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December 26, 1946 Dear Jack,

    Many thanks for your Christmas card.  It was forwarded to me.
    We see where you and Bontemps have done another book -- the one about the little man who painted the very realistic signs.  Congratulations.  I hope it has the best success imaginable.
    I'm doing a book now on Vachel Lindsay -- a novel in which he is the central character.  In several weeks I hope to have part of it, at least, ready for submission to publishers.   Pellegrini & Cudahy in Chicago offers a $2,100 Fellowship.  Do you know anything about them?  It's a new publishing house.
    I had hoped to meet your side-kick Bontemps down at Fisk.  But after leaving St. Louis I went to Springfield, Illinois, to live with my wife and to do Lindsay research.  I was unfortunate enough to catch pneumonia.  Thus Albuquerque.  And I had to forego the Fisk trip as too strenuous in my weakened condition.
    Do you ever get down this way?  If so, we would certainly enjoy being your hosts.  We'll point out the mountains to you.  Jo, my wife, is thinking of doing a children's book with an Indian theme.  At the moment, however, she is somewhat too busy supporting me to dig in.   There is an Indian and Spanish flavor to this place as you no doubt know.
   Horace Cayton visited me when he was in Springfield recently.   He seemed like a very nice guy and we liked him.  If you see him, please tell him so.  Also have had some correspondence with John Scoon, Holt's representative in Chicago.  Do you know him?
   That seems to wind it up for now.  Again, many thanks for your card.  Please have a happy new year of all good things.

Best regards handwritten: Mark Mark Harris 510 East Silver Albuquerque, New Mexico PS - used "They Seek A City" for research on the Springfield, (Ill.) race riot of 1908, and thanks --