Evening journal., 1907-09-26
HOWARD PYLE, ILLUSTRATOR
By Julian Hawthorne, in PearsOns
(Continued from yesterday.)

no got thefe. win the appetite ne
would have by that time and nothing
in his pockets? An artist friend Of
his lived on Fourteenth street near
Broadway. and the needy youth stop
ped there with the intention Of bor-
rowing a small sum Of money to go
on with-he knew it would be readily
given. But he could rot bring him
self to beg for help. He hung about
the studio for a while but could not
screw up his courage TO ask for a
loan and so went away as empty as
he came. Two room-mates shared
his own studio with him: but neither
could he bring himself to borrow Of
them. They were going out to the
restaurant for their dinner and ex-
pected him to go with them as usual;
TO avoid explanations, Pyle pretended
that he was ill and had no stomach
for food. After they were gone he
ransaclSed the pockaks Of his old
clothes. and felt rich when he turned
out stray fve-cent piece, which
tided him over till the next day-day
big with fate
one can relate such an experience
with a smile thirty years afterward:
but at the time it had more tragedy
than humor in IT,
Betimes in the morning he was at
the door Of the art department, pale
with trepidation For" said he, "I
felt that my fate was in the balance.
Cold shudders ran up and down my
spine. And when. entering the art
room 7 saw my picture leaning con-.
spicuous against the wall apparently
ready for me to carry II away with
me- l was sure that I mad failed"
The art editor regarded the youth
for a few moments in silence Then
he said. "Well. Mr.. Pyle Mr. Harper
has seen your picture and likes It,"
Oh. what a rebound Of joy and
thankfulness in that detected SOUL
But there was more good news com,
ing.
I'm fact" the editor continued. "he
likes It so much that he thinks OF us
ing Il for a double page"
Now. a double page in Harper's
Weekly was at that time considered
about as high an honor as an artist
could aspire to in the way of ilustra-
tion. and we may imagine the delight
and glory Of a young cub-artist who
has attained such a goal after such
a night OF need and bitter anxiety.
"I was literally paid for that pic
ture." Pyle remarked. "and the first
thing / did was TO take a friend to
Delmonico's and order the best lunch
that money could buy
Therein appeared the artistic tempera
ment. which loves contrasts-and what
greater contrast is there than between
poverty that was past and the promise
Of afiiuence that was to comet
For the Delmonico lunch marked
the end Of the poverty period With
that single picture Pyle entered art
society in New York, becoming the
companion OF such men as Abbey,
lRenhart and Frost. who were then
the demigods Of illustration; Chase,
Dielman. Duveneck and others who
were just returned from studying
abroad. Pyle found himself on the
same plane with these men; but "for-
tunately'-to use his own word-thc
drawing which had lifted him to this
elevation was. to him. so unsatls-
factory that It stirred him up to do
something better For two years he
worked harder than ever and prosper
going TO Europe to study An ad-
vantageous offer to go thither was
made to him. insuring him more than
sufficient remuneration during his
stay. But Pyle did not go. Il de-
cided." said he. that II was better for
an American artist to study American
life in his own way" He refused the
offer and as a corollary. returned TO
his quiet life in Wilmington, there TO
work out as best he might the art
problems that confronted him: and
there he has remained ever since.
"And what are your conclusions as
to a distinctivoly American art?"
asked him.
MY views may be extreme" he re-
piled. but I think American art is not
on a firm foundation because. instead
cf developing a national art, we base
our attempts upon the traditions Of
Europe. These traditions. however.
good in their place and time, are the
outcome Of a hygone school, not fitted
for modern. or at least for American
purposes. American art should stand
for the ideals and aims of American
life: II win thus become a distinct
self to the needs OF the American
mind. notice that when American
art is applied, as I'm magazine illustra-
/ tion. strictly to American needs, it is
Immensely popular And this seems TO
me a strong hint toward the line which
American artists in other branches OF
work might advantagecusly follow.
"But have the American people any
appreciation Of true art?" I inquired.
"A warm appreciation of art and
live Of pictures" was his unhesitating
answer. "They don't. TO be sure,
know as vet what is good and what is
poor technically In art; and therefore
they may love a picture which from
an artistic standpoint is bad, such as.
for instance. that thing OF a girl cling
ing to a rock. called The Rock of
Ages But though the American
people may sometimes-oftentme
perhaps-like what is bad. vet they are
beginning to find out what is good and
to like that better. our magazine
editors recognize this fact. and that is
why they are striving TO give increas-
/ ingly better pictures 70 a public that
is demanding them.
1.-The editors of our great maga-
zines" he continued. "are good busi-
ness men-none better-and they must
consider the business aspects of art;
| ALLENTOWN FIREMEN
EDIEEDCHID,C CIIECTc