February 26 Friday – At 23 Tedworth Square in London, Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers, “nervous about the contracts” since Frank Bliss had delayed signing. Bliss’ contract specified an advance, non-refundable advance of $10,000 on Sam’s new book, (FE). Sam confessed to not being “strenuous now” and suggested they grant concessions should Bliss want them. He was pondering a good offer from a London publisher for FE, and wanted “to strike Chatto for a new and better arrangement,” but not until Bliss signed. “If Bliss shouldn’t sign! Well, that would be a disaster!” Bainbridge Colby was also a source of irritation:

I should think the creditors would be entirely out of patience with Colby. I am. Is there a Judge whom I could appeal to force him to close up the concern? Or, would you advise me to drop a hot paragraph about his laziness and incompetence into the American papers? The nights that Bliss lets me sleep, Colby interferes….

“Some day this will change; but until then I must continue my hermit life…” [MTP].

[Tenney 26].

I am ashamed to seem so nervous and scared, but by gracious it’s just the way I feel. Part of it is this long unbroken strain of work, but the other is the main part, I am sure. Sam also sent Rogers a reporting of a billiards game between the 1893 English billiards champion, John Roberts, and W.J. Peall, thinking the game was a “fake” [MTHHR 265-6].