Evening journal., 1893-10-07
ALL ON ACCOUNT OF A RAT.

Big Black Rodent Causes No End of
Excitement In New York Theatre.
A mouse is bad enough, but when
big black rat gets loose where there
are women around there is bound to be
excitement, says the New York Her
aid.
That is what happened at the Bijou
Theatre short time before the curtain
was raised on The Golden Wedding"
last evening.
The rodent was first discovered by
rather an unsteady young man, who saw
the rat looking curiously around, as
though uncertain twhether to 60 into
the theatre or not. The young man
started in alarm, but was reassured
when he noticed its color, which was
neither red, pink nor green.
Then there was scream One Of
two young women, attended by an elderly
gentleman ss escort, saw the rat as she
entered
'oh. a ratl A horrid rat" she
screamed.
The other young woman promptly
caught up her skirts and ran. The frst
young woman jumped on chair, which
fell over, adding to the confusion.
Policeman Oahill WAS standing on
guard alongside the box office He
thought Of his pistol, but seized broom
from the hands Of boy instead. The
rat started up the balcony stairs.
Manager Rosenquest heard the noise
and joined the chase Half a dozen
ushers followed.
Several women heard the cry OF
"Ratsl" and waited no longer. They
/ HI 81,
fed into the balcony and climbed on the
backs of the chairs, to the wonder and
alarm of those already seated. Some OF
the women in the balcony thought the
climbers must be out Of their senses
but when they heard the ominous shout
from without Of Rats, rats they
showed decided symptoms Of uneasinesi
and began to consider the best way Of
getting on the backs Of their own chairs
| themselves.
An usher ran ont just in time to inter
cept the now thoroughly frightened
little animal at the head Of the stairs
He gave it kick and the rat turne,
upon the broom brigade.
Everybody hit at the same time an'
hit everything and everybody except tn
rat. The rat made its escape between
the legs of its pursuers into the lobby.
Another party of women had jus
entered. One Of them saw the rat max
ing straight for the protection Of he
skirts She threw her arms around th
neck Of her escort and tried to get be
hind him.
BE saw the brooms but not the rat
and was somewhat surprised until th
other members Of his party began I
scream. All ran out Of harms way int
the parquet
The rat was firing fast, but was gam
still He evaded the kicks and blow
aimed at him and finally reached tn
balcony stairs again.
Mr. Rosenquest struck a visious blol
with his broom Just as an usher leane
forward to dispatch the rat with a stitch
The broom caught the usher in the bac
of the neck The rat at the same momen
leaped into his face, but fortunatel
didn't bite. The usher's teeth rattle
like castanets.
To Policeman Cshill belonged tn
honor Of getting in the first solid blow. Nj
Rosenquest followed with a poke of hi
big broom and the rat was carried to Oh
street in triumph.
1t was not until an usher made a
official announcement to the women
the balcony that the rat was dead tha
their alarm subsided. Some Of thei
were uneasy, however, all the rest of II
evening and looked around fearful
every time they heard noise as thoug
, they expected more rats.