The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-09
ANUS EISf Ek7S.


| tnclf own pethru.
| The utilization OF the deadhead Is one Of the
| lntest and most astonishing Innovations made
! 10y the commercial spirit Of the age in the realm
OF amusemcna.
Do you know what " deadhcad" ist
| Twill tell you.
II is human anomaly OF either sex that paws
| for the neccssarcs OF life, but insists that tho
| luxurics shall be thrown In. 1t il person 80
| organized that FREQ tickets alone touch the
| deepest and tendcrcst chords Of IFS nature.
Don't Jump To the conclusion rashly that II Ia
n vulgar or mcrcenary person. or necessarily
mean In anything else than tickets. Bless you
| no. Some OF the brightest and best Of our fol-
| low creatures are confirmed deadhcads. They
| give thousands to the poor: they perform all
their public and private obligations to the let
ter; they rend think. feel. and keen abreast Of
the times But there ia weak spot in them.
and it is dcadheadism.
You must have met ths person very often
| Perhaps you have seen him in the cafc between
| the acts spending great deal of money TO treat
casual crowd with champagne and buying
noscgays for all the fellows within reach. And
| YOU knew instinctivcly that all this glad lib
crafty had been induced by the fact that he had
beaten the theatre out OF one dollar and fifty
cents.
| Perhaps you have soon him writing notes
| with anxiety upon his brow: sending mcssen-
gers to all the managers and spending Ave or
six dollars to get free pass.
Why. have watched him often when he has
| been dealing with the tradesmau. lis prncely
| Independence was superb. Make reduction
| in the price, indcod He didn't ask it, He was
able TO pay the mans price. What did the store
keeper take him for2 This fine sense Of self
respect marks him az a man Of personal dig
nifty. large views. and liberal idcasin the store.
And our admiration for him IL enhanced when
| he displays roll Of bills and not only pays for
his goods like q man. but leaves a dollar over
| for the boy that Is to bring them home.
You feel In the presence Of this proud per-
sonagc that you cannot impose any favors on
him. His manly character rcscnts any attempt
TO place him under obligations-n store.
He buys the most costly dinner, doesn't hest
tate at the wine list. sends back the cigars be-
cause they are not the best In the house. and
gives the waiter n dollar. fine. big-hcarted.
Independent gcntlcman-in II restaurant
Aye. but see him in the theatre A change
comes over him. absolute and complete. He
asks at the box Office FOR the manager. II the
manager isn't in. he will whit for him He al
most takes his hat OF to the ticket seller. He
hangs round the lobby for half an hour, all his
independence gone out of him. merely TO beg
for two free seats When the manager reuct-
antly and coldly says. Yes / suppose you can
have two" he bows dcfercntially. accepts them
thankfully. and. without suspecting that he is
regarded with scorn goes away happy In his
possession.
The free tickets debase his whole animal and
spiritual economy.
Dcadheadsm IL q monomania. The appetito
for complimcntaries sooner or later obtains
such mastery OF the man that he is virtually
insane. You may not suspect IT, but this insan.
ty il widespread II may he said indeed that
quite two-thirds Of the human race inherit the
weakness Of deadheadism
In all the ordinary affairs Of life they recog.
nize the principle that the possession OF any.
thing is enjoyed only when you have given an
equivalent in labor. money. or thought for it,
In public amusements they reverse the rule.
and sincerely believe that tina, only is enjoyable
for which nothing has been given.
Whether there is or is not a universal in
stinct that impels the race to thus avenge itself
on the theatre which rs a rule gives the race no
durable equivalent for its money I am not able
to decide.
without disturbing the philosophy Of the thing,
we shall BE- sufficiently interested in the facts.
Above all. the recent facts.
For there has been quiet war waged for ten
years 10y the public and the managers. On one
SIDE the OBJECT was to get into the theatre with
ou' phSihE
On the other SIDE the attempt has been 10 both
get them IN ana make uhem pay.
never before this last season could 1t be said
iha' the manager had successfully carried out
MS campaign
ne mas accomplished II now ny coup deidt
thu Is hs prllilaht rs II Is original.
IL, nus seized upon the very deadhead instinct
nseli ana converted II 10 MS own commercial
ENDS.
Inns dazzling policy was conceived ut Niblo's
Garden manager who combined in himself
the saeaclty OF hachiavelli and the intrepdity
oil Napoleon SAID one day: / perceive that
mankind are governed 10y an irrational desire
TO get into the theatre without paying. Why not
seize upon that desire 80 universal. so deeply
rooted, ana he considered moment
Ana make them pay after they get n!l'
TINS was inspiration.
Nay II WAS genius!
but genus as the manager very nptly re-
marked, in anybody but star artist. is atten-
ton To details.
Let me perfect my scheme.
He was let.
Now was seen one OF the most aston ish ing