Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1914-05-21
WITH PHOTOGRAPHS
FROM SCENES IN THE PLAY
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the major domo to his side as soon as
Bob had gone and whispered to him
that all glasses must be filled. With
the intense alacrity which the youthful
spendthrift's orders were everywhere
observed along Broadway. this was at
tended to, and he rose to his feet
with all the dignity he could command.
Friends" he said. 81 want to tell
you something. | want to tell you Of
my luck"
rs it hard luck story. Broadway
someone asked.
"Er-yes," said he. II mean"
Jackson" said soft voice (per-
haps little cracked) close at his side
with something of reproach In 1t.
For the lady," he hastily corrected.
Hard luck for the lady. Tm-I'm go
ing to be married"
The men shouted and there were
more than one among the ladies who
were seriously agitated, their number
being co-equivalent to the number who
themselves at one time or another had
had hopes Of winning Broadway and
his millions for their very own.
Everywhere about him rose the
shout: who is she. Broadway? Name!
Namel"
He swayed there on his feet, some
what sickly smile upon his face, his
hand deliberately splitting champagne
on his shirt front, fact of which he
was in ignorance and which no one
noted for time. 1t was Mrs. Gerard
who called attention to 1t by elabo-
rately dabbing at him with her hand
kerchief.
There were proprietary details even
OF movement OF her hands and some
shrewd wits suspected for an instant,
even though they put the wild idea
from them as absurd before II gained
firm foothold In their minds.
who Is she, Broadway? Name!
Name! Name!" the shouts insisted.
GUEST" said Broadway strangely.
He felt less worry than he would
have felt before he had imbibed the
last few glasses OF champagne. He
had been drinking very busily since
the dreadful thought had been put into
execution. He had been certain he
would need some artificial courage.
II gathered In his soul and helped
him fashion an extraordinary smile
yacuous and tremulous, but none the
less q smile.
"Viola?" hazarded reckless youth
across the table. and Viola (who was
present in makeup which she had
worn from the stage Of near theater
where she had, that evening, acted
powerfully the part Of wronged and
innocent maidenhood) hoped wildly for
an instant. Perhaps Broadway, in his
cups, had decided on this most unusual
way Of asking her the fateful CUES
ton! She had had high hopes OF him
Perhaps"
No" he answered thickly. Guess
again. Three guesses. It's going to
take some brains. tell you that, In
tellect's the only thingll do It. Who
ever guesses right gets a cigar"
There was only one among the
ladies' present who was not favored
by some speculative mind, and that
| one was the right one.
Guesser after guesser named some
OF the young and vivid creatures OF
that almost wholly young and vivid
feminine company. none guessed the
only faded flower in the gay group.
Broadway. never dreaming of the ag-
ony which filed the faded flowers
much powdered bosom because OF the
omission OF her name. feeling few emo
tions. really, other than the keen sen.
sation Of relief from his financial wor.
ries, stood smiling somewhat vacantly
but, on the whole. without much pain
upon the puzzled party.
go on, guess with your brains" he
l,genially suggested. tits mind, NOT
foottwork. that will win the PRICE
But none guessed
like reflection on her fitness for the
covetable position of consort to the
youth, Mrs. Gerard attracted every.
ones attention, presently, by a won.
derfully feigned embarrassment as she
rose and stood by Broadway's side.
nv patti 6aoPSus put iVoC W tue OC-
casion as soon as 1t could get Its
breath again. 1t was incredible. and
there we're those among the guests
who were SO sure Of this that they
believed joke was hidden somewhere
In the episode, but the majority were
50 we'll trained to Broadway's genius
for producing mad extravaganza that
they simply charged this up as one OF
them.
A dancer who had been brought up
from the cabaret below after one
O'Clock and closing time had come,
sprang lightly to a table. and. to the
destruction of the floral lobster and
some notably fine glassware, did gay
pas-seul among the wrecks of sangui-
nary shells and emptied bottles. The
head waiter smiled. knowing that