Howard Pyle, a chronicle by Charles D. Abbott, with an introduction by N. C. Wyeth and many illustrations from Howard Pyle's works.

THE RETURN
is to see whether he will go and if he does I must pull up
stakes and toddle after him. I am to hear in a day or so.
"I1 then went in to see Old Parsons ('old' in the affectionate sense of the word). I told him of my happiness
and he congratulated me, etc.. a. I then asked him just
what my prospects were with 'The House.' He said, 11
shall speak to you very plainly on the subject, Pyle,' and
then went on to say, 'The House' was complaining of
the high prices they were paying for each edition of the
magazine and that he did not know whether any changes
would be made before Harry Harper returned from Europe or not. I felt my heart sink as he said this for it
seemed as though it indicated a loosening of the ties between us. But he went on to ask how much work I thought
ought to be guaranteed me. I told him I thought twentyfive hundred dollars a year. He said that when Harry came
back from Europe (in a week or ten days) he would speak
to him on the matter, and that he thought beyond all doubts
I was safe to remain with them permanently no matter what
changes were made. I felt very much disheartened and said
to him, 'Do you think, Mr. Parsons, that I have made a
mistake; that I have been too hasty and selfish and involved
a girl who has hitherto been raised with every want satisfied
in an affair with an uncertain future?'I for I called to mind
the case of William Morgan, an artist in New York, who
started with the highest prospects when young and who now
lives a life of bitter drudgery compared to which a hodcarrier's is heavenly. 'No,' said he, 1I don't think anything
of the kind. (I try to repeat to you just what he said without false modesty or conceit.) I have seen your work from
the start, and have seen it steadily improving. A man of
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