Truth is stranger than fiction—­to some people, but I am measurably
    familiar with it.

CLXXXVIII

FAILURE

It was the first week in March before it was thought to be safe for Clemens to return to France, even for a brief visit to his family.  He hurried across and remained with them what seemed an infinitesimal time, a bare three weeks, and was back again in New York by the middle of April.  The Webster company difficulties had now reached an acute stage.  Mr. Rogers had kept a close watch on its financial affairs, hoping to be able to pull it through or to close it without failure, paying all the creditors in full; but on the afternoon of the 16th of April, 1894, Hall arrived at Clemens’s room at The Players in a panic.  The Mount Morris Bank had elected a new president and board of directors, and had straightway served notice on him that he must pay his notes—­two notes of five thousand dollars each in a few days when due.  Mr. Rogers was immediately notified, of course, and said he would sleep on it and advise them next day.  He did not believe that the bank would really push them to the wall.  The next day was spent in seeing what could be done, and by evening it was clear that unless a considerable sum of money was raised a voluntary assignment was the proper course.  The end of the long struggle had come.  Clemens hesitated less on his own than on his wife’s account.  He knew that to her the word failure would be associated with disgrace.  She had pinched herself with a hundred economies to keep the business afloat, and was willing to go on economizing to avert this final disaster.  Mr. Rogers said: 

“Mr. Clemens, assure her from me that there is not even a tinge of disgrace in making this assignment.  By doing it you will relieve yourself of a fearful load of dread, and in time will be able to pay everything and stand clear before the world.  If you don’t do it you will probably never be free from debt, and it will kill you and Mrs. Clemens both.  If there is any disgrace it would be in not taking the course that will give you and her your freedom and your creditors a better chance for their claims.  Most of them will be glad enough to help you.”

It was on the afternoon of the next day, April 18, 1894, that the firm of Charles L. Webster & Co. executed assignment papers and closed its doors.  A meeting of the creditors was called, at which H. H. Rogers was present, representing Clemens.  For the most part the creditors were liberal and willing to agree to any equitable arrangement.  But there were a few who were grumpy and fussy.  They declared that Mark Twain should turn over his copyrights, his Hartford home, and whatever other odds and ends could be discovered.  Mr. Rogers, discussing the matter in 1908, said: