The sequel to that story is given in one of his frank, confidential letters to his mother, meant only for her eye, and therefore full of such a self-expression as he would have made to no one else. It answers still further the question as to how he came to get this particular commission in a way which reveals again his boldness and faith in undertaking new and untried work: “N. Y., _Jan. 22, 1872_. “MY DEAR MOTHER: “I have stopped short in my work for the purpose of writing a few lines to you, as more time has already elapsed since you last heard from me than I had expected to allow. Everything goes on as smoothly as I could desire; of course there are ripples occasionally but they only tend to make the intervening success and prosperity more serene by contrast. “I still continue as busy as ever only more so. The stone work is the principal employment, at present, and I have given from the start immense satisfaction. You remember that in my last ‘long letter’ I spoke of commencing on the second stone the following day. Well I did so and finished on the next day after, not spending quite two days on it. That week I realized $170.00 for work which I did all myself. The Appletons were surprised more than I can tell you when I informed them of the completion of the second stone, and would scarcely believe that I had done it myself. When they came to see the proof they were even more pleased than they were with the first. The third stone was then sent to my office on the next _Saturday afternoon_. Monday morning following it had not a mark on it and before I left for home that very evening it was completely finished, thus making $70 in one day. On the next morning I went up to the Appletons’ and notified Mr. A. that his third stone for the charts was finished and in a playful way that I wished he would please send for it and let me have the next. ‘Why,’ said he, ‘I told them to take it to you last Saturday afternoon.’ ‘Well,’ said I, they _did_ bring me one last Saturday afternoon and that is the one that I have finished and wish you to take away.’ I wish you could have seen the expression of mingled surprise and incredulity which covered his face. ‘Why,’ said he, ‘have you done it yourself?’ ‘Yes,’ I returned, ‘I commenced it and finished it yesterday.’ He received the intelligence rather with hesitation at first and finally as I had expected, took the course of questioning whether there was really $70.00 worth of work on them. He was very coy in his manner of doing it but I saw well enough through it all. He put such questions as these, ‘Well, you are doing them much quicker than you expected aren’t you? There is not quite so much work on them as you expected, is there? You thought at first that there would be a week’s time on each stone you remember?’ You see