Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-05-02
WITH PHOTOGRAPHS \
FROM ScFNES IN THE PLAY
Co6>/2/ChyZ 1913, 81 g. ~ I1HZIrCb/4/T SS|7

you're what" said Bob
incredulously.
/ Broke. Dead broke. Are you sur
prised?"
Say. what kind Of Joke is this?
broadway laughed ruefully. It's no
Joke to be broke. Bob; but it's even
worse than that with me. I'm in
debt"
In debt"
TO the extent of about fifty thou
sand dollars"
Well what have you done with all
your money!"
Put it back into circulation where
it came FROM" Broadway answered.
signing
You mean Wall street,"
NO: Broadway
Investments gone wrong
81 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 10 take il"
But | supposed you had an enor-
nous income"
We'll. that's what they all thought
and still think That's why I've been
able 10 go along and run head over
heels in debt ! owe tailor bills. boot
bills. iewelry bills. flower bills. res
taurant bills. I've got a stack of bills
in that room there that would make
, Rockefeller complain of the high cost
of living. and | can't pay them be-
{ cause I'm broke. Flat broKe
: It's hard to believe, isn't 1t?
why, you always led me to believe
that you were a millionaire?
. Not exactly that. But | did not
d deny the stories that, somehow, got to
8 going round Maybe lied little Al
l. that. ! would be worth a million by
). now if I'd had any business ability
with the bank roll had to start with.
When | came here TO New 1orF
e and started to burn up Broadway, nvt
Y wears or so ago. | was worth two hun
II dred and fifty thousand dollars. There
u was cash real estate and my small IN
e terest In the chewing gum factory
First thing l did was spend the cash
then | sold the real estate. then
v sold my interest in the factory.
y. 81 had no use for anything but cash
IL my Uncle Abner bought me GU
e. and cheated me- He paid me just
is hundred thousand, a measly hundre
s. thousand. for my share of the prof.
IT erty out of which he's since then mad
a dozen fortunes. ! hear the guT
y trust offered him a million dollars 70
e the plant and the good will last year.
III Jones Pepsin,"
Eyes; Jones Pepsin, made
r. Jonesville. It's the oldest gum on tn
8! market Ever chew it,"
NO"
We Don't. It's awful It's terribl
IT, stuff"
We'll. go on. What happene
IT them"
Id 81 could scarcely wait to get hold (
is that money and get out of that tow
wanted New York; nothing but Ne
York. l had heard about New York;
or had read about New York; I'd bee
at. down here as kid on visits. | talkt
I'm New York. | dreamed New York. VIII
lat from the time I was a kid. in knicke
Ct bockers, to the time l left Jonesvill
everybody called me 'Broadwa,
TO That's where 1t began"
81 thought it started here"
t | NO! when ! was a kid in Jone
Vile That was my name-'Broadwa
an Just because | wore patent-leath
we shoes and put on a clean collar, nc
and then. That's the kind of a town
rst is.
a I've lived up to the name, / guei
1t | know every newsboy. policeman, {
tor, chorus girl, wine agent, gambl
and bartender on the street I've be
an to bed just one night in five years
fore six o'clock in the morning a
he that was when I had toothache a
ad- my face was swollen. 1t was not t
md pain that kept me in; it was the loo
He of the pulled face"
ow He drew his breath in slowly. almt
wonderingly. "Oh, what I haven't do
IL to Broadway" he continued. I'VE
ext you've seen me. You've been with 4
ess You know"
Mr.. Wallace nodded. II always thout
IN" you were pretty speedy. but / thout
you could afford it. The trouble W
the you is you've been too liberal"
of Liberal! Why, when | go into
restaurant the walters come to bio
tile to see who'll get me. In barber sht
else as approach you'd think some {
tell had just yelled FIRE. the way the b
tall bers dash for the chairs. oh. I've b.
eve the bright-eyed baby boy around t
God town. all right. It's cost me fort'
ic,- all l had"
ain His voice traiieo into siienoe'
he lace sat looking at him dumb.
. But I've had a wonderful tim
M said Broadway finally.
How long have you been broke