Dear Mr. Higinbotham: I am sending you this book for several reasons. In the first place, I should like to have it serve as a token of that sense of pleasure which, in common with the rest of our townsmen, I feel to have you back in Chicago after months of absence in foreign lands. Then, again, I am glad to give you the book because I know that you will regard it with the appreciative and jealous tenderness which every author loves to see others bestow upon the creations of his brain and pen. But above all I am hoping, dear sir, that you will look upon this gift as a cordial expression (however modest) of my feeling of indebtedness to you for the goodness you have shown to me and to my friends for my sake. (Signed) EUGENE FIELD. Chicago, February, 1892. _And in Mr. Field’s hand writing this little poem referring to Mr. Higinbotham’s return from a three year’s absence in Europe._ Pompey, ’tis Fortune gives you back To the friends and the gods who love you! · · · · · Once more you stand in your native land, With the stars and stripes above you! Come, just for once, let’s celebrate In the good old way and classic— Our skins we’ll nard with Fairbank’s lard, And soak our souls in Massic! And when the bill for the same comes in, I pray you’ll be so partial As to charge my share in the costly affair To my prosperous cousin Marshall! RALPH FLETCHER SEYMOUR DESIGNER—PRINTER FINE ARTS BLDG., CHICAGO ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES 1. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. 2. Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed. 3. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_. End of Project Gutenberg's Harlow Niles Higinbotham, by Harriet Monroe