ANNE PARRISH - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 12/06/1927 - HFSID 80740

ANNE PARRISH
The American author explains why she dedicated her book to her childhood friend, signs her name in black ink
Typed letter signed: "Anne Parrish Corliss" in black ink. 1 page, 8x10¼. Written on personal letterhead. New York City, New York. December 6, 1927. In full: "Dear Mr. Hathaway:- I am sorry your inquiry about the dedication of The Perennial bachelor has gone so long unanswered I was travelling when it came, and it followed me about like Mary's little lamb, but never quite caught up until now. Probably this is too late to be of any use to you (besides being too dull) but I'll send it anyway, to explain my seeming rudeness. Frances Brinckle and I went to school together in Wilmington, Delaware, and put in most of our study periods writing "novels" in copy books. Why we were never caught I can't imagine, and how we were able to go on with Miss This or That standing right by our elbows. It was fine training in concentration. We thought our work very daring particularly loves scenes in which the hero kissed the heroine's tiny glove, or the heroine told the moon what she thought of the hero, and which we had to read aloud to each other through our noses, to hid from each other how deeply affected we were. I have three of mine still, my three first - the first of all I was so excited about that I couldn't think of any name perfect enough, so it is just called "A Novel, by Anne Parrish". The second is "The End of the Rainbow", and the third "The Undimmed Hour", which sounds even more wonderful than it looks, as a title, and which I though truly literary, because I took it from a poem by Matthew Arnold. I always know Frances Brinckle, now the wife of Major Leigh Zerbee, was interested in books whether anyone else was or not, so naturally I wanted to dedicate on of them to her. That's all the story - I'm sorry it isn't more interesting. Very sincerely yours". Anne Parrish (1888-1857) was an American novelist and children's book author, for which she has been a runner-up for the Newbery Medal three times from 1925-1951. She began her studies under Thomas Eakins at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, choosing a career in literature with her first novel, Pocketful of Poses, being published in 1923, and later that year publishing the children's book Knee-High to a Grasshopper with her brother Dillwyn serving as the illustrator. She was the runner-up for the Newbery Medal for her books The Dream Coach, and her novel All Kneeling was turned into the 1950 film Born to Be Bad. Normal mailing folds. Toned. Light surface creases. Tone adhesive stains in left margin. Soiled stains on verso. Otherwise, fine condition.