j r o and co 211 tremont street,

As a retired “Lincoln hireling” who can support himself, I have been engaged in this scheme to help those who cannot, and get them out of the alms-houses & pauper-shops, which their grateful town & countrymen have provided for them.

Part of the programme is the usual Fair paper, which is to be called, “The Sword & the Pen [”]; page about the “Nation” size. I should like your permission to print in one of the numbers some illustrated extract from P & P, say a page or page and half of our paper. I suppose you have no objection to that. I want very much to get something of yours into it to help the thing along, and I don’t feel exactly like asking you to contribute directly. I know too well how the Fair business has been worked in that y◊ wayⒶemendation.

Perhaps you could give me the permission to quote & couple it with some expression of encouragement in your letter, which I could use in print.

I never will do so any more, but I am interested heart & soul in rescuing these old fellow-soldiers from their shameful dilemmas.

under a curved line: over

P.S. I have sent the Montreal plates to Dawson today, & also mailed Chatto a complete book so that he can look the whole thing over

Dear Charley—

I said Yes, to the above. And I also told Ticknor to send you a design or so illustrating other articles in his Fair paper, & you would engrave them in the highest style of your art, & block & forward them to you, him, all at my expense. The Bazaar opens Dec. 7. If he does this, put your imprint on—but modestly, as in the case of the Prince & Pauper picture which you duplicated so admirably.