Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-05-22

pain that kept me in; 1t was the looks
Of the puned face"
He drew his breath in slowly, almost
wonderingly. "Oh. what l haven't done
to Broadway" he continued. Well
you've seer me. You've been with me-
You know"
Wallace nodded. II always thought
you yer pretty speedy, but thought
you could afford It. The trouble with
you is you've been too liberal"
Liberal! why, when | go into .
restaurant the walters come to blows
to see who'll get me. In barber shops
as | approach you'd think some one
had just yelled 'Fire!' the way the bar
bers dash for the chairs. Oh, I've been
the b%right-eyed baby boy around this
town, all right. It's cost me a fortune
all I had"
His voice trailed into silence; Wal.
lace sat looking at him dumb.
But I've had a wonderful time!"
said Broadway finally.
How long have you been broker"
about six months. My credits cak
ried me on. When I first went broke
| made up my mind l wouldn't run in
debt, no matter what happened. l put
on an old suit of clothes that morning,
and started out looking for a job"
What kind of a job?"
ANY kind Of a job. Messenger boy,
elevator boy-I didn't care! l promised
myself I'd earn my living without beg.
ging, borrowing or stealing"
He told Wallace Of his stealthy
search for the elusive Job which was
to have paid up his debts and started
him again, this time az a millionaire
in process Of construction of new mil.
lions.
Il started looking for a 'boy-wanted
sign. 1t sounds funny, but 1t is a fact.
My intentions were the best in all the
world. But got to thinking Of some
thing else, after / had walked a block
or two, and where do you suppose !
was when I woke up? In Delmonico's,
eating breakfast! Turned in there out
Of force of habit.
Il made a dozen attempts to do the
right thing. l cut out automeb iles and
rode in street car for three days; ]
went to an opening night at a theates
and sat in the gallery; I bought a pai1
of ready-made shoes; I ate meals at n
forty-cent table d-hote and smoked
1ve-cent cigars-practicing, just prac
ticing, trying to get used to 1t.
But I couldn't. That was ALL sim
ply couldn't! All my good resolutions
went to smash every time I took o
look at Broadway. knew my credit
vas good; the things I wanted era
there; I could have them; so-well
I took them, that was ALI"
"And now" said Wallace, who had
sat, at first incredulous. and, later
spellbound, during the recital. you
are fifty thousand dollars in debit"
II don't know the exact amount, but
that's a fairly good guess"
you've been pretty quiet about IT.
It hasn't seemed to worry you much!"
Hasn't worried mel" Broadway's
voice was bitter. We'll, I don't mind
telling you that / have Just come out
of the first sound sleep I've had in
weeks. I'll bet I walked to Chicago
and back every night the first month
I was broke"
." don't understand"
:" mean II you had measured up my
carpet by the mile. thought 30 much
and worried ST. much that l didn't dare
trust myself alone. l had the weird
est ideas: I did the craziest things. Do
you know that I belong to the Saliva
ton Army"
What"
ION the level. l went to Newarf
and joined one night"
What was the idea?"
II thought 1t might help me forge
my troubles. played the bass drum
for two nights and couldn't stand II
any longer. Er-have you ever been
In Newark"
cro BE coNT1NuED.)