The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-15
Artistic Deagilacads.


titica character Chicago Times.
Artistic Deadhcads.
now SOME MEN TRY TO SEE PLAY WITHOUT
PAYING 0R-ADMISSI0S.
eyes, SIR" said tho doorkceper OF the
California Theatre the other evening, as he
slipped check under small elastic band,
uthc lodges practiced by them as wishes
to deadhead into this here thea-ter is more'n
you'd credit" The second act being now
well on and the stragglers all in, he leaned
up against the photograph stand. stroked
his grizzled beard, and went on : "Some OF
'sm makes it regular study, and has it
brought down to quite fine point; but pre-
cious few ever gets t'other side Of Rubycorn.
Sometimes, however. they're so well dressed
and cheeks it out so confounded hard
that they're up them stairs before I've alto
gether placed them. For instant, there's
the man who is one OF a box party. Nearly
always they goes in together. but once now
and asin, gentleman who don't care about
eulpin2 his black coffee comes late, and says
he, tAll the others in Box 3, yet, Salisbury,
1and as the others Invariably says MIR. So
and-So is yet to come why in he goes. Oc-
casional, however, there slips up a young
tailor's model, with a square cheek on him
like mule, and walking by very cool, he
saws, PPM one Of the party in a box and
then I simply says, What box?' and that
boxes him, for. Of course knows every
hox-check took pat as your altfabet. Then
the way in which. that there young man
willis is worth part OF whole weeks salary
to see.
"Then there's another slippery customer,
and that is the man who is looking for the
manager. He's pretty nearly always well
dressed, like the other chap. and has gall
on him like an OK. Eve got 'em, though, in
the most simple way you could ever think
on. II it's Mr.. Mccullough he asks for, and
he's out Of town, why, naturally that lets him
, no sharp and quick. II it's Mr.. Hill, it gen.
rally goes this way: He always comes bout
this time, the middle or SO OF the second act.
takes his cigar out of his mouth very careful,
and says kinder like, Il am looking for
your manager; can I step up stairs
TO see if he is therc:' (which Of them?'
SAYS |. (Which Of them p he repeats. 'Yes,'
I says, sMr. Mccullough or Mr.. HIP
ooh, alb, to be sure he says, mir. Hill is
the gentleman sMr. Hill,' l says, 'has
lust gone into the boE-o1iice; you will lind
him there That ietches him. as q rule, for
when once he goes back, he don't as rule
try il on twice. II, however, he looks one
as q usual grip won't throw, l says, 'Ah,
yes, Mr.. Hill; there he is just Oh tiiu Top
stair; I'll call him down. SO, looking up |
calls out, mfr Hill! blr. Hill! Mr.. Hill!
anG when / turn round about agIn. my
friend has always hooked it.
"But the greatest number of all who try
to get IN on their face are those who belong
to the press. The crowd OF newspaper cor
respondents who want to sec play is some
what amazing. Papers you nor nobody
else ever heard Of have sent their special
correspondents here to see Mr.. Barrett as
"Cassius," and several critics have travelled
all the way from Pen Yam solely and only
to see Mr. Florence as "Openrazor,"
as Bishop calls it. Most always, too,
these literary lights bring their credit
shalls-on a card. The bearer is au-
thorized correspondent OF the Popomunk
Highfyer. maybe, or any curtsey shown
the bearer will be reciprocated by the edi-
tor Of the Donahue's Landing Semi Weekly
Gazette. My answer to these Is ferreotyped.
Sir says, ! have my list OF newspaper
gentlemen who has right 10 pass in. Your
name is not on it. Get pass from the box
Office, please There will be one in twenty,
perhaps, who gets bis dander up, and talks
OF 'Defishinsea in regard for the press;
but, as q rule, they goes away sorrowful.
It always does hurt me to send back news
paper man, they seem as if they'd enjoy the
play so much, but duty Is duty.
"On the other hand, however, there is a
man Pm in no wise compunctious about re-
fusing, and that is the man who has forgot
ten bis check. Now, there are few gen.
tlemen to whom don't give checks. They
comes most every night; knows 'em we'll,
and they don't like to be bothered. But
when a smartie comes up switching
his cane, and, throwing his cigarette
away with fiirt, says, 'Ah, you
forgot to give me a check; or, run
ming his finger in his vest-pockets, says, BY
George, I've missed my check or, grim
ming With sorter Observation-Disclosures
air, says, You said you'd remember my
face, you know, then / looks at him
minnit, and his eye, or better still, his under
LID, shows me in crack whether he's square
OF no. Besides these, come across (like as
not in asingle night the stranger who wants
to .look round before going back to his
ranch, the father who has children IN the
audience, and the backman who wants TO
keep an eye on his fare. These last dodgers,
as rule, don't show their faces till the last
act ia on.
o1stBur the greatest character OF all is the
man who is looking after the doctor. There
is one old fellow in particular who is regE- |
lar artist, and ought to be on the stage.
think he must go home and make himself
up every night, for he always turns up sure |
as clockwork. He's an oldish man, and
sometimes he comes without his hat, occa- |
Eional be has on his carpet slippers, and |
once when Henry Y. was up he came with.
out bis coat. He always rusnes In, and |
looking as though he'd. Just come from
Stockton, calls out as he slips by, lis Dr.f
So-and-so in the house 2 and makes up the
stairs like streak OF lightning. One night
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