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No.  33 Ferry Avenue,
Detroit, Michigan,
March 13th, 1905.

Dear Colonel Hecker:--

Personally, I am having a very interesting winter and find the days all too short.  There has been a great deal of work to be done in connection with my collections, many guests to entertain and the Smithsonian matter has taken up to a lot of time.  The Committee of the four Regents appointed by the Board spent four days here and had many interesting propositions to make, but none of them were acceptable to me.  They made a written report of my offer and what it contemplated to a meeting of the Board of Regents held one week ago today.  It happened that a very small attendance was had so a resolution was passed, postponing action until such time as full meeting of the Regents could be had.  This is not likely to occur for some months so the matter will stand as it is for some time.  I doubt very much if we can find a way to harmonize our different views; still a way out of it may occur.

The French Government has invited you to loan the Music Room for their Memorial Exhibition of Mr. Whistler's works to be held in Paris in May next, and I have replied to their invitation in your behalf, consenting to their request.  I am arranging to send the Detroit pictures direct from here to Paris and your will go along with mine.

I fancy this letter is likely to reach you while you are at Capri, and if so I wish you would give my best regards to Tom and Coleman, accepting, of course, for yourself and Henry a full share.  Sailing from Naples at the time you have set