Smyrna times., 1867-01-16
Who "Beat" the Show ?

The following little bit, which we take from
the New York Clipper, will be appreciated by
those Of our friends who run" the show, and
who have had some experience of the individ-
ual described:
If a man desires to find as many "beats" as
possible, he should travel for time with
public entertainments Men will do more mean
things for the purpose of getting in without
paying than one would believe who hadn t seen
them operate. The foremost beat" of all is
the hall proprietor. He has partner, gene
rally, and each had family that admits Of be-
ing extended indefinitely by taking within its
embrace various relatives and neighbors, who
are to be deadheaded." If the Snowman
murmers over it, | have known the hall pro-
prietor to assert his right to 90 in free, taking
whom he pleaSes with him. This is my
hail. and | have right to go in when please. !"
Such was the language Of hall proprietor at
BelletOntaine, the other night, to an exhibitor
who objected to his bringing three people in
free. The exhibitor asked him if, after rent
ing a store to a merchant to sell dry goods in,
he would feel justified in stepping into the
store and carrying off bale of goods without
paying for it, simply because he owned the
store? The hall proprietor said the cases were
not similar, but | thought they we're.
After the hall men comes the authorities OF
the town, on the list of beats" Their ordi-
nances permit the Mayor to charge about what
he pleases for license, no fixed standard oi
rates being established. In one town an ex.
hibltor may only be required to pay one dollar
| license, and in the very next town-smaller
perhaps-the Mayor will stick for ten dol
lars Then the tricks to which the Council
will sometimes resort to free admission. They
will contrive to hold session on the night OF
which an entertainment is advertised. Tht
City Marshal this description pertains to thu
smaller OF towns, very consequential perSO
mage, whose breath generally smells of baC
whisky, calls upon the exhibitor, and inform
him, with great solemnity, that the Council il
now in session, and he is summoned to appeal
before them and make answer as to whether 0
not be has a license. He conducts the impa
tient . Snowman Everybody who takes mon
ey at the door is rated as Snowman nova
days--iutO the Council chamber, where he find
the mighty magnates of the burg gravely dis
cussing the question of the removal of cobbl
stone from the corner of Bungtown road AM
Piglane, or the prOpriety ofputting up guide
board at the forks Of the road, west of the Jud
son place. His presence is unnoticed unit
J they have completed their deliberations, whe
the Mayor turns upon him with great az
pearance of severity, and asks him if he has
license. The solemn array of C6uncilmel
looks more solemn as the question is asked
and the Snowman feels very much as thoug
he was culprlt or a criminal Of the deepes
dye II he Is compelled to say that he hasn t &C
t a document Of the kind required. He is let @
with payment Of such tax as the Mayor is il
e clined to lntilct, who informs him that ticket
$ for the Mayor and Council, together with the
e families, are expected. He hasn't time to di
: cuss the justice of such proceedings, and so
r yields, and Council adjourns, having accon
+ plished the only object in assembling, i. e
s beating the exhibitor out of free tickets to b
r exhibition.
This sketch may appear overdrawn, but
}, have actually seen it done, by men, too, wi
/ would be ashamed to do a mean action, exec
v to Snowman.
l Then comes the landlord at whose hot
n Snowman stops. He is very often beat,
o too. He expects family pass, and sends Ov
ii his hostler and bar keeper with ''pease pass.
l. Then he charges the Snowman little mo
IT than he does anybody else.
h Besides the above distinct classes of 4" beats
q whom the Snowman encounters, there is u
le "beat" who wants to ''just look to see if ID
ID So-and-so is there, and who mingles with Il
5, audience, and don't come out until the ente
II tainment is over; and the "beat" who say
llg allow my ladies to 20 in and | will go back
AZ Cuc Ilckeb Onlce anu get my ClckeLS, ana WI
E. isn't seen any more, the dOor-keeper being
tressed by the thought that some direful ac
O. dent has happened to him-in horn and t
ne beat who had ticket but lost it; and Il
beat who whispers profession" in t
Nv or-keeper's ear, as he passes in, who nev
in had any profession except the profession of
loafer; and the beat who says press
er who never wrote a line for the press, and W
- never could; and the beat who says
Nv 'handed around programmes, when he didn
W. and the Is beat who says he's 'been in once
when he hasn't; and the "beat" who says h
ty son Of the Mayor, when he son O
uz gun"
All these classes of people the "showma
Nv encounters, and if he is prone to look with sol
he suspicion on his fellow creatures, and exhit
or a tartness in his dealings with men, it is not
en be wondered at
hI You always meet q sanguine man at ev
us town you visit, if you are showing"
knows you will have a good house, beca,
M "our folks turn out to anything He har
" around the door, and, if the people are slow
M coming in he consoles you by the remark Il
are s'it is too early yet" and adds, the fc
ez here always come in late slow, but sure. j"