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.
Believe me as ever,
Sincerely yours,
EUGENE FIELD.
The story of "How Mary Matilda Won a Prince" was the third in what Field called his "Aunt Mary Matilda Series." The first of these was "The Lonesome Little Shoe" (see "The Holy Cross and Other Tales" of his collected works), which, after it was printed in the Morning News, was cut out and pasted in a little brown manila pamphlet, with marginal illustrations of the most fantastic nature. The title page of this precious specimen of Fieldiana is characteristic:
THE LONESOME LITTLE SHOE:
BEING
A WONDERFUL NARRATIVE CULLED FROM
THE
POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF EUGENE FIELD
1885.
PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED