Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 143, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1914 — BROADWAY JONES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BROADWAY JONES

by EDWARD MARSHALL

rPOM T/m PLAY or GDORGEM-COfiAN

WITH PHOTOGRAPHS FROM 3CENES IN THE PLAY

SYNOPSIS. Jackson Jones, nicknamed “Broadway” because of his continual glorification of New York’s great thoroughfare, is anxious to get away from his home town of Jonesville. Abner Jones, his uncle, Is very angry because Broadway refuses to settle down and take a place In the gum tsctory in which he succeeded to his father’s Interest Judge Spotswood inform* Broadway that $250,000 left him by. Ms father is at his disposal. Broadway makes record time .In heading for his favorite street In New York. With his New York friend, Robert Wallace, BroadWay creates a sensation by his- extravagance on the White Way. Four years pass and Broadway suddenly discovers that he is not only broke, but heavily fn debt. He applies to his uncle for a loan Wd receives a package of chewing gum With the advice to chew it and forget his troubles. He quietly seeks work without access. Broadway gives what is infolded to be a farewell supper to his, New York friends, and before it is over becomes engaged to Mrs. Gerard, an ancient widow, wealthy and very giddy. Wallace expostulates with the aged flirt and her youthful fiance, but fails to better the situation. He learns that Broadway Is broke arid offers him a position with his father’s advertising flrm, but it is declined. Wallace takes charge of Broadway's affairs. Broadway receives a telegram announcing the death of his Uncle Abner in Europe. Broadway is his sole heir. Peter Pembroke of the Consolidated Chewing Gum company offers Broadway >1.200,000 for his gum plant and Broadway agrees to sell. Wallace takes the affair in hand and insists that Broadway hold off for a bigger price and rushes him to Jonesville to consult Judge Spotswood, who was Uncle Abner’s attorney. CHAPTER Vlfl—Continued. “I’ve explained to Mr. Jones, Josie," said the judge, “that the affairs of the plant are entirely in your hands. You can give him a pretty good idea of how things stand without the books * and figures in front of you, can’t you?” To Broadway’s grief he sat down comfortably.” “Well, hardly, judge,” said Josie, smiling at him in a way which pained Broadway, for it seemed cement the jurist’s firm intention of remaining with them for the balance of the evening. It seemed to him that this was inconsiderate. “The old gentleman told me," the judge explained, “that the works showed a profit 'of about forty thousand dollars last yeas. Is that right?” “Oh, it was more than that.” This distracted Jackson Joneg* attention even from the color of her eyes. More than forty thousand dollars! “It was!" be said, with an-elongating gesture of the neck and a side head twist which were habitual with him in moments of delighted surprise. He drew his chair a little nearer even than it had been. Eyes were all right enough; but, after all, forty thousand dollars! And possibly the eyes thrown in! Had he been lucky to escape the bonds of wedlock with the ancient widow? Verily he had! /'lt was nearer fifty, if I remember rightly,” said the-pretty business woman. "Well, that wasn’t so bad, now, was Jt?’’ exclaimed Broadway. “Why, no,” his fair informant granted, “considering that we’ve been fighting the trust all the time. I think it was perfectly remarkable.” “Do you?" inquired Broadway, with the eyes of faith, as if he were quite willing to accept her judgment upon 1 tjroiSr"— — ■ ■■ - ’ - -w—----1 : ‘Why, yes; don’t you?” Her forehead had a pretty, earnest pucker that almost unmanned him. “Sure, I think it i%” he made haste to agree. “What do yoii think about it, judge?" The judge must be brought into the talk, of course, as long as he was there. ■- The judge settled back into his chair and looked complacent. "I always said it was the best chewing gum in the world.” “We are talking about profits, not about the gum," said Broadway, and Josie burst into a-Tippling laugh which . he felt sure was of the sort which tinkles among angels when something makes them happy on the golden streets. ; ’ There was that in this speech which penetrated tq the depths of the judicial system; it served as light to show the judge what might be going on. Although he had been comfortably settled for a long hour’s chat about a subject which intensely interested him, he rose abruptly and stood looking down at them. "Well!” said he, and laughed. “You talk it over, now, with Josie. I’m—l guess I am a poor hand where figures are concerned.” He moved slowly toward the door, and smiled at every step. "I want to ask mom about something, anyway." ---4 - - Jackson Jones was really embarrassed for a moment when he found himself alone with this old friend of his youth, this simple little country girl. But he knew it wouldn’t do; he was certain that it was absurd. To kill time he referred back to what the judge had said about the gum. “Can you beat that?" he inquired. “The best chewing gum in the world!” She looked at him with the serious light of real reproof in her incomparable eyes. "I don’t think there’s any doubt about it, Mr. Jones. The trust people realise it It they don’t, they certainly wouldn’t be willing to pay a million dollars for it” “They’re willing tb pay more than that for it" he told her, feeling for the first time a real interest in the conversation. Before that he had been absorbed only by the conversationalist ♦‘Twelve hundred thousand they’ve offered.” She was not pleased. "I didn’t think ym knew that” she iwnfasswl "They WSFfe i'- ■' • rCfi •

