September 2 Sunday – In Etretat, France (“In bed — noon”) Sam began a letter to H.H. Rogers that he finished Sept. 3.
The facts are distorted in that “Sun” squib. (When you see it in the Sun it ain’t so.) [See Aug. 15 for Sun article, which is possibly the one Sam referred to.]
Here it’s more than 2 weeks & [Bainbridge] Colby hasn’t told me yet how he came out with Bliss. I shall cable him tomorrow evening. B’gosh he builds a fire under me & then says “Don’t worry.” I’ve got to worry. There isn’t a moment to be lost (on Puddnhead), but weeks are being lost.
You write on the 22d, which shows that you have signed no contracts with Bliss, I judge, or you would mention it.
Puddnhead had some value; but if no contract is signed for it before Sept 15 it won’t be worth as much as a last year’s almanac [MTHHR 72-3]. See Sept. 3 for the rest of the letter.