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                                                               UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
                                                                          COLUMBIA 

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE 28 March 1954

    DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
                                                         

Dear Conroy,

    It was good of you to send me a copy of "Midland Humor;" I think you have done an excellent job with this and I am delighted to have an inscribed copy of a good book which has given me a great deal of pleasure. The next time I go fishing at Sugar Creek I will drink an extra -- one for Jack Conroy Nelson has told me some wonderful stories about you, and I hope we can get together some time. If you come back to Moberly this summer do try to make it to Columbia, too, and have dinner and a drink or two with us. I promise, N.A. to the contrary notwithstanding, not to serve you possum pie.
   I had forgotten or had not known (altho I am a long-time admirer of "The Disinherited" and of Conroy) that you went to school here. Next year we'll have to try to have you down here for Journalism Week.
    Again, many thanks for your letter and book (and, of course, those god-awful tracts). I hope very much you make it here this summer.
   All best wishes,
                             Bill Peden