.Mjkz.MjQyOQ

wo days later an expedition to Qllebec It ill Mr. Robcelved a note from Ethel erts. He is ii direct descenilant of a Roosevelt's daughter. "Mr. Roberts' note In last night's member of the exJ)ec:lltion. He kl\ows Sun," It said, "was read to Mr. Roose- the Country Intimately,. As a 11mall velt, whose face tbereu• m registered boy he has fished and hunted 11long interest, amusement and repentance. A the route ta.ken by Arnold and his crOIIS examination revealed tha.t a.I- brave little band. And tn later life he though he had forgotten the title and has made many excursions Into the B.\lithor's name, he remembered part of the state through which many of the Incidents of the book, army passed. With the story running through his from which tthe cross examiner deduced the name of 'The Lone Wolf, by mtnd for years, undoubtedly he visualLouis Vance, which Mr. Roosevelt rap- .lized the scenes that occurred along turously acknowledged to be the correct the Kennebec as half-starved soldiers cai;ried their heavy bateaux and suptit!~." plies across the portages, battled mud, Friendship Betwf'en The Two to water, forest and later snow· and cold. Mr. Roberts probably sent a note Col. Roosevelt, who soon replied. Thi. But when the time came to begin exchange of communication s led to ~ writing Mr. Roberts reinoved himself meeting between the two when Mr. from the scene of which he was to Roberts brought up the subject of the write, preferring a perspective ta a '"grlppmg novel' mentioned in the clcise-up. He went to a small Tuscan verse.~. He told the colonel that he town that boast.ed but one automobile hoped some day to write two ne.vcls of and one telephone, no moYies, contract Maine, one with a Revolutionary back- brldl!:e and not a single ra,djg Tbere ground and one with a background o! he stayed until the boo} was finished. There he vividly pictul ed the pioneer the War of 1812, but that the prelim!nary labor connected with them would life of Maine-the lnt.s with their be so tremendous that he felt it would rough panelled walls and kegs of butbe impossible for him to attempt them tered rum, the traders and Indians, until he could afford to give up all the sloops brlnalng back the latest news o! Boston fashions, the polltlcal other activities f.or a year more. Whereupon, we are told, Col. Roose- Intrigue, ·the forests and settlements. veh pounded his desk and showed his In this background the human characteeth and wagged his finger threat- ters play out the drama of their Jives. en!ngly In his visitor's face. "You have It is well that Mr. Roberts saw Col. Maine would have been a virgin field, he told Roberts, "and Roosevelt. never written some of the greatellt material In the the poorer had he world. I! you can't writ(I those books "Arundel" and so would have Mr. Robis In popular demand all over· now, don't write any other sort of nov- erts. It els, beca~ ll you make a success with the Country but particularly in Maine. thei other ifork you1'1 never be able to In Portland, for example, It Is a best give the time and the toll to· writing seller and a best lender. Book st.ores the proper sort of historical novel. You and all of the large lending libraries T~ere aren·t aeport that no other · historical novel write these books:! enough of that sort being written by has ever enjoyed such popularity. Americans. I want to see those books Mr. Roberts would do well tQ write written I I'll provide you with a ton of the second novel, that with the War of material. • I'm going to watch you un- 1812 as the background. · After the tll you write those books. I want to success of "Arundel" its reception is have some more talks with you about assured. them." But the talks never were held because only two !!1QQlh3 later,____M!:,__ Roberts WL'l out at eea bound for Siberia.. in his Country's uniform. When he returned In 1919, Colonel Roosevelt waa dead. But "Arundel" was really born during that first and last talk, for Mr. Roberts was given the encouragement that he needed to tackle the Imposing work that ~ests today upon many M~ne tables. Interested Charles G. Dawes Later was to come more encouragement. While Charles G. Dawes, now ambassador to England, was vice presit, Mr. Roberts mentioned his amlon to him and Interested him In subject. General Dawes not only supplied the author with books from hli; own library but 6ecured for him a number or rare books and dairies from the CongrelS8ional Library at Washington. Further encouragemen t was given by Mr. Tarkington. If any man Is qualified to write this ~tory of Colonial Maine, the Revoluirall.ant ec~ Uon and Arno! '

e

