June 30 Sunday – In Elmira at Quarry Farm Sam wrote again to H.H. Rogers on the matter of a meeting with his creditors. Charles Langdon had taken Sam’s last letter and was intending to go to New York where he would deliver it to Rogers. (Langdon was taking medical treatments in the City during this period.)

In case Mr. Langdon should be prevented from going down [to NY], Mrs. Clemens and I desire this, to wit: That Mr. Colby call a meeting of the creditors for just as early a day as possible: but before the 8th.

Sam suggested that Bainbridge Colby talk with Thomas Russell and ask if he would agree to the compromise of 10 per cent additional to Webster assets; if he refused then ask him his terms; and “finally silence Russell, even if we have to pay his entire bill.” ($5,046.)

After which I will try to get out of the reach of anybody else’s supplementary proceedings.

The fact is, the assignee can’t assume the above suggested job, I imagine, but maybe there is somebody else that can.

Mrs. C. is dead set against having me keel-hauled and fire-assayed in that court for the benefit of the newspapers; though I myself do not much dread it — hardly at all, in fact.

Sam confessed he’d mixed up the dates for coming to Fairhaven with Livy, but the way the carbuncle was acting he couldn’t travel for four or five days. Sam then added a humorous PS after his signature — one which surely brought a smile to Rogers:

P.S. Look here, don’t you think you’d better let somebody else run the Standard Oil a week or two till you’ve finished up these matters of mine? Why I can keep you busy, you don’t need any outside industries [MTHHR 160-1].