The Portland daily press., 1890-05-10
THE cLAQUE LEADER.
New York Clipper.l

He was little fellow, bright eyed,
with CHEEKY face and brusque manners,
but he could marshal under his leader
ship one of the most powerful and intel
hgent claques that ever applauded or
Missed an actor. He was the chief by
the unanimous choice of the Bowery
gallery gods, and SO popular was he that
when the managers of one of the theatres
promoted him to an orchestra chair, not
"blaclie" or "newsie' was jealous Of
him.
He was in the "shine" business him
self, owner of the chair at the corner of
one Of the streets that give exit to the
East Side from the-Bowery, and steady
worker. Deft with his brushes, skllru
In the mixing of backing, he could make
Connecticut cowhide boot shine like
patent leather, and when he polished he
chatted, not impertinently, but pleasant
ly, with his customer, who, indeed, was
surly fellow if he did not reply to Din
ny's squiblike sentences-for most of his
speeches attracted attention, first as
much as the kissing of lighted squib
fuse does, and suddenly the idea ex-
ploded in his hearers mind, just like the
powder in squib, and the customer knew
the bootblack had said something, to
which the reply was as involuntary as
the start which follows an explosion of a
squib Just behind one.
He was money lender in small way,
helping no one who was not in actual
need, and charging small rate of inter-
est. A newsboy or a peripatetic boot
black could, by stating his needs, obtain
asmall loan from Dinny at any time and
he helped washerwomen who were a
little behind with their rent, or shopgirls
who could not get through till the next
pay day without assistance. Thus he had
become powerful in way-not that he
would ever put the screws" to any one
who did not pay. but by reason of his
popularity.
He was of a saving turn of mind, or he
could not have become capitalist on
five cent" shines, and he was exceed
ingly fond of theatres. 1t was agony,
though, for him to pay the price of adj
mission. He wanted to go, but the ex-
travagance of buying theatre ticket
two or three times week was appalling
to his economical mind. One day an
idea exploded in his head with force
that made him drop his brush and utter
an exclamation of East Side emphatic
kind.
'Hurt your fnger% asked the GUS
toner.
"No, sir; but had quick think, and
mebbe amt ust to 'em, fer that un
made me jump"
When he was done with that customer
he went straight to the most popular
theatre on the Bowery-until recently
the only theatre there where the ''legit-
innate" was played in English-and asked
for the manager.
'sWel, Dinny, what is it, passf"
asked the manager.
"Thet's jest it, sir; an let me be tellin'
yer why. There's game called foller
yer leader. The boys III foller me cherry
time, an all got tn do is to start clap
pin when deres anything good on de
boards, an they'll all foller."
81 see," said the manager, laughing,
"you mean to form claque."
whats theft"
After listening to an explanation of
the term he said:
eyer kin call it any durn French
name yer please, but down here on de
Bowery it's jist me an de boys"
The interview ended with an agree
ment between Dinny and the manager,
the latter binding himself to admit
Dinny without charge, in consideration
of his leading the boys in applause at
the proper times. In addition to his
free admission, Dinny was allowed very
frequently to be present at rehearsals on
the occasion of the production of play
new to the Bowery. This made him
ment, for he would chat with his Gus
toners and acquaintance about the
scenes of the play in such way as to
arouse their curiosity even more than
the most flamboyant poster could.
For these services he was paid small
stipend, finally, and promoted to the or
chestra circle, where chair was always
reserved for him. However, pride at
his becoming an attache Of the theatre
did not interfere with the pursuit of his
vocation as a bootblack or lead him to
Cypress the poor by raising the rate Of
interest ON his loans.
AS q claquer he was shrewd. He never
told of the bargain between him and the
manager, and every time he entered the
theatre he deposited the price of his ticket
at the window of the box Office and re-
ceived it back at the end of the week.
SO his applause or disapproval Of an actor
was supposed to be due entirely TO en-
thudas1n or annoyance; yet he was care
full not to express disapprobation by hiss
ing or impatient exclamation or by I'M
seemly noise; and his silence, when there
was bad break. was credited to his
goodness of heart.
One Saturday night, when his pres
eRce was not required at the theatre, his
work during the early part Of the week
having insured the success of the play
running there, he was at work with the
brushes. his chairs-for he had two
nowhere doing a good business, and
he was meditating giving the boys who
helped him "raise" While he was
"thumbing" the uppers of ''gent"
whose shoes he had shined he heard
child crying behind him. Turning, he
exclaimed to barefooted girl:
did you stub your toe, Kate Reilly?"
"N-n-no, blubbered the girl; IMAM
my is heart broke"
IAN along of the stuffY'
"Yis. Daddy's drinkin', and there's
no money for to buy whites for to-morry.
An actor woman chated NANNY. and
she wants ter borry a dollar. She paid
the rint, and hasn't clint lift"
Dinny soon learned the story. An
actress had got Kate's mother to do some
washing and had not paid her, making
excuses about having been fined, and
sick and generally behind, and saying
she could not pay for week.
who's de actress" asked Dinny.
Kathryn Eidenger."
"Well, here's yer doller, an don't be
cryin eny more. An stop that; no pa
laverin'.''
Thus he checked her effusion of thanks,
while he noted in his book.
kate Reilly, ST., dr. to Dinny, 81"
The spring season passed away; dull
summer dragged itself into the past.
During the heated term there was little
doing in the theatricals on the Bowery
outside of the variety line. Occasionally
new play was tried on paper" house.
linen the services of Dinny were called
~ 10 push 1t through in such manner
tnat 1t could be advertised in tho nroy-