John Smith, U.S.A.

The Project Gutenberg EBook of John Smith, U.S.A., by Eugene FieldThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.netTitle: John Smith, U.S.A.Author: Eugene FieldRelease Date: June 23, 2004 [EBook #12696]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOHN SMITH, U.S.A. ***Produced by Kevin O'Hare and PG Distributed Proofreaders[Illustration: Eugene Field]JOHN SMITHU.S.A.BYEUGENE FIELDAUTHOR OFTHE CLINK OF THE ICEIN WINK-A-WAY-LANDHOOSIER LYRICS, ETC.1905.INTRODUCTION.From whatever point of view the character of Eugene Field is seen, genius—rare and quaint presents itself is childlikesimplicity. That he was a poet of keen perception, of rare discrimination, all will admit. He was a humorist as delicate andfanciful as Artemus Ward, Mark Twain, Bill Nye, James Whitcomb Riley, Opie Read, or Bret Harte in their happiestmoods. Within him ran a poetic vein, capable of being worked in any direction, and from which he could, at will, extractthat which his imagination saw and felt most. That he occasionally left the child-world, in which he longed to linger, towander among the older children of men, where intuitively the hungry listener follows him into his Temple of Mirth, allshould rejoice, for those who knew him not, can while away the moments ...