiders.  I should like to publish a volume of my paraphrases of Horace while I am in London, and maybe I shall do so.  Do give my love to Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Bacon.  I think of you all very often, and nothing would give me greater delight than to pop in upon you and have a two hours’ chat in that old familiar second-story back room.  It may be, Mr. Gray, that you and I shall never take one another by the hand again, but I wish you to know that I shall always think of you with feelings of gratitude, of affection, and of reverence.  And I feel a particular pleasure in saying these words to you upon the eve of my departure upon a journey which is to separate me at least temporarily from the home, the people, and the associations which must always be foremost in my affections.  God bless you.

  As ever, yours,

  EUGENE FIELD.  Chicago, September the 30th, 1889.

When Field arrived in London Cowen was away on the Continent, much to the disappointment of all concerned—­especially the three boys, who at the last moment had been brought along.  On October 24th Field wrote: 

MY DEAR COWEN:  Knowing that you will be anxious to know how we are getting along.  I drop you this line to tell you that we have taken lodgings at No. 20 Alfred Place, Bedford Square, and we are quite contented.  I have written to Moffett asking him whether we ought to locate the children in Paris or in Germany.  You know that my means are very limited, and my desire to do the right thing is necessarily hampered.  I met Colonel John C. Reid for the first time to-night [Mr. Reid was Mr. Bennett’s manager].  He is in favor of Paris, but of course he does not understand how really d——­d poor I am.

The children have done Tussaud’s and the Zoo, and will next make a descent on the Crystal Palace.  They sincerely lament your absence from the city.  When we were in Liverpool, Pinny was joshing Daisy because he had no money, and Daisy said:  “I’ll be all right when I see Mr. Cowen.”  It has pained all three boys because you fled from their approach.

Five days later, having secured a sheet of deckle-edged, water-marked Wilmot linen letter-paper and colored inks, Field proceeded to write an elaborately decorated note to his friend: 

  20 ALFRED PLACE, BEDFORD SQ., LONDON, W.C.

MY DEAR COWEN:  We have waited a week to hear from Moffett, whom I addressed in care of the Herald office in Paris, but in lieu of any answer we are going to start the children off for Hanover in a few days.  Mrs. Field is going to take them over, and I am to remain in London, since travel disagrees with me so severely.  I don’t like the idea of separation, but this seems to be a sacrifice