Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1881-12-25)

we came about $250. short of expenses , which is of course a grief to all the family. This loss will fall on about five of us, Scott, Lucas, Webster & I. We had a </u fine > exhibition which, which press & visitors praised to the skies, we advertised </u liberally > & effectively, the papers treated us well. And so did </u everyone > we came in contact with, but somehow the attendance was too light. Of course now that it is over many wise reasons are given for the financial failure, but three weeks ago the "I-told-you-sos" were as confident of our success as the most sanguine of us. We had a </u splendid > hall, & the work displayed was </u fully> 25% better in quality than that of last year. I really think you would have been proud of your "boys" had you only seen the fine exhibits they made. Critchley did nobly, so did Lucas, so did Bailly & Hornday & Webster best of all . His exhibit was elegant, and I was pleased to note that very few visitors failed to learn that the most of the work in the exhibition was done by the men belonging to "that great Scientific Establishment in Rochester", and also that most visitors put the question "Is Webster working for himself or does he belong to </u "Ward's Establishment?" > I was surprised to find that so many people seemed to know all about our place.

    We took the two big orangs. - and what do you think!

J C. Beard, one of our Judges is getting up a fine illustrated article for the Century magazine (Scribner's, you know) about the Society, and he is going to put in a picture of the "Fight in the Tree-tops!" Which ought to be worth </u something > to the Establishment. Unless I am </u much > mistaken your Estab. & its men will get such an advertisement in that magazine as </u Foote > would give $500 for were it of his. Beard had 27 pieces photographed in the Ex. from which to select fifteen best suited for illustrations, and he wants me to help him write the </u text > or letter press.