The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-13
NJ AT THEATRE HATS.
CARDS THAT DO THE BUsINEss IN
ONE ITY THEATRE.

The first thing Henry w. Savage, owner Of
tho Castle Square Opera Company, did at the
opening night at the American Theatre, as ho
looked over tho full house, was to sigh. Then
no said:
well, wen have to reform New York, just
as We did Boston and Philadelphia. Over two.
thirds of tho women in the audience have on
hats, and that will never do"
Mr.. Savage wasn't the only ono Of that way
of thinking. Man after man camo out between
the first and second acts, and they didn't como
to quonch n burning thirst, either; they camo to
complain OF tho theatre-hat nuisance. and to
say that they could not SEQ through the noun.
tains OF ribbons, forests Of feathers, and cas-
cados of lace any moro than a blind man could
SEQ through q stone wall; and they added that
tbev,d be hlank otv. blan t,bIont 10 thov ,n6rId
stand such an outrage.
won occur asain' gentlemen, replied
Mr.. Savage in his most soothing voice. Re
keen their hats on In tho thootro W. thnuaht
hoop 'hoir h"'s oh III inc tnea're. we thouRht
they were too up.to-dato for that. too whole
and an vo aren't nren.rod 10 ,noot tho ,rohIam
to'n,r " W. r,p 20 W meus .ae pr0oi Unn
ever. In Boston and Philadelphia We adopted
a verv a,mnla nlan IN m,Lo women th,nh a. -
most offeotually."
Tho mon went back to their seats with their
rufilcd feelings Gained. Tho next night there
were inst as many bip hats and towering hon.
meta In the audience. and there were more COM
planning men. Every time a.man went to the
" ..c y. 70 n usher ana eompiaiheu OF a case
u ooS'ruc'ea view. however NO had tho satis-
faction OF getting it cured at once. The usher
- .-----.~, 80
ana presented TO inc male escort OF inc onend-
ing woman o little square envelope. II she
didn't have an escort the woman berself re-
.o,..s a.. 1T.
.ei,eu INC iiSSiye' ~ was an innoceh'ehougn
me msn.aIy ticket II. to a subsequent performance, or
sS appe9tomoes went. D u IL wasnt any OF
'nese' ! was pfih'eu oaru running 'his way
li Pdns Mh Il you e gan. wisnSss seon vein sssss so your is a
self. remove your hat. thus anording those seated
behind you q better view of the stage. We thank
AND a. ,.ror f,nod to hr;,o IN t,o oh;oo,,o,o.
b,o ana hat II a neS s. ld hns n no or,h {Gsi Hm t9 ne 3 go sn "a
twlCe CURING aa ing inc seven weeks that the COM
aft was q very fnnnv Thing that led mo n
adopt this plan in. Boston," said Mr.. savage.
oeSmrnnhSo u sh ~ fmS women were me nTs9 70
come and saw ,HV as na a man aa Would have ud5o dome
There's q woman an who comes here regularly,
q ana 9rs mas b 2 sG %at IN an t5ont Won OF mi mana and she hn wears ears
.oT5 .yuo ,I.l I.Lt
saidi we don 7 mina sitting behind a nat SO
nnera after opera Than W. nhiect 10 .n %m som ma
thing must must f be done cab about ut it. t"'e'' TO- anu '0"''
Lhere was no law IN boston at mat time. as
bnere i : now SWt o ofSm ererH nneat rerd menaseTs 10
pehaity ql u me; ~ occurred 70 me 70 dis,
bnro r. rvori,oS liz La ! cb ~ n"'Ins Is. .rnnc.
mere ~ w9Fhed nk q d Gnarn; l.. Vas wonder
lul. imineala.eiy nl 'nc women pegah 10 re-
move nnS ebneiT mats M as soon US th n got IN inc mousse,
ana tney begSn 10 dLeSs : aeai better. peThaps
tICg but W hlCoS thCll a. hIGln W
t toy ne out 4, more: When S we first start,
IN the Sndience without her nat was conspicu.
ous. We min thoro oho wearing d hat
we've been playing in Philadelphia, and
one enecu on tne nttie prihtea requests mas peen
even CIV th more mnrke u9 thtrt unam IN BOSTON; mere
hopI on Inoir na.s' ~ w started rlgnt IN WIN
residenti,I nort ~ tb Inv c, trea npS mere IN was IN a
hundreds Of women began to come without any
mats IN onear neaas, wehflng instead a iace
t M%n tbev ali SiInbhe began re y wen or ho Tn9 3uI ir ana
ignt gowns cow ian ana the eiect vas 9eautitpi; I'm
G9ny,n az am ,nae une ff9 Ssnirss G OF w tm9 nat 70 IN dr any
better it and 1t certainly inspires men