Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-22
NO Souls ron SPANISH xEAsrars.

Like the American critics the English are
unanimous in praise OF tho beautiful Spanish
dancer otero. who 10 now st the Empire. vet
she seems for the most part 81 be singing 20
unappreciativo ears and dancing TO unaIprcci-
alive eyss. Tho GOODNESS uf her reception 10
astonishing. There Is polite applause. eu, her
fascinating dance. which beats a uew RHYTHM
in ones blood. causes no excitement IN the
house. You remember how she thrilled New
York and how the Puritan blood % Julian
Hawthorne was - stirred by her spanish
measures that ho broke into several p.ecs ~
rhapSodies IN an issue OF lippincot.'s law
thotise' rhapsolios. however. we're a. ice COM
pared 20 the furnAcc-hot enthusiasm % the
critic OF the Sunday Ssfn who signs hifnseH
). H. acC.." over which initials think I
recognize the brilliant periods Of Mr.. Justin
Hnntley McCarihy the brilliant con 81 tril-
liant father. And suI che Empire audiences
aqpiAnd 10 the echo the acrobat and the topical
singer ana hook coldly, II curiously, on Otsroi
sHoEN OF IT'S ANcIfxr GLORY.
Not very many Years ago tina, part OF the
'heater which We In the United States CORRECTLY
consider the best, the floor. was In the united
kingdom all or nearly all given up 90 the
demoerac, and labsled Tho Pit" II vas fiilei
WIN long hlgh-backed forms. devoid % orna-
mentation aud upholstery. and placed uncom-
ior'ably close together. Here Il wss tia, Flay
was damned or made immortal. that an actor
That enthusiasm found vent ia cheer. or that
the good OLD British privilege of hissiug was
freely INDUCED in. Il was 60 the pit that the
armies 81 college students nocked FOR their les
son. Ia ei"euhon from the famous MASTERS q
dramatic oppression before tea shers q
lelsartian philosophy multiplied in tho
land Tor generations thc "pitite-"
stubboruly stood out for their rights and ~
tiSted all attempts II managers 10 move them
back, 20 that they might introduce high prices,
] N.nlLa II.
floor Of the house" I well rcmeinher
one night about twelve yean ago when
L Nas m the thick Of N
riot NJ Dublin thcatcr. The .'pitites" came
To mud half 81 their area divided of and mo-
nopolisod by lu,uriously cushioned stalls After
the first curtain they rose a. II BY pr,arrance-
mont, and called FOR the manager lie came
On the stage and was asked n the arrangement
was 20 Ice considered permanent one. lie re-
piled It Was. lie Was Kissed heartily aud then
Asked 70 remove ibe barrier. He dccliaed. aud
Threatened To cell Ia the police. Then the pit
moved. the barrier was swept awav and Tor
the remainder Of that season no stalls were
soeu there. BIt the change has bern grad
uHlly brought about. and while the democracy
has advanced m other directions a. has been
DHNEN INro A CORNER
at most Of the ;hoaters. The pii has lost its
glory. IL ha, been forced under the balconies,
and is, as a rule. 30 well in the shade tina; tho
somoer-hued garments of its occupants do not
detract from the glamour of diamonds costly
lace, and immacu ate and expensive shirt aud
other fronts seen in she circle.. siaIls aud
boxes. Even now the ''Vitites" can never tell
now large an area Is SET arart FOR thern for n
the demand for stalls be extraordinarily large
room 1. made tor them by moving the pit bar
rier still further back. This /. usually done On
first nights. The Drury Lane pit 10 still a very
large one. anda few Others cater literally 20 this
~ n.- FfH l.aaH
perhaps the ''pitites " beet friend for the w.
eeum pit occupies about two-thirds of the fioor.
and the barrier is only moved back. I beli,ya,
on occasions of benefits for charitable
purposes. In seuSe this barrier
Is a curious arrangement The seats are so
placed that those IN the first row Of the pat can
put their chins comfortably on the barrier.
Close upon the other side l. the last ROW q
stalls, Ia which there Is always. of course q
generous display Of bare and beautiful shout
ders Thus during the waits or ottener these
'pitites' can amuse themselves by an interest
ing study Of flesh colons.
SCENES AT THE PIT DOORS.
No seat in the pit be booked. II Is a case
Of first come first served. and very often the
best seats fall to those whose Superior physical
strength enables them 10 make the lest nigh, in
the crowd Once you secure your seat. how
ever. no one will attempt 90 deprive you OF IT, no
matter how often you may 60 ont TO see
man. Very often sfier the seat IN other part.
of this house have all been sold men and women
Of wealth and high social position 60 to she yit
doors and wait thsir turn for hours. Ihs-o
'pltites are the most conscientious aud earnest
Of theator goers. Nearly every day during the
season they begin 10 gather early as O'Clock
and there stand until the doors are opened at
73O or sa5. Ga great occasions. such the
! first production 81 Sullivan opera at the SAVOY
or the initial performance 81 one OF Mr.. lrYingls
marvellous pageRnts at the Lyccum. they show
up in force before noon. On the day of the
actors fund benefit matinec at the I.ycoum last
! June l saw three ladies with camp stools and
breakfast baskets. take their places AT The Iit
doors at 1880 a. IN. While waiting for the doors
TO open these patient people are not
| always without entertainment. The uew.boys
do lively trade in evening papers and period
icals, ar do the fruit aud candy vendors. occa-
sionally band Of ''nig.er minsirels" .
group of singing and dancing girls viii per-
form in an adjacent alley and reap a harvest of
pence for their efforts. The pit entrance at
the Lyoeum il miserably inadequate aud a
result there IL always uncomfortable squeeze;
but the people there have decided advantage
in being separated b. only an iron railing from
the swinging door. Of a public house Walters
attend the crowd, over whose heads the
drop OF Scotch" the demon and DASH the
sandwich and other liquids and solids being
continually passed. FRAScIs J. o'NErLL