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Feb1:uary

s,

1945

Mr. B.f!U~n Barr Pat ten
Vista
California
Dear Kr. Patten:

Your recent loss is one that is keenly_ shared b7
a host of friends and acquaintances of Gilbert Patten,
and by even more friends ot Frank Kerriwell.
The
loss to Maine is that of a distinguished son; and it
is particularly because your rather's birthplace was
this state that we take the liberty or writing to you.
The Maine Author Collection is an exhibit or about
fifteen hundred volumes, insc"ribed and presented, 'written
by Maine people.
The present interfi'st of visitors is
great, but we are admittedly building for the future;and the value of such a collection increases constantl7.
We gather also all available biographical, critical and
photographic data, and:~pt,eserve the correspondence w1 th
our authors.
Some time ago we wrote to Mr. Patten -about the
possibility of including his work in the collection;
we had a most friendly and generous reply in the
'spri11& of 1941, promising us his latest book,
MR. FRANK MERRIWELL, and in addition suggesting that
it might_be possible for him to send other Merriwell
titles for the,:.qollection.
·
That the gift did not materialize is greatly to
our reg~et, tor Mr. Patten was eminent in his field
of literature.
That is why we are writing to you.
We thou,ht it possible th~t;,-y:ou mtght want to present
such or your father's books as may 'be available to the
Maine Author Collection in tribute to his memory and
his long and illustrious career.
Such a gift would
fill us with gratitude.
Sincerely yours
hmJ
Encls.

Secretary

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