s for you and Miss Eva to come, and we shall
try to make your stay pleasant. You asked me in your letter what
plans I had for a summer trip. I have no plans at all. It is so cool
here that I do not feel disposed to go away from home. Then, again,
I am so much interested in the new premises that I find in that
interest another reason for staying home.

It has occurred to me that it might be both wise for you and Miss
Eva to make this point a base for operations this summer. Why can't
you both come here, and from here make such excursions into
Wisconsin and Michigan as may suggest themselves to you from week to
week as pleasant and profitable. It is possible that either Julia or
I, or maybe both of us, may be able to join some of these little
desultory trips with you.

Roswell has been called to an editorial position on the
Times-Herald, and he will begin work on the first of August,
arriving here, however, about the middle of July, and devoting a
fortnight to getting settled in quarters of some kind or another,
and perhaps taking a few days' rest in Wisconsin. So you see, if you
can arrange to be here on your birthday we shall all have a nice
family visit together.

Trotty has been in Kansas City nearly three months. She will be home
in a day or two accompanied by her Aunt Etta, who comes ahead of
Roswell to hunt up quarters.

The children are well. Julia looks well, but I think she is pretty
well fagged out, having worried a good deal about the house, and
being unaccustomed to the contrary ways of workmen. I am feeling
better now than I have felt for five years, which fact I impute very
largely to the out-of-door exercise which I am taking in the garden
and upon the bicycle. I am doing good work and am feeling generally
encouraged.

Give my love to Miss Eva, and as for yourself, be assured always
that we appreciate your very great kindness, and that we are very
grateful for it. Let us hear from you very soon, and be sure to get
your affairs in such condition that you can be here upon your
birthday.

Always affectionately yours,

EUGENE FIELD.

A postscript by pen informed Mr. Gray that the Record office held $200
for him on account, for which a draft would be sent as soon as the
cashier returned from a brief vacation.

During the years here passing in review Field entered upon a new
role--that of entertaining distinguished visitors for