The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-20
MILLIONS IN 1T.
Mulberry Sellers's First Call Upon His
0Uncle."
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune
John T. Raymond off the stage is much like
Colonel Mulberry Sellers on the stage. with his
millions In It." He was cracking jokes with
friends uptown, the other day, when he pulled
out his watch, on the face of which, in lieu of
| figures, are the twelve letters of his name. 1t
reminded him of a watch presented him at Mo-
bile and a romance connected with its disappear
| ance. He proceeded to tell it:
Ever been in a pawn shopi What pull it Ia
the first time. I've been there. Often! Often!
| But the first time was wonderful thing was
dead broke had a watch presented to me by
the citizens of Mobile. all inscribed and en-
graved. l went down to SIMPSONS. / couldn't
muster up courage to go inside. stood on the
curb. while the cold sweat came out on my fore
head | thought every man that passed was
| looking at me. | thought the policemen were
gathering on distant corners to keep watch of
ing to everybody else Look at him.
He's got something to pawn. Where do
you spose he stole itP l stood there on one
foot and thea the other for nigh two mortal
hours. Then bolted in like mailman. Before
had time to look around was in little stall.
1t was dark and | was half scared out of my
senses. But in the next stall heard the pit
eous, wailing voice Of woman, begging for So
more article For Gods sake, my
mother is dying she said, and unless / get 50
more they will turn out of the house Then
the clerks gruif voice responded, telling her to
| take what he offered and get out, or take her
knew from her sobs that she went out Then
he turned to me- handed up my watch with
out word. didn't expect to get enough on
it to last week, judging from his treatment
of the woman. In fact was so scared that if he
had asked me whose watch it was, should have
replied didn know and should probably have
bolted. / felt like felon, and must have looked
like thief How much DO you wantp he asked.
What can you loan2 / responded Sixty dol
larsp he said. Gracious, how breezy | grew.
Sixty dollars? Why it was a small fortune
My board only three dollars week. and
with dollar for washing and another dollar for
sundries, counted on twelve weeks of ease from
care. | grabbed the money and was starting out
without ticket, when he called ma back
for it. Once out on the street 1
making a dash for the street-car, when woman
stopped me- She was weeping. knew in
stinctively it was the woman of the pawn shop.
Were you in there sir? she asked. l felt like
drawing myself up to full height, and denying
| the damnable charge. But she was woman,
and her piteous cry was still ringing in my ears.
| owned up. What shall | doP she said. L
can't go home without So Oh, they
monsters in there! My mother is dying. and
am half wild lest they turn US out pulled out
my roll of money, and gave her So. She was
about to thank me, when l turned and rushed
for street car.
NEARLY ten years later, while the stock com
pany plan was still in operation over the coun-
try, and only the stars went from place to place,
was in western city for an engagement. l
was iate III eetting There. anu when fuSneu on
the stage for the first entrance / couldn't under
stand why the leading old lady acted queer
When came off she was waiting for me. Are
you Mr.. Raymond really she said i am, in
deed Can speak to you moment WANT
to ask if you wasn't at Simpsons pawnshop
| at such timer All my old repugnance
against admitting | had ever been in
such place came up, but managed to stammer
that was. Then she asked if / remembered
giving So to young woman on the corner in
distress. 1t turned out that she was the young
woman, MY mother died within hour she
said. but the money you gave enabled me to
keep our rooms to bury her from. / was bal
let girl then. Now / am playing old woman
parts and doing WELL Wasn't that great out
come of my romancel Oh, about the watch"
concluded Mr.. Raymond, II was excited that
| lost my ticket and so poor afterward that it
didn't make any difference l never saw it again,
and presume it went to the melting-pot, as l
have never heard of it since.'