made that offer to your uncle several months ago.” “But what I’ve got to find out 4s this: Am I In a position to hold out against the trust for a bigger price? You see, a friend of mine advises me to hold out. Is business good, right now?" “Why, yes. We did over a hundred and twenty thousand dollars last month.” This was exciting news, and it excited him. "A hundred and twenty thousand dollars’ worth of business last month! Can I go down to the bank and get that money now?” She laughed at his commercial ignorance. “Why, certainly not!” For an indtant his heart sank as he contemplated saying what he felt that he must say, sank doubly deep because he felt that the confession he must make might possibly disturb the good opinion of him which he hoped he had renewed in her peculiarly lucid mind. But there was something in her eyes that gave him confidence. And there was nothing for it but confession. • “You don’t understand,” he ventured stumblingly. , “This is—er—between us. The fact is—l’m broke! lam In debt! I must get some quick money—and I want to know how much you have in bank, right now.” "Our cash balance?” “Yes." She thought deeply for a moment Then she looked up with a smile of triumph. “Over eighteen thousand dollars, I should say.” He was dismayed. “Ohly eighteen thousand dollars! And you did a business of a hundred and twenty thousand dollars last month!" His manner worried her. "I hope you’re not thinking seriously of going over.” ' "Going over where?” -nvy,; ‘To the trust." “Why? Don’t you think the price they offer is big enough?" "It isn’t a question of price, Mr. Jones,” she said, with flashing eyes, “it’s the principle of the thing.” "You’ll have to explain that to me.” “Why, think of what you’re selling!” she exclaimed. "It is the thing your grandfather worked for and handed down to your father; the thing that he worked for and handed down to you; the thing that you should work for and hand down to your children,

Josie Richard*.

then to their children, and so on and on. Why, think of what you're Belling!” He was a little dazed, but, still, he surely needed money. "I don't see where there's any sentiment connected with the thing.” “You don't!” She gazed at him, astonished, and rose and stood beside the table, looking -down at him. "Would you ruin the town in which you were born? Why, your grandfather was the founder of this town, Mr. Jones’ Would you see seven hundred men and boys turned out of their employment? Would you see the very bread and butter taken from the mouths of families?” He felt- he must defend himself, explain himself. “Well, that's not my fault. Fm awfully sorry, but I can’t help it I don't see bow I can help ft." Her voice was deep and sorrowful, reproachful, warning, pleading, stirrui«. iu &*ve Ji very senous thought SiZT* Then

