, 1886-11-27
urlLrIl OF BLANK CARTRIDGES.


They are n Iioon to the Realistic Drama.
and are Used in other Ways.
From the point of view of the man
from the far west, probably the most
useless thing in the world would seem to
be II blank cartridge, for out where the
sun goes dow drawing n pistol is very
serious business, Yet there is n very
great demand for blank cartridges, and
even western men, at least those of them
who are connected with Buffalo Bits
show, have come to look upon the harm
less noise producers with tolerance, and
even approval AS materially enhancing
their safety in the vigorous and elastic
sham fights that they go through.
Many thousand cases Of blank car
tridgcs are made every year by the big
cartridge manufacturing establishments,
and command prices only less than those
with bullets in than by about as much
us the value of the lead would be. Great
quantities of them are sold for Fourth of
July celebrations, and n good many are
used by the military in firing salutes
The theaters are, however, the best, be
cause the most constant and steady GUS
toners for them, When the heavy vii
lain shoots the hero, remarking, Never
again Will you cross my path, ~ and the
hero, miraculously saved, pops his ancient
enemy, saying, "Die, villain - they both
burn blank cartridges, and when the
English soldiers fire II volley after the
escaping Irish patriot they use blank car
tridges, and their guns being loaded in
that way explains why the Finest peas
antryn so easily kill them off with stuffed
clubs, and when the property man ar
ranges the explosion that is to rcnd the
nobl ship and sink her in the exact mid
die of the broad ocean, he fixes "A lot of
blank cartridges in an apparatus that
will set them all off simultaneously with
II terrific bang. And So in n thousand
ways the stage depends upon blank car
tridges for thrilling effects.
Now and then the blank cartridge
proves recreant to the trust reposed in
it, and spells an effect. Actors tell of II
sensational star who was playing n part
in which he had to file of his chains,
break out of prison, climb II wall, and
just at The momen when he was about to
nchieve liberty, be shot by II vigilnnt
sentry, fall, and die to slow music. He
had climbed the wall and waited for the
fatal shot. 1t did not come. Again and
again the sentry snapped his gun. but
the cartridge would not explode. Did the
actor LET that failure cut him out Of his
death scene2 Oh, no. With n shrek of
agony and appropriate pantomimic trim
mings he exclaimed; Great heavensi
- 'N = tf w ~
fle'-fell from the wall, and died in his
most effective fashion.
Blank cartridges are oftel bought for
the loadingo of the pistols that people keep
in the house to scare burglars il they
happen to come. The good folks who
have hat humane md pretty plan under
stand very little about burglars, or they
would know that those gentry nrc so de
iicient in n sense of reciprocal humor
that they habitually shoot back, and
with bullets instead Of blank cartridges.
Little argument can be required to de
monstrate that the householder is at II
disadvantage in proceedings of his
nature. From al incident that occurred
in n police court II few days since il
would appear that there are young men
who carry pistols loaded with blank car
tridges, and fire them off on occasion to
make themselves appear dangerous But
the dealers say that, SO far rs they know,
such instances must be rpre.-New York
Sun.