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

CHAPTER III

FRUITFUL ASSOCIATIONS
T s HE depression which marks the closing paragraphs
of the diary-letters was not easily dispersed. The
Christmas season came and went, and still it was difficult to get the magazines to accept anything. The truth of
the matter was that St. Nicholas was overstocked, the editors
had on hand enough of the fables to last them for many
months, since it was not editorial policy to publish too many
at once. Consequently there was nothing else for Howard
to do but devote himself to some different line of work.
This he did, and in so doing he turned away from Scribner's
and worked almost entirely for the Harper publications.
In the months that followed, the old mental struggle,
which was so frequently mentioned in the diary-letters,
went on-whether it was better to continue looking to literature as the goal of these apprentice years, or whether art was
the more fitting choice. Both his father and mother-and
his mother's advice always carried particular weight-approved of the artistic career. Church thought he had considerable talent, and even Mr. Drake admitted that his
drawing was improving. Finally, but not without severe
internal questionings, and many delays, he decided that his
abilities led him more naturally towards art. With this
change in ambition it became necessary, of course, to have
a studio where he could work from models, where he would
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