The age-herald., 1897-11-13
AT THE TICKET WINDOW.
How the Nervous Little Man Entertained the
 Crowd in Line.

From the St. Louis Globe-D smocrat. The crowd of seekers after tickets to Secret Service" in the lobby of the Gen. tury theater one day last week came to dead halt as a little old man reached the window and made & request for tickets
 Where will you have them?" asked Treasurer Will Cave.
 The little man looked as if an unex- pected responsibility had dropped upon his shoulders.
 Orchestra seats, twelfth row? Dress circle second row." asked the unrelent- ing genius of the box office The little man ran a slim hand nery- ousiy over his forehead and said he would take the orchestra seats. The genius slipped the tickets into an enve- iope, and the persons in Mne prepared to move on. But the little man was not through. He wriggled with embar- rassment, and decided he would like the dress circle seats after all. The treas ureq' looked tired but resigned The men in nne shifted from left to right The tickets were exchanged, and the Mttle man grabbed up his umbrella, spectacle case and handkerchief. Then he put them down again. one by one, carefully buttoned his coat again picked up his belongings, and started off. The next man in line shouted, You've left your tickets"
 The little man returned all i'm a fiut- ter and murmurirg softly, Bless my soul! Bless my soulp' he leaned his um- breila against the wall. while he de- posted the tickets in an inside pocket: then he turned away but a young man m he 1a4A I,n,1 steps.
 "You've forgotten your umbrella. sir" The little man looked startled. jerked out g. Bless my soul. Thank you. thank you then grasped the umbrella and l made another start followed by the eyes of the crowd He went with a, rush this time, but instead of turning toward the doors that lead into the street he made bee-lne for the interior of the theater The crowd, led by the ticket seller, did a way Tn other way" The little man fa1tered, looked helplessly around, caught sight of the wagons in the street, and, with an exclamatory "Bless my soul!' darted in their direction, bring ing up at one of the swinging doors which is locked during the day. The men in line had abandoned all thought of tickets. and were watching the flutter- ing little man, who struggled vajnly with the door, his "Bless my soulv growing louder and more hySterical.
 '"rhe other door! The other doorr chanted the chorus.
 The little man gave an anxious thank ful glance. "Oh, bless my soul! yes, yes," he said, and, opening the other door, he skinned into the street. like a. bird. A sigh of relief pulsed through the chorus and the ticket seekers turned of- ficeward. They were settling down to business, when the door swung open and shut; there was a batter of foot steps, a vision of anxious eyes behind gold-rimmed spectacles, and a familiar voice said to the ticket seller:
 T beg your pardon, do. indeed; but I believe my wife would rather have the orchestra chairs"
 Will Cave shut his mouth with a snap and strengthened his shoulders with a jerk. Then he looked at the anxious face and changed his mind and the tickets. Every one watched with breadth less interest while the little man collect ed his goods and chattels and skurried toward the door. This time he succeeded in making an exit without further trouble.
 The line began once mors ats slow pro gress and the genius at the window mopped his forehead.
 "If that man brings a t1eater party here Monday night" he said. thought fully, "ther'e'n be no room for any obhsr show"