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From: Mr. Thomas Dupree Spiller, Sr.

240 Aberdeen Av.

Batton Rouge, LA 70808

15 April 1971

Dearest Mabs, -

I found a pamphlet by Dr. Popenoe

which seems to be very appreciative of dear Daddy’s

work. Usually it’s twenty or so years later that painters

achieve recognition – it too pop thirty-odd, but

better late than never. Also I found the book –

“Report of the botanical gardens – 1900 to 1926” –

with Robert M.Grey on the cover. Unfor-

tunately, these things were in a trunk in

the wash room (storeroom) for a while after we

moved, and we had a flood which hit the bottom

of the trunk, and when I found it – what a mess!

The clothes were mildewed and so were my

books and papers. The book had a red paper

cover – there are also two others, later, and I think

really mostly lists of the plants in the garden.

The outside is water soaked and mildewed, as

are the edges, but altho the pages have some

mildew in spots it is still legible. I should

imagine there must be a good copy in Harvard

or perhaps Helen(?). It’s not typewritten –

I mean it’s printed by the Harvard University

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Press in 1927. Oh, I just noticed the pamphlet

Says “reprinted from the Harvard Graduates Magazine

for March, 1929”

Well, here I am again. Had to stop to make out

a cheque for the men who brought back our

air-conditioner, and watch them take another

to be fixed – I have three and the keep the house

very comfortable. Of course, two of them had to

go back at once, so I figured I had better get these

fixed while it’s still cool enough to do without

them! But to resoom –

Dad had three metals – the Jackson Dawson,

the “Frank Meyer, Agricultural Explorer,” and on the

other side “Foreign Plant Introduction” and

a little one from the “Canara de Comercio

Industria y Navegacion de Cien Fuegos”, and on the

other side “Feria – Exposicion – 1925”. It looks

like gold, but – whether it is or not is any –

ones guess. I also have a copy of the

original letter that was sent to Dad with

the Meyer medal – it must have been

Fan’s copy as it has her name at the top.

She must have had the medals and put her

letter in the case, also Dad’s letter of ac-

ceptance. Do you think I should give the

medals to Fan’s children or keep them

for mine

or leave them in my will to fans children?