The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1914-02-27

WITH PHOTOGRAPHS
FROM SCENES IN THE PLAY
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/ You're what?" said Bob
incredulously.
Broke Dead broke. Are you sur
prised?"
Say, what kind of joke is this?"
Broadway laughed ruefully. Its no
joke to be broke, Bob; but it's even
worse than that with me. I'm in
debit"
'In debit"
ITO the extent of about fifty thou
sand dollars"
We'll. what have you done with all
your money!"
Put 1t back into circulation where
1t came FROM" Broadway answered,
signing
"You mean Wall street,"
"No; Broadway"
Investments gone wrong?"
II never invested any money. The
only thing ever did was to spend it."
But you couldn't spend all the
money you had!"
1T was easy. Everyone seemed
glad to take it,
"But 1 supposed you had an enor-
nous income"
"Well, that's what they all thought
and still think. That's why I've been
able to go along and run head over
heels in debt. l owe tailor bills. boot
bills, jewelry bills, flower bills, res
taurant bills. I've got stack Of bills
in that room there that would make
! Rockefeller complain of the high cost
of living, and I can't pay them be-
cause I'm broke Flat broke!
It's hard to believe, isn't it,"
"Why, you always led me to believe
that you were a millionaire?"
mot exactly that. But l did not
deny the stories that, somehow, got to
going round. Maybe lied little. At
that, I would be worth a million by
now if I'd had any business ability.
with the bank roll had to start with"
when I came here to New York
and started to burn up Broadway, five
years or so ago, was worth two hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars. There
was cash, real estate and my small In
terest in the chewing gum factory.
First thing l did was spend the cash,
then 1 sold the real estate, then l
sold my interest in the factory.
II had no use for anything but cash.
my Uncle Abner bought me out
and cheated me. He paid me just
hundred thousand, measly hundred
thousand, for my share of the prop
0rfxy Of ich Iosc cfnno then Ypo6n
y dozen fortunes. I hear the gum
trust offered him million dollars for
the plant and the good will last year."
Zones Pepsin!"
"Yes; Jones' Pepsin, made in
Jonesville. It's the Oldest gum on the
market. Ever chew it,"
mo"
Don't It's awful. It's terrible
stuff!''
"well. go on. What happened,
them"
'I could scarcely wait to get hold Of
that money and get out Of that town.
l wanted New York; nothing but New
York I had heard about New York; I
had read about New York; I'd been
down here as kid on visits. I talked
New York, dreamed New York. Why,
from the time I was kid, in knicker.
bockers, to the time I left Jonesville,
everybody called me Broadway.
That's where it began"
II thought 1t started here"
mo! when I was kid In Jones'
vile. That was my name-'Broadway
just because I wore patent-leather
shoes and put on clean collar, now
and then. That's the kind of town it
is.
1--WE lived up to the name. I guess.
I know every newsboy, policeman, ac-
tor, chorus girl, Vine agent, gambler
and bartender on the street. I've been
to bed just one night in five years be-
fore six o'clock in the morning and
that was when I had toothache and
my face was swollen. 1t was not the
pain that kept me in; it was the looks
of the puffed face
He drew his breath in slowly, almost
wonderingly. ooh, what haven't done
to Broadway" he continued. We'll,
you've seen me- You've been with me-
You know"
Wallace nodded Il always thought
you were pretty speedy, but thought
you could afford 1t. The trouble with
you is you've been too liberal"
Liberal! Why, when l go into a
restaurant the walters come to blows
to see who'll get me. In barber shops
as I approach you'd think some one
had just yelled 'Fire.' the way the bar
bers dash for the chairs. Oh, I've been
the bright-eyed baby boy around this
town, all right. It's cost me fortune
all l had"
His voice trailed into silence; Wal.
lace sat looking at him dumb.
But I've had wonderful time!"
said Broadway finally.
How long have you been broke?''