Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-05-15
IN THE OIDEN TIMES.
WHEN THEATRICAL TICKET sPEcu-
 LAToRs WERE IN CLOVER.

Time
 ''The palmy days of the ticket specu- lator are over," said the old theatrical man. There's nothing in the business nowadays. Newspaper criticisms, the re- suit of public sentiment, were the first things to kill the business, and it never has and never will revive. Why, it was nothing in the old times for man to make $25 and $50 in night speculating It wasn't necessary, either, for man to stand in with the box office in order to make money, as spectators have to now adays. A speculator could be stuck with 15 or 20 tickets and still make some profit. So far as making money now, though, there is little in it. A speculator is in luck if he can knock out $3 a night. All of the old timers who made big money speculating years ago are either dead or in other branches of the business now. A trickier or smarter crowd of fellows than some of the old time spectators could not be found.
 About the most successful game l ever saw worked by speculator was the scheme gotten up by Jimmy Hyde,
  tors, to beat the French ball. Jimmy, who is now with the Casino, made up his mind that it would be an easy thing to beat the ball out of several hundred dol lars. Max Hirsch, who was then and is now treasurer of the Metropolitan Opera House, was telling Hyde about the elab- crate arrangements that were being made for the French ball that year, and how itwas bound to be a great success on ac- count of the entire suspension of the free list, when Hyde exclaimed: 'Sus- pend the free list, eh? Well, you can suspend and be darned, but just the people, I'll bet you don't pass in soul, barring yourself replied Hirsch.
 "The result was a heavy wager, Hyde betting that he would pass in at least 10 strangers for nothing, giving none of them tickets or passes. Every one who heard of the bet laughed at Hyde, but Jimmy simply smiled and said nothing. Those who knew Jimmy Hyde felt con- fdent that he would succeed in doing what he had boasted he could do, al- though nobody could see just how he was going to manage it. Well, on the night of the ball Hirsch stuck around the door of the opera house all night, watch ing every one that passed in. Itwas just about midnight when Hyde, followed by meek looking individual who carried something under his coat, showed up in the vicinity. Leaving his companion on the corner, Jimmy walked into the lobby and approached young man who was leaning against the wall.
 "'Going in? asked Hyde.
 "'Can't. Amt got the price?' respond ed the stranger.
 "'How much have you got? asked Hyde.
 "'Two an a half
 "'Well, it's money anyway, so come on,' and Hyde walked out of the lobby. followed by the young man.
 "'Now, sec here,' said Jimmy when they reached the corner, when you get inside don't stop a second, but just go right past the wineroom down toward the stage At the left end you'll find a flight of stairs. Go down them, and you'll find yourself in the cellar right un- der one of the gratings which open on Thirty street. Will you do that?
 "'I don't see any use of doing all that, but you get me in and I'll do it.
 All right said Hyde, and he took Lne uuldio from under his companions coat and handed it to the young man. It was an old and battered violin case.
 "'Take that and walk right through the door, said Hyde. If any one says anything to you, just say musician"
 
 pass 1t up to ne.
 The young man took the case and walked into the lobby and past the door men without any trouble. In three min utes he was under the grating and had passed the case up through small aper- ture. Nine other men, each of whom paid from g to s4 apiece for the use of the violin case, were successfully parsed through. Hirsch stood at the door the whole time and never once saw through the game, It was one of the doormen who caught on first. He thought it re- markable that so many of the orchestra were coming in late, and when Hyde's man tried to pass through he nailed him. Musician said the man hoarsely, but it was no go. Tho door, men took the case away and opened it. Of course it was empty.
 Hyde saw that the gamo was up and almost burst with laughter when he saw his man go sailing out into the street, with the old violin case flying after him. The truth flashed on Hirsch in an in- stant. Two mutual friends whom Hyde had let into the secret at the last mo- ment testified that 10 men had been passed through on the old case, and Hirsch paid over the amount of the wager like man. It didn't take the crowd long to drink up the money, and when it was gone Hyde was forced to blow in the money he had collected from those he had passed in too. That was a mighty neat piece of work, that was, and there wasn't another man in New York but Jimmy Hyde who would have thought of it. It seems that Hyde had made up his mind to beat the ball in that way long before the bet was made, and that he only accepted the wager because he saw a chance to rake in a few dollars more.
 ."Yes. the day of the ticket speculator is over, and. despite the old saying that history repeats itself, don't believe it'll ever come around again. ."-New York Sun.
 A Model For the Heather.
 John, dear," said Mrs. Hicks, "rm making shirt for the heather. Come here and let me fit it on you, will you?' -Exchange.
 An Object I.esson In FutiIitv