Picture Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

November 20, 1915 Price, 5 Cents A Safe Investment (V1TAGRAPH) By Burns Patterson A funny story with a real plot is the qualification of this narrative, written from the Vitagraph production featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Charley Sharp suddenly became aware of the fact that an amount of money — he did not care how much it amounted to — over the eighteen dollars he received each week for his services as a clerk, would be very handy. He set out to get it and did, but only paved the way for the greatest shock his financially inclined mind ever received. "THERE'S millions in it, boys !" vehemently declared Charley Sharp, )unding the table with a clenched fist. tell you, we'll clean up on this thing, id clean up big." The eyes of Jim Ford and Eddie lack glittered. They, too, had great lith in the ability of the "Gee Whiz lining Company" stock as a lever to "y the shekels from gullible investors, he trio were the sole owners, backers, evelopers, and sellers of stock of the reatest gold mine ever struck with pick. At least, the prospectus and arious other bits of literature written y the facile pen of Sharp described ie Gee Whiz Mine as a bonanza for ivestors. It was not a speculation, but a investment, declared the promoters f the scheme. "Now, then, brother financiers," said harp, "when we cut loose with our :upendous advertising campaign, the i ollars will )our in so fast that we'll e compelled to hire motor trucks to art the money to the banks, or wherever se we may decide to put it." "Right you are, Charley !" agreed "ord. "Just so soon as they see the ;ds that you have written, people will ot be able to keep money in their ockets. We'll get every stray dollar i New York — and then some." Black was a reticent sort of fellow, and while he had nothing to say, his coworkers knew that he was as deeply interested as they. "There are a few other matters to be attended to," said Sharp, "after which the meeting will adjourn until to-morrow morning at nine o'clock, when the simoleons will roll into our nicely furnished office, and we can begin to actually count the boodle." After a short discussion of a few minor details, the trio left the office, and each wended his way homeward, happy in the thought of the gold to be harvested in the days to come. The three men had been clerks in a broker's office, when the idea had occurred to Sharp of promoting a mining proposition. He honestly believed, with a great many others, that there is a sucker born every minute and sometimes two, and in his belief in this epigram he had suggested his scheme to his two brother clerks. They had eagerly seized upon the idea, and all three dreamed golden dreams of future riches. Nine o'clock found the partners at their mahogany desks. The morning papers had displayed huge advertisements booming Gee Whiz stock, and lengthy free reading notice had been given to this rich mine. Hardly had Sharp, Ford, and Black seated themselves at their desks before the first of the investors began to trickle in. Gee Whiz stock was selling at ten dollars per share, and every one wanted to get in on the ground floor. Before noon it was necessary to call out the reserves to keep in order the crowd that surged about the office of Gee Whiz. Investors fought at the cashier's window to put their money in Gee Whiz. The influx of wealth became so great that it was necessary to requisition wastebaskets to stow away the money. Every mail brought checks, money orders, and cash for Gee Whiz stock. Sharp was acclaimed by his partners as a financial genius ; their dreams of wealth would come true. The fifty-per-cent monthly dividends, promised in the advertisements, were effective bait, and were seized upon with avidity. Every one was mad to buy Gee Whiz. The curb brokers went wild, and Gee Whiz began to soar. Before closing time, Gee Whiz had jumped from ten to twenty dollars per share. Days passed, and still Gee Whiz continued to be unloaded. "Charley," said Ford, three weeks