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February 2, 1945

Mr. Harvan Barr Patten Vista California

Dear Mr. Patten:

Your recent loss is one that is keenly shared by a host of friends and acquaintances of Gilbert Patten, and by even more friends of Frank Merriwell. The loss to Maine is that of a distinguished son; and it is particularly because your father's birthplace was this state that we take the liberty of writing to you.

The Maine Author Collection is an exhibit of about fifteen hundred volumes, inscribed and presented, written by Maine people. The present interest of visitors is great, but we are admittedly building for the future; and the value of such a collection increases constantly. We gather also all available biographical, critical and photographic data, and preserve the correspondence with 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 spring 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 collection.

That the gift did not materialize is greatly to our regret, for Mr. Patten was eminent in his field of literature. That is why we are writing to you. We thought it possible that you might 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

Secretary hmj Encls.