Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-01-22

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But it was strong enough to stand
q terrible strain
Not quite strong enough to stand
without a protest the strain to which.
you have subjected it, Mr.. Jones. It's
not exhausted, but It's
Getting tired?" Broadway himself
supplied the words.
about that. You have not been
having it written up, you know; I
thought perhaps you didn't realize the
figures I've had them all made out
for you"
Broadway took one swift look at
them, then sank back in his chair and
took a longer look at them. Well, I'll
be !" he ventured.
Il was afraid you'd feel that way.
I only thought you ought to have a
hint of just how things are running.
Young men lose track of things some
times. I've known it to occur before"
jackson scarcely saw Broadway
when he went out of the gray build
ing, and it was the first time he had
over trodden Broadway without see
ing and admiring it.
Hello, Broadway" cried a merry
voice from just beyond the curb. It
was a blonde voice, and issued from a
natty little motor car with a sedan
chair top. Broadway had bought that
motor car ard given it to the blonde.
voice. Let me put you down some
whereof"
I'm not feeling very ht. You might
take me to the morgue."
Jump in; We'll make it the Knick-
erbocker."
But the Kn~ickerbocker had no.
charms for Broadway at that mo
ment. He made his stay as brief as
possible in the bright restaurant.
"Dollie, darling" he said gloomi1y,
81 don't need a restaurant, today; I
need a hospital. How would you like
me, Pollie, honestly, if 1 was broker"
you? Broker" She laughed.
No; seriously. How would you like
met"
"It's nonsense; but you know what
Stanley does to broken dishes"
'sThe ash can. Eh?"
1T wouldn't be, for you, of course;
but-what's the use of being Mr..
Grump? Brace up? Come on up to
ChurchilIs and well drinky-drtnk it
outy-out."
But Broadway would have none Of
such a plan as that. He went to his
apartment, and, rummaging in every
drawer and pocket, collected every
bill which he could find. There were
q hundred of them, ranging in all
sorts Of figures and for all sorts of
articles, from diamonds to gasoline,
from charity to faro. The arrival of
the sympathetic Rankin, who believed
his master had a headache, with a
note from Mrs. Gerard, interrupted the
bookkeeping which, for the first time
in his life, Broadway had begun. It
had not been encouraging, as far as
he had gone.
He read the note and found it to be
an invitation. Deciding to accept it,
he decided, also, that it must be the
last one of the sort he must accept.
It had become intensely plain to him
that now had come the time when he
must cas- his gaieties and find more
money.
He was a gloomy figure at the feast
that night, and his gloom grew with
every aged smile which Mrs. Gerard
cast in his direction. 1t was plain
enough to him, to everyone, that this
exceedingly rich lady, of uncertain age,
regarded him with very friendly eyes.
She even sometimes called him "Jack-
SON." After the dinner he took Robert
Wallace downtown with him in his
sixty horsepower touring car
Mrs. Gerard" he Yentured, seems
a well-preserved old-erI mean that
she seems well preserved"
We'll canned, you mean" said Wal
lace. "But too much chemical preserv-
alive in females is as dangerous as
it is in food. How did we happen to
go there tonight? You roped' me into
that, Broadway. You didn't tell me
where you meant to take me. You
merely said we'd go to dinner with
some friends of yours"
We'll, she's a friend of mine"
Broadway defended rather hotly. An
idea, SO terrible that 1t was fascinat-
ing, had occurred to him.
~ A5A 9OAO ~ 0NAOO W
your grandmother. 1t makes me sick
to see her ogle you. I think she wants
to marry you"
Broadway burst into a laugh which
he was well aware was quite o loud,
too cackly and too hollow; he feared
acutely that his friend would recognize
its falseness.
ITO marry me! Ho, ho!" Instantly
his manner changed. But I don't like
the way you speak about her, Bob.
Remember-we have just enjoyed her
hospitality"
Enjoyed it! Speak for yourself, old
man! If I had known where you were
going, do you suppose I would have
gone with you? I can meet grand
mothers schoolmates at the Old La
dies home. I don't have to go to din
ner with them"
NOW, Bob!"
s4l Wyol1ono h11ruf into q 1a11Oh SGT ho.