tones and stirred him deeply. “Oh, it would be perfectly great of you so stand by and protect the people of this little town! You’ve a chance to do something very, very , big—a really wonderful thing! I hope you’ll do it" He shook his head, but not emphatically. > . "And I believe you will,” she added, and then her smile returned. > “I must run along, now. You’d better come to the office tomorrow, as early as possible. There’s a great deal to be done and so many things to be explained. I’ll expect you at ten in the morning, shall I?” ' “Can I make it a quarter past?” . "Very well.” She turned away, but as she picked up a little shopping hag with which she had been armed when she came in, she evidently was reminded of something, for she began to fumble in it. Presently she found what she was seeking, and produced a small tin box, round and highly deco-’ rated. She handed it to Broadway, who received it as if it had been something of high value. -- ; z “This Is our latest," she explained. "I don't think you’ve seen them. Jones’ Pepsin Wafers. Good night, Mr. Jones.” Dazed and with the box held loosely in his hand, he gazed at her retreating back. “Good night —er— er Miss Richards.” After she had gone, while Broadway stood gazing after her, the box of Pepsin Wafers still held loosely in his hand, the judge said cheerfully: “She’s a nice girl, isn’t she?” “Is she?” “Well, how did she strike you?” “Ap awful blow." “An awful blow?” . Broadway caught himself. He realised that such talk would not do. He tried to dodge the inference. “No, no,” he protested. “I mean her eyes. Her eyes are awful blue." The judge smiled satisfiedly. “Everyone in this town is just mad about het" "Theyought to be,” said Jackson. "Have another cigar,” the Judge suggested fervently. This brought Broadway to his senses. Those cigars! “No, I thank you. I’ve -got some gum here. But I wouldn’t mind having another glass of lemonade.” ' The judge was pleased. ’‘Why, certainly, my boy. I’ll go and get it myself.” Broadway spoke up hurriedly. "No; don’t do that. Ask Mrs. Spotswood to make it for me, won’t you?" “Sure,” said the genial judge. “And I’ll tell her that you asked me to. It’ll tickle her to death." At thia point Wallace returned. He went to Broadway with his business air exceedingly in evidence. “Say," he said earnestly, "I’ve got a real knockout surprise for you, young fellow! Pembroke was waiting at,the office of the hotel. That was his man he sent here. He knew we were leaving New York before we started. He was telephoned to from the Grand Central station. That’s how skilfully they worlj in these mad days of frenzied ■finance.

“lie didn’t wait to take a train —he came by motor. And ju*t to show you what a smart little fellow you are for wanting to dose at their price at noon today, I, who represented myself as Henry Wilson, your secretary, have given them till eleven o’clock tomorrow to close the deal at fifteen hundred thousand dollars. 1 “He’s burning up every telegraph and telephone wire between here and Cleveland right now, and, unless I miss my guess, I’m making you richer by several hundred thousand dollars, just proving to you the value of patience. Fifteen hundred thousand dollars! A million and a half!" He had been leaning tensely forward in hi* chair. Now he cast himself backward in an attitude of satisfied ease. “What do you think of that?” he asked.

“Bob,” said Broadway slowly, T can't sell tills plant” "You can’t!" It was-an exclamation of amazement.

"You don’t know," said Broadway dreamily. "You haven’t heard.. Now, just think.of what I'd be selling. Hero’s the thing my grandfather worked for and handed down to my father; and the. thing my father worked for and handed down to me; audit's the thing that I should work for and hand down to my children, and then to theirs, and so on and so on. J, j ‘ Wallace looked at him with Incredulity too great, at first, for words When they finally came they were explosive. “Say” he cried. “What the h—l’s the matter with you?”

CHAPTER IX. On the way to the hotel, after they had left the judge’s bouse. Broadway tried to tell Bob Wallace what, Indeed, was the matter with him, but could not, for he had not the least idea. “Do you really mean to keep the plant?” asked Wallace skeptically. “Yes, and pass ft to my children." said the dazed young gentleman. 4 , "You haven’t any children, you confounded ass!” “And they’ll pass it to their children,” said the coming magnate of the

