His brow was cool and his breath was free, And his hands were soft as a lady's hands, And a song of the booming waves sang he As he launched his bark from the golden sands. The grayling chuckled a hoarse "ha-ha," And the Cisco tittered a rude "he-he"-- But the Thompson merrily sang "tra-la" As his bark bounced over the Northern Sea._ II. _A Thompson came bobbling back into the bay-- Back into the bay as the Sun sank low, And the people knew there was hell to pay, For HE wasn't the first who had come back so. His nose was skinned and his spine was sore, And the blisters speckled his hands so white-- He had lost his hat and had dropped an oar, And his bosom-shirt was a sad sea sight. And the grayling chuckled again "ha-ha," And the Cisco tittered a harsh "ho-ho"-- But the Thompson anchored furninst a bar And called for a schooner to drown his woe._ During the fall of 1885 I was again sent East on some political work that took me to Saratoga and New York. As usual, Field was unremitting in his epistolary attentions with which I will not weary the reader. But on the journey back from New York they afforded entertainment and almost excited the commiseration of a young lady travelling home under my escort. When we reached Chicago I casually remarked that if she was so moved by Field's financial straits I would take pleasure in conveying as much truage to the impecunious knight as would provide him with buttered toast, coffee, and pie at Henrici's. She accordingly entrusted me with a quarter of a dollar, which I was to deliver with every assurance of her esteem and sympathy. As I was pledged not to reveal the donor's name, this tribute of silver provided Field with another character, whom he named "The Fair Unknown," and to whom he indited several touching ballads, of which the first was: _THE GOOD KNIGHT AND THE FAIR UNKNOWN Now, once when this good knight was broke And all his chattels were in soak, The brave Sir Thompson came And saith: "I' faith accept this loan Of silver from a fair unknown-- But do not ask her name!" The Good Knight dropped his wassail cup And took the proffered bauble up, And cautiously he bit Its surface, but it would not yield, Which did convince the grand old Field It was not counterfeit. Then quoth the Good Knight, as he wept: "Soothly this boon I must accept, Else would I sore offend The doer of this timely deed, The nymph who would allay my need-- My fair but unknown friend. "But take to her, O gallant knight, This signet with my solemn plight To seek her presence straight, When varlets or a caitiff crew Resolved some evil deed to do-- Besiege her castle gate.