September 20 Sunday – In London Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers. The Clemenses were still house-hunting.

I gathered the idea from [the late] Frank Mayo that Evans [Charles E. Evans, Mayo’s partner] was a capital manager; so I think, with you, that a quarrel in that camp is bad for all concerned, and ought to be patched up if possible. I guess it would be to young [Edwin, surviving son] Mayo’s advantage to let Evans select a new Puddn’head and go on and do the managing.

      And yet, where’s the use? Straightway something else would happen. Luck has turned her back on me for good, I reckon. Sometimes it looks like it. It is good luck that you have managed to bring order out of chaos in the Harper-Bliss matter, but until the contracts are actually signed I shall always be expecting Satan to mix in and spoil everything.

Sam wasn’t sorry that the Mt. Morris Bank and George Barrow and Sons, his largest creditors, were still against a 50% settlement.

I shall be glad if they never consent. It was the Bank’s criminal stupidity that caused my destruction, and I never greatly liked Barrows. I don’t want to pay those two anything until all the others have been paid in full — if that day ever comes. My chances to pay are far poorer than they were. Our unspeakable bereavement has put my proposed 2-years platform-campaign entirely (and I think permanently) out of my list of intentions. It was my purpose to pay those debts in that way, and reserve all proceeds of my pen for my family.

      I want to pay off the small debts as soon as that useless [Bainbridge] Colby closes the estate and lets us find out what they aggregate. I mean such of them as are owning to people of slender means — Mrs. Custer and a few others. But not including debts owing to people who are well off.

Sam noted they were trying to find a furnished house to rent for five guineas a week, though they could get one for six. He also sent congratulations to the new Broughton baby, son of Urban and Clara Rogers Broughton, a baby yet unnamed [MTHHR 236-7]. Note: $1,825.46 was owed to Elizabeth Bacon Custer for outstanding royalty payments on Tenting on the Plains, etc. The baby born to the Broughtons on Aug. 31, 1896 was Urban Huttleston Rogers Broughton; a handle that undoubtedly held great expectations.