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July 31, 1945

Mr. H. B. Patten Santa Fe Avenue at Broadway Vista, California

Dear Mr. Patten:

Last March you very generously wrote that you would send an extra copy you had of MR. FRANK MERRIWELL for inclusion in the Maine Author Collection. The volume has not yet arrived, but we have hesitated to write again, knowing that many matters must claim your attention.

It is too bad that the State Library of your father's native state should not have a complete set of his remarkable writings, but we know how exceedingly scarce and difficult they are to obtain. We can only hope that from time to time they may become available, or may be deposited here by some reader in memory of Gilbert Patten. You are very fortunate, are you not, to have so complete a set !

We hope the biography of your father will be published, as you suggest; it is a book which we shall delight to have in the collection, and it is also one which of course we shall purchase for lending.

We appreciate the friendly interest you have shown in the Maine Author Collection, and look forward to placing on its shelves MR. FRANK MERRIWELL.

Sincerely yours

hmJ

In Charge or Maine Author Collection