July 23 Monday – In New York, Sam wrote Livy two letters — one in the wee hours past midnight from the Oriental Hotel in Manhattan Beach, and the other during the afternoon, ending at 1:15 p.m. at the Players Club.
In the latter, Sam went to great lengths to convince and reassure Livy that he had taken an honorable road in his business assignment and possibly, in putting his assets in her name. He noted her concerns in her July 12letter (not extant) and understood her position, but he pointed out his first concern was to protect her and the children. That being done he meant to “take the fullest possible care of those others,” or the creditors.
They are all acting handsomely — even the bank. Everything is agreed upon except your royalty for Pudd’nhead. I mean to see to it that if they strenuously object to 20 per cent, they shall have the book for less. That detail arranged I am free from legal persecution for one year. In that time I hope to make them perfectly safe, & ourselves also. Mr. Rogers is still detained in Washington. He expects to get back tonight. Then I hope the papers can be signed to-morrow. I think nothing is wanting but his signature. …
Mind you, dearheart, nobody can charge me with dishonorable conduct; I have not been guilty of any; I shall not be guilty of any until I desert my family to take care of those others. Whenever I do that, it will be time for people to call me names; up to that time they can’t call me names. Those creditors forced me to make an assignment — goodness knows I didn’t want to do it. They must stand part of the hardship of their own act. They did me a very great kindness, & I am grateful to them for it & shall try & see that they lose no penny by it.
Sam felt that Livy’s late father, Jervis Langdon, would have done the same. Sam promised never to “do a single dishonorable thing,” and wasn’t going to wrong anyone, but if ever he should, he wouldn’t start with her. As soon as Rogers signed he was going to go to work to sell stock in the Paige Compositor Co. Dr. Clarence C. Rice’s brother was to be his agent. Sam would see him Wednesday morning, July 25. Sam ended the letter announcing that he was going to “rush over now & get a glimpse of Mrs. Rice, who will pass through at 1.15 pm. — which is now” [LLMT 305-7].
Sam also wrote to Edward “Ned” Bunce, the letter not extant but mentioned in his letter to Robinson below.
Sam also wrote to Henry C. Robinson.
I have been answering a letter of Ned Bunce’s that came the 20th, & in it I have told him (& you) what the family are doing over yonder & how they are feeling — so I’ll have that matter, & answer your other questions.
I have been with friends at the Oriental Hotel, Manhattan Beach, nights, the 8 or 9 days that I’ve been in America; & daytimes at the Players & down-town on business. I have a room at the Players.
Sam added he’d be in the country a month longer or possibly half that long and that the family was “dying of homesickness.” If he got the chance he’d come to Hartford to see him [MTP]. Note: The letter shows that both Robinson and Ned Bunce had written, but neither letter is extant. It also shows how he had been dividing his time, giving company to the Rogers family during their period of loss.