“I think you’re' crazy.” "Bob, it’s a cinch. But let me tell you.” And he tried to, with but slight success. Wallace was a shrewd young man. “Is it your conscience or the girl that has driven you insane?” he asked. Tin thinking about Jonesville. My grandfather built this town.” “Well, he made a blamed bad job of it Why didn’t he build a place a man could get a decent drink in while he was about it?" "And my father kept it going.” “Well, he didn’t keep it going very fast" ‘ “And now I’ve got to keep my faith with it. It is a sacred duty. I must not abandon it.” "Say," said Wallace, in disgust “Where did you get that stuff? Have you gone out and tried to get a decent drink'here? This town ought to be abandoned. It ought to be put out of its misery." “The trust would close the plant and ruin all these people.” “You’d think they were first consina, to hear you talk about them." “Bob,” Broadway chided in a soft and earnest voice, “they, are far more than that; far, far more than that They are charges placed by Providence in the care of the Jones family. And, Bob, I’m the last of the Joneses.” "Let us hope there’ll never be an other like you.” ' - ‘There’ll never be ohe more earnest, you can bet on that, Bob!” They were in a shady stretch of Main street, and, at night, a shady stretch of Main street, Jonesville, is abqut the darkest spot on earth outside of Africa. "Let’s stop right here, in the dark, till you get over it," said Wallace. "It’s late, but there might be some maddened, joyous Jonesville roisterer to see if you went into the light” T mean every word of it There are no roisterers in Jonesville; they’re all honest workingmen, horny-handed gum makers, toilers for the fortunes of my family. That’s why I’m protecting them.” "The horny hand of some insane asylum guard will be upon your shoulder if you don’t watch out.” “Ha, ha! Ha, ha!” laughed Broadway somewhat cacklingly. "I think you’re going to be violent!’’said Wallace. "He’ll probably need both horny bands. But he’ll subdue you! Now, try to give me some coherent notion of what’s the matter with you, ’will you?” “I’ve awakened to my duty.” "Time you did; you've had a nice long nap. What do you see, now you have aroused?" “7 "A pleasant little city, working happily at well-paid industry. I’m the paymaster. A great nation, wagging tireless jaws. They’re chewing the Jones gum. Jones’ gum, mind you; not some gum that the Consolidated puts up against the public as just as good m that my ancestors made famous. I see—” "For heaven’s sake, shut up! You’ll see snakes if this keeps on. That lemonade that Mrs. Spotswood gave you has gone to your empty head.” “It was not the lemonade that Mrs. Spotswood gave me, it was the touching line of talk that—er—that Josie Richards gave me.” He paused while Wallace waited with his Jaw loose on its hinges. "Say, Bob, isn’t she a queen?" "So that’s it?” But he made no further protests. He was a level-headed youth, was this

young advertising man. He knew as well as anyone that it the trust feared and wished to purchase the Jones gum it could be but because the trust knew that the Jones gum was a dangerous competitor. If, managed as it had been, unadvertised, it had been a dangerous competitor to the trust, then it was worth having—emphatically worth keeping. And some day Broadway must do something. He could not forever play the idler on the Great White Way, even if his million* were unnumbered. It was no life for an actual man, and Bob was sure that hidden somewhere in his friend were the true elements of worthy manhood. Nothing had occurred to bring them out, that was all. He thought they might be coming now. Reaching the hotel, they found the place in utter darkness. Not a light, even turned down for the night, was visible at any window; not a sound of life came from the building save a rhythmic cadence of some sleeper softly sawing wood with a dull saw. ‘The clerk’s asleep,” said Bob. "How do you know that is' the clerk?” asked Broadway, listening critically to the snore. “I. heard him singing when I first got here, and now I recognize the woice. He held the tune a little better, then, that’s all." “Have we got to wake him up ?” “Sure! Why, it’s after eleven o’clock!” Nothing but the thought of Josie Richards* eyes could have kept Broadway at that instant from casting all his worthy resolutions to the winds, selling to the trust and searching out a Bible upon which to swear that he never again would set foot in Jonesville. But he did remember Josie’s eyes, and so began to hammer on the door. , XxXX 3 ..'■ After a quarter of an hour of steady hammering, some shouting and a little whistling, he was rewarded by a sleepy and ill-tempered voice from a slowly opened window. “Heavens! Was his window closed! And yet that snore got out to us!” "It sawed its way out,” Bob suggested. “Well, what ye want?” the angry voice Inquired. 1 . , . "Want to get in.” “At this time the night?” “Sure. It’s always night before we ever want to go to bed.” "Well, the Grand hotel, It don’t think touch of folks that stays out all night tong, ril tell you that!” the clerk exclaimed, as he came, down in brightred flannels (and not much of that) to iet them fn. “All night long!” ' ' “Aid’t ft a quarter after □even?” After telephoning Rankin (much to the clerk's disgust) to hurry to Connecticut by the first train in the morning, with well-packed bags, the two friends crept upstairs, abashed. The clerk scorned such a menial service as attending them, and, tn the Excitement left from the rebuke he had received, Wallace stumbled into the wrong room. All doors were partly open, for the night was warm, and no one feared the midnight Interloper, there in innocent and simple Jonesville. Fortunately the moonlight fell upon the bed, and warned him, otherwise there might have been a scandal in Gum Village, in which case the complainant (he felt certain from that hurried glimpse) would have been a sylph of close upon two' hundred and fifty pounds. ' (TO BE CONTINUED.)