WITH TRUMPET AND DRUM

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1892.. Publishers quarter vellum and boards, t.e.g., others untrimmed. Binding somewhat soiled and worn, former owner's bookplate, otherwise a very good copy. Cloth folding box. First edition, limited issue. One of an unknown number of out of series copies, unnumbered, in addition to 250 numbered copies, signed by the publisher. In this copy, on a sheet of matching handmade paper inserted in place of the front free endsheet Field has neatly copied out his poem, "Little Boy Blue," in red and black ink, in his diminutive hand, with rubricated initials at the beginning of each stanza and two small hand-colored drawings (a toy soldier and a toy lamb) in the margins. Beneath the poem is his presentation inscription, which reads: "For My Dearest and Most Beautiful Julia, Ever yours devotedly, / Eugene Field." On integral blank leaves at the back of the volume the author has written out his poem, "Dutch Lullaby" (beginning "Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night / Sailed off in a wooden shoe..."), also in black ink with rubricated initials, with a double-rule border in black and red in the left margin, and with his presentation inscription at the end: "For My Dearest and Most Beautiful Julia -- / Eugene Field." Field married Julia Sutherland Comstock on 16 October 1873. BAL 5750.