Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-10-25
DEADEEADS AT THE THEATER.
Devices Adopted TO Escape Paying for
Tickets.


Tickets.
HOW THE SMALL BOY Is PUT FORWARD TO vEX
THE MANAGER-THE MAN WHO LEAVES HIS
CANEwTTH THE DOORKEEPER-TICKETs BOUGHT
BY JOINT CONTRIBUTIoNS-THE YOUNG FELLOW
WHO FORGOT HIS P0CKETBooK.
81 beg your pardon, sir but is there any OBJ
lection to my taking in my little boy with me z"
said well-dressed man the other evening to a
theater manager, who. at the time was standing
at the window of the box Office, and of whom
the speaker had just purchased ticket to the
orchestra circle. The muscles around the man
ayers lips frightened almost imperceptibly. and
a cold CLEAN shone in his eyes as he peeked
through the Orifice at the " little boy" who was
a well developed youth of ten or twelve, but he
answered politely, "All right; here. you'd bet
ter hand this check to the door TENDER" and he
passed out an additional ticket, which the ap-
plicant took and walked with his boy into the
auditorium.
do you have many applications OF that
character for tickets?" asked a STAR reporter
who witnessed the occurrence
Yes" was the reply. 1.-The children racket Is
one OF the greatest frauds and nuisances which
we encounter. Many people don't realize that
half grown child takes up chair Just as much
as an older person. and that when we pass In
We are in reality giving a,seat away There is
also another trouble connected with the matter
Just as sure as man brings in a child once he
VIII endeavor to pass In two the next time and
if that is winked at he will come three or four
on you, and then get angry if YOU tell him
politely than line must be drawn somewhere"
''Is there much in the saying 'once a dead
head always dead head?' >" inquired The STAR
Il should say sc" was the answer. "Any man
who ever entered a theater without paying for
inns. alf ft.ar
character. and seems to become conscientiously
opposed to paying for his amusement. 1t oper-
ateS peculiarly in some instances. / used to
know man who was an inyeterate theater-
goer. He would buy ticket two or three times
week and eni Joy the performance thoroughly.
BY coming 80 often he struck up an acQuaint-
ance with the doorkeeper. and finally secured
the entree OF the house Well. sir, he was never
comfortable after that. He would feel as if he
had not done right by paying no admission. and
he fell into the habit of treating the attaches Of
the place to oysters. wine cigars, and so-foTth,
and he would never witness an entertainment
without paying from two to five dollars for the
benefit of the boys. He was manifestly uneasy
but he didn't know how to get out of the
habit. He preferred the reputation of being a
friend, guest of the house, to going back to
the old custom Of paying for his tickets and en-
loying play in peace. Another thing which
draws from the receipts is the Autograph dodge
and billboard privileges. Formerly the mer-
chants would allow us to place bill or pic
ture in their stores and say nothing about it,
We recognized the kindness and would fire..
quently acknowledge ii by sending passes, but
you can see how your deadAead maxim works:
the Storekeepers now demand tickets i'm nav
ment for the use OF the window. 1t is a growing
evil, and may eventually do away with this form
of advertising"
do government officials ever request tickets
as perquisite of their positioni" inquired the
reporter.
'Oh, no, not at ALL On the contrary, they are
among the best paying and most constant at
tendants we have. The fact is that. with
the exception of the two instances of the
Children and the Autographs, Washington is not
nearly 50 much of a deadhead city as it was for
merly. The leading papers are restricting the
use OF press tickets TO the men who are on their
immediate Stalls. and you no longer see the
butcher the baker and the candlestick maker
walking in on the pass issued to a newspaper
man. The New York correspondents are not
by the local mana cement of the
theater at all. though they frequently receive
playing in the CITY,"
You meet with good many 'artful dodgers
don't you?" queried the reporter
Yes, especially when there is any great at
traction present. Last winter when Irving as
here il was a common thing for three or four
fellows to chip in ana buy a ticket. Then ore
would See the first act, pass out and hand the
check over to the second man in
the pool, who would enter and see act number
two, and they would use the door-keeper's check
as circulating medium until the play was fin
shed. The next day each one would swell and
brag at his boarding place about seeing the
great actor, and would offer criticisms on the
methods of the tragedian, On his company and
on the stage settings until the other boarders
would turn green with envy. Oh, know those
fellows. I've seen EN- operate" exclaimed the
at this point the conversation was INTERRUPTED |
BY a man, who. stepping up to the ticket hole. |
and wlnking one eye in mysterious manner, |
poke in low tone to the disburser of the |
open sesames" The manager listened, nodded |
ais head andshoved out couple of tickets He |
then, In thoughtful. preoccupied way. drew |
his wallet from his pocket, and, taking out a |
'wo dollar bill, placed it carefully on the money
'ecelved during the evening. Hes left his |
Docket-book at homeland has his girl with him." |
said the theatrr man. pointing over his |
shoulder with his thumb toward the couple who |
we're entering the door. II know him, so it's |
I'll right" continued the speaker; hell pay up /
but I've lost many a good dollar by |
LONG that kind Of a favor. Still, they amt all
,ad."
''The boys often come out between the acts |
to see aman, added the manager, but there are
lbout as many who want to enter the theater
while a scene is on in order to see man. es-
'ecially II the house is crowded. They have all
orts OF excuses and frequen try to sell the
loorkeeper by leaving a cane with him while the
I1end is hunted up. The 0oorkeeper examines
he cane, and finds it cost from ten to fifteen
ents, and the interview with the friend is in
definitely postponed. You come up to the office
ome time when Irving or Patti or some one
Ike them is here. and you will see few Of the
chemes which we are compelled to thwart."
just then number Of gentlemen came brlskly
'ut OF the auditorium, indication. that the act
vas over, and the reporter after bidding the
manager ''good night, strolled of with the rest
II the crowd ito see q man"
Paris paper tells of q new science PHO.
.raphic-the art Of discriminating character by
he beard. Cl0se-growing hair indicates vfgor-
us temperament and a decided temper; course
air. obstinacy; fine hair. refinement and cratic
endencies; curly boards. appertain to brilliant
nd spfightiy but superficial persons; harsh, to
Unable but cold natures The character of a
1an Is variously indicated according as ne
Years his hair, beard. moustache &c.
A fe ale slugger In Cincinnati, calling herself
iadam A. Lewis. issued the following chal-
hereby challenge any female boxer
D tie world to box four or six rounds or to a
nish, Queensbury rules to govern the contest
n will box any 140-pound man four or six
Ounds for the above amount the winner to take
II gate receipts, the match TO take place i'm ono
r six weeks from signing agreements shall
emain In this city for ter days and any one
fishing to accept the above can see me at any
me at the Hummel house,
yesterday" says the Montreal fcanadal
Fitaess OF Saturday. ''ali persons wearing pluf
ats and not known TO the court house officials
ERE stopped to sac e their hats did not con-
a ina IN q mr. -