Second Book of Tales

Eugene Field, beloved for his poem 'Wynken, Blynken, and Nod,' turns his gentle gaze toward prose in this collection of late 19th-century short stories. The tales center on children and family life, blending humor with pathos in the sentimental Victorian tradition. A colonel offers unexpected kindness to a crying baby on a train; a grieving mother searches paradise for her lost child. These are stories of small mercies and quiet revelations, where moral lessons emerge not from preaching but from the tender observations of everyday moments. Field writes with a poet's ear for rhythm and a father's instinct for what matters most: the innocence of childhood, the bonds of family, the enduring ache of love lost and found. For readers who appreciate Turn-of-the-century American literature or the quiet charms of sentimental fiction, these tales offer a window into a world where kindness could still save the day and tears were not yet shameful.