The Washington times., 1917-05-23
TRAIL DOES MAGIC
FOR BOWERY FLOP
The Man Who Was" Re-
turns to Right Path.
ONCE COLLEGE PROFESSOR
Billy Aids Liberty Loan on Bond
For a Bone" Basis.

NEW YORK, May Z3.-'l Inc man
who was" came down the sawdust
trail in the tabernacle yesterday
afternoon for the second time. Yes
terday he was sober and the bleary
look had left his eyes, but he was
wearing the same soiled and ragged
clothes. But last night when he step
ped forward the third time and took
/ BiIIy's hand he had on a new suit and
good shoes, and he looked Billy
straight in the eye.
It's a long way from the chair Of
/ English in an Eastern college to a
Bowery flop" but THE man who
was" had taken IT swiftly and surely.
And now he's starting back from the
foot Of the trail-but this time he's
going to have a lot OF help on the
hard, steep journey.
1t was a week ago that the ex-col-
| lege professor stumbled down the
aisle and after sinking to his knees in
the sawdust had cried out for help
and forgiveness. He was to come
back the next day, but something
kept him away, and the eager eyes
that have been searching the great
throngs meeting after meeting for
him failed to locate him again until
yesterday.
Helping Him "COme Back"
And when he came forward a dozen
gathered about him and told him how
they wanted TO help him come back"
And they're doing it-because some
thing besides praying put the new
suit on his back last night.
Besides saving souls and giving
the devil and demon rum the count
Billy is busy these days helping to
float the Liberty Loan. And as Billy
isn't the kind that trails behind in
anything, he has q brand new idea
of putting the loan on "a bond for
a bone" basis. Yesterday morning
Paul Plunkett, an official OF the
Treasury Department at Washington,
called on Billy with the idea of work
ing out some scheme OF popularizing
the big loan.
Billy at once reminded Mr.. Plunkett
that the Government was up against
the same proposition in the civil war
and that II was not until Jay Cooke
brought the bonds down within the
reach of the man OF small means that
the issue succeeded. Make a dollar
bond. Billy argued, and the slogan
"A Bond for a Bone" would swing
the Liberty Loan and clean the whole
thing up in no time at all.
Takes Fling At Rum
Mr.. Plunkett took the idea back to
the department in Washington and
in the meantime Billy is shouting
Liberty Loan and "slackers" at every
chance-and incidentally when there
isn't any fine little chance all ready
and waiting Billy makes one without
fuss or fear. "a lot OF folks want
the Government to do everything so
they won't have to do a darn thing
but boiler. II you don't go to the
firing line. at least help out Uncle
Sam by taking some OF his bonds
II you don't do one or the other your
love for your country doesn't amount
to three whoops."
But boosting for Liberty bonds and
shouting for patriotism don't stop the
hair trigger evangelist from seeing
red whenever he thinks OF the nation
not being made dry at least during
the war. This cursed whisky bust
ness is just like slavery was" he
shouted last night: ats a national
and not a State question, and we
haven't any more business letting the
States decide on the booze question
than we would have had to let the
States settle slavery. And that gang
in Congress Is double crossing the
people and going wrong. And when
they leave the straight path I'll tight
'em-and that goes from the White
House down"
Invited to the BoueFy.
Billy was in fine spirits yesterday.
ma" was on the high road to re-
covery, his only daughter, Mrs. Helen
Haines, arrived in the morning from
Sturgis. Mich, and last night DR..
Howard Kelly came from Baltimore
to make dead sure that MA" was
doing as we'll as the reports indicated.
Then the adding machines show that
Billy's great adventure here has been
the most successful in every way of
any in his twenty-one years Of work,
SO BilIy's been q happy man these
last two or three days.
In the afternoon the cold. nasty
weather kept the crowd down to some
1000 of the faithful few and last
night there were only about $4,000 at
generous estimate in the big pine
meeting house However. II the num-
bers were small the spirit was strong.
for $50 came down the trail last
night and 1856 in the afternoon.
Following the sermon on Repent
ance" last night. a committee from
the Bowery, consisting of Jimmy
Kelly, Joe Brown, Harry Gardella,
Tony JUL, and Charles Brown, invited
Billy to come down to the Bowery
and preach TO the real down-and outs.
They told Billy they would rent a hall
and make all arrangements for the