March 13 Tuesday – In London, England Sam replied to the Mar. 2 of Rev. F.W. Mortimer:

Miss Penfold was not blameless in the matter. Your assertion to the contrary has no value, since it is discredited by better evidence. I do not hold grudges, & I hold none against Miss Penfold…For her sake— not yours—I have laid your letter [not extant] before the management at Harrod’s & begged them to look into her case again & see if they could not reinstate her [MTP]. Note: Miss Penfold had been employed by Harrod’s Dept. Stores (est. 1834) and, along with two others had suffered discharge after some conflict when Livy placed an order in the tea room there. See Mar. 2.

Paul Kester wrote to Sam with a plan to dramatize TS, enclosing William Dean Howells’ letter to Sam (not in MTHL).

“These boys, Paul and Vaughn Kester, are cousins of mine, and I’m mighty fond of them. They have both had stage experience, and know what they are about. If they can do anything with you for the dramatization of Tom Sawyer, I shall be very glad. Yours ever…” [MTP].