The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

word or two, and his confidence in me
is complete.
Dinner follows, at his expense, Of
course | suggest the theater-a round
of them, for II is much easier for me to
pass a friendly doOrkeeper than to get
tickets A wave Of the hand, CHEEKY
Hello, Henry" to the doorkeepeT, and
We are inside the theater before Henry
has had a chance to protest, did he feel
so inclined. We remain fifteen or twenty
minutes, then follow the same procedure
at some other theater where l am sure
of the ticket-cOllector.
But it is time to get some money be-
fore the night grows too old. So | put
my prospect" to the test. l am sorry,
l say. that | cannot remain with him
longer. Unfortunately. l tell him, failed
to go to the bank that day, not intending
to stay in town over night. so am short
of funds. | cannot further impose on his
generosity, | say. as ! am in the habit Of
keeping up my own end when out with q
friend. l am sorry | must say good
night: | would like to take him to the
Jardin du Danse, or to the Garden, or to
BustanOby S - famous restaurants of
which he has heard by this time-where
many of my chorus girl friends and assO-
ciates celebrated in stage-land cOngregate
after the theater, and have him meet
some Ol llltlll, Dul uHduCtS W III uOl per
nit Tomorrow night, | tell him. | will
be in funds and only too glad to show
him all the high spots of which New
York boasts. He protests. Money is of
no consequence, he insists. He has plenty
of it. The night is young; he has only
explored the crust of Broadway. Many
drinks have warmed his spirits and
lOOsened the strings around the Kankakee
bankrOll; besides there's potent appeal
in the vision of a gay supper with bevy
of New YOrk's prPttiest chorus girls and
the prospect of encountering more of
BrOadways famous characters, we'll
known to him only through the public
prints.
Never mind the money, he says Let
him pay the bills. No. I decide, regret
fully. l am in the habit of paying my
way, and all New York knows it. | can
not cheaper myself. All, he is struck
with a happy thought. Here, take
twenty. or fifty for that matter from me-"
he insists. You might as we'll spend it
as me" | protest | cannot borrow money
from comparative stranger. Oh, no. it's
not a loan, he declares. Why should 1
spend my money in entertaining him?
He came to New York to have a good
time. and expected to pay for it, There's
another drink-and finally | am forced
to accept roll of bills.
| fulfill my part of the bargain
know dozens of chorus girls eager to
accept a dinner invitation. | have the
addresses OF twenty-five or thirty. | tele-
phone to three or four of them. asking
them to meet me at RectOr's. the Garden
or wherever We decide to go, for a party
to be given by "a millionaire from
Kankakee." gay supper follows My
companion meets celebrity after celebrity,
and returns to his hotel we'll satisfied with
his first experience among the bright
lights along Broadway. have been
sparing in my expenditures during the
night. Usually / manage to save about
IS per cent of the entertaining fund"
| have no permanent abode because
do not need one. I sleep in any hotel |
chance to be near letting my chance
acquaintances from out of town pay the
bills. They like to have me near for
they are looking forward to the pleasures
OF another day.
My stock in trade consists Of two suits
of clothes, one of which is always at the
tailor's being pressed: three or four
shirts and as many collars in a daily
service laundry, and of course q suit Of
evening clothes, so that when / appear
on Broadway am imms culate. I've dis
pensed with breakfast at times when
things we're going badly that ! might
appear with a fresh shave and polished
shoes.
For you must present good 'front.'
If you are to live BY your wits on Broad
Eay.