The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-30

The last place any one would expect
to find Duke" Brown, OF Broadway
Clarence Brown, the spendthrift son of
the late Commodore Brown. million
aire yachtsman, is Sussex n. J. For
Mr.. Browns career and love affairs on
the Great White Way during the nine
ties, with a breach of promise suit by
the beautiful Fannie Ward made his
name known on both sizes Of the At
lantic. But now he is in the little
Jersey town with his three little girls
and his pretty wife raising white leg
horns and shipping eggs to the market.
In fact, the evolution of the once IA
nous sportsman into a successful
farmer living, as he says, high and
dry on the spring water wagon" will
be surprise to all the old Broadway
crowd who once made the street merry
at his expense; for in all the history of
New York "Johnnies' no one has ever
vet beat the pace for IaviShness and
generosity set by Duke" Brown.
1t will be recalled that he was dub
bed the Duke of Broadway one night
at a gay supper party by Nina Far
rington, then playing in 1.-The Duke
of the Chappies-" Mr.. Brown wanted
to light a cigar and he used a five dol
lar bill as a taper. So impressed was
Miss Harrington that pouring a glass
of champagne over his head, she dub
bed him 1.-THE Duke of Broadway" +"
and the name always stuck.
L
met Fannie Ward. After a courtship
of three years, she sued him for $780,
900 for breach of promise, and her
mother asked $4,000 more on the
ground that he had deprived her Of
the daughters support in causing her
to cancel theatrical engagements. The
suits were never tried
However. all this ancient history is
simply ancient history 20 Clarence
Brown. egg farmer. He hasn't forgot
ten it, he says; he wouldn't change
anything if he had it to do over again,
for to quote the man who haS evolved
a sort of Broadway philosophy of his
own: "It took me fifteen years to learn
the emptiness of bubbles and Broad
way, AMI those fifteen years have put
out at compound interest in experience
and expect to make 'em work for me
the rest of my life. Even Broadway,
as bad as it is. did me a good turn
when I sickened of it. You see Bo-
hemia is all right if man makes it an
episode, instead of the whole thing
was lucky-a hundred TO one shot in
the human race. I beat it in the nick
of time, when most men would be out
of commission now and in the dregs of
Broadway. have had enough of
Broadway and Bohemia to last me till
kingdom come. But I cannot say re-
gret any of the experience"
1t was out on his 50-acre farm in
Sussex=at the highest, most beautiful
part of Jersey-that Mr.. Brown was
seen. He had just finished his lunch
con, and with his girls-Gladdys, Adel-
aide. and Vera-had gone to pack the
daily output OF eggs to he shipped on
the afternoon train.
Mr.. Brown does not look his 49
years. for the open-air lice and his in
terest in the normal things % life have
reiuvenated him.
II drink nothing but spring water.
had enough bubbles to last my
whole life in the old dave. and since
have been busy I haven't had time or
inclination to drink Honestly. / be-
lieve that most drink habits are form
ed because people are Idle and have
nothing else to do. When you wake
with the chickens to the noise of the
roosters growing. you don't need
cocktail to wake you up. rs it Osed to
be in the old days after an all-night
round" said Mr.. Rrown.-New York
a m ericln-