The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-11-22


every well equipped comedian springs on
the audience. Oh, this is very pleasant, OF
course. and don't object In the least TO
getting the play second hand, particularly
as have TO DO In the box office settling up
with and get very little CHARGE TO sec more
than the tag end OF a performance"
What class OF patrons give ticket sellers
the least trouble!
What might be called the middle class
OF people. and are the easiest 10 handle;
they are the best patrons of a theater. The
young clerks are the best patrons; they
never miss good show, and always know
one when they see II. They come nearly
every night and bring their best girl with
them. They know exactly where they want
their seats. pick them out without dellber-
ating all over the diagram and comparing
the merits OF one seat with another, and
when they come at night they know the
exact location of their seats and go straight
to thcm without giving tho usher any
trouble. Those who patronlse the theatcr
the least as u rule give the most trouble.
They will come TO only one or two special
attractions during the year. always come
late to get their seats and when they find
all the good seats taken kick vigorously
They are generally people OF wealth, and
| they don't understand how It is. with their
wealth and influence they have TO sit
several rows behind $75 month clerk.
They seem to have no appreciation OF the
motto, First come. first served"
You may not believe H. but there are
ladies who make regular business OF
| shopping at the box office. They come
around and, after having half dozen
seats marked off before they ARE satisfied
| finally decided upon two or three as the
case may be. and with a conloscending
smile and I'm call again they leave me.
With my box sheet all scratched up. and
mats the last i see of them until per
| haps some days after the performance
when they come around and profess TO be
awfully sorry that some unforeseen happen
| Ing prevented their using the seats they
had scratched with the placatiug apology,
| Hope. Mr.. Walker, you had no trouble It,
! disposing OF the seats
| DO you know that doadhcads as a rule
are the seyerest GROWERS over perform
auce?'
| Not newspaper men, for ins,ance?"
| "Oh no We do not regard active working
| newspaper men In the Hight OF doadheads
| We always get more than value received
| for courtesios extended to the press. and
managers generally appreciate this fact,
| I'VE are considerably annoyed hy cranks
they come late. want the best scat In the
house. select one that suits them ON the
| diagram. and when they find It IN the
| thoator they suddenly discover they can't
| ret good view Of the stage. and they come
back to the box office and want their seats
| changed. have made as many as three
| changes for the same person at single
| performance. Then there is the country
| man for instance. A fellow came to me
the other day while standing TN the box
| office. and asked What kind OF show to-
night" consequently told him the hest
| show on the road, when he asked. What
road? Then he asked me again what II
| cost to go In. OF course, the man ia the
1 .. tal
| priced seat In the house 81 then he SAYS,
| Won't go; it costs too much ! say, 'Will
put you In the gallery for 25 cents. lie
| says: What arc they playing ~ there 20
| Now, that's the way Il goes I'm my office
| Then. again, they ask If there nre any
| pretty gals in the troupe. and when tell
| them there are Il dozen or more divincly
beautiful and bewitching girls with an
| golio forms and abbreviated skirts they
| finally compromise by coming off their
| perch In the gallery. paying an additional
| IS cents and getting a front scat next to
| the orchestra. Yes, n great many peopk
| in San Antonio prefer end seats. portlcu-
! larly the gentlemen. They say they want
10 be where they can get out quick In case
of fire"
"Then there's the doctor who goes to
| the thoatcr for advertising purposes He
gets an end seat far down IN the parquette
| and pays an usher rs cents before he goes
in to call him out during the performance.
when he rushes out hurlodly hat IN hand,
rs though case OF life and death de
pended on his getting out in hurry
| Eyes there are n grcnt many articles OF
/, more or less value lost in the theator.
| These are always reported and left nj the
box Office by the janitor. We have now a
| trunk fun of fans. hnndkorchiofs opera
| glasses, cases and such articles OF trivial
| value that are never called for, but, as u
| rule people never forget to call for any
| thing that is Of value Last season a lady
lest a handsome and very costly diamond
| brooch In the thcater. Its value must have
been considerably over $1,000. She reported
her loss al the box office ! assured her
| TINT II her diamonds had been lost in The
| theator they would be returned to hcr. She
said she would reward anyone literally that
| would return them. The next day the col 81
ored man who acts ms janitor for IN"
house n man Of the strictest honesty. found
the brooch and brought II 10 me In the hoy
Office gave him the address Of the lady
| who had lost the jewel and told him that
| she would nay him something n he would
| nike the lost treasure 20 her. He did Ho.
and much TO my surprise wns rewarded
| win n silver quarter with n plugged hole
In il. Yes, this was case of honesty re
| warded.
ron. | could toll you lots of things that
hnppen about a box cfhce but life is too
! short and IL is too long between ----,'
|