As a matter of fact, however, “Little Boy Blue” was not the echo of a fond parent’s sorrow, but was written when all his children were flourishing. At the time Gene was simply in a sentimental mood. Maybe, too, some newspaper story he read was responsible. At any rate, “Little Boy Blue” was published and admired and beloved a year or two, or longer, before Gene went to Europe, and while all his children enjoyed good health.
Transcriber’s note
Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice. Hyphenation has been standardized. Spelling has been retained as in the original except for the following:
| Page [xi]: “Think of Her Sorrow” | “Think of Her Sorrows” |
| Page [xi]: “Blücher in Oxford” | “Blucher in Oxford” |
| Page [33]: “of Catherine of Russia” | “of Catharine of Russia” |
| Page [141]: “Indeed, most of th” | “Indeed, most of the” |
| Page [159]: “Duke's mediicine chest” | “Duke's medicine chest” |
| Page [162]: “MARK TWAIN AND THE ENGLISH” | “MARK AND THE ENGLISH” |
| Page [179]: “Troquemada and the rest” | “Torquemada and the rest” |
| Page [183]: “MARK TWAIN EXPLAINS DEAN” | “MARK EXPLAINS DEAN” |
| Page [189]: “to Mont de Piétè” | “to Mont de Piété” |
| Page [204]: “great Catherine played” | “great Catharine played” |
| Page [233]: “an Englishmen never” | “an Englishman never” |
| Page [238]: “Lady Windemere's Fan” | “Lady Windermere's Fan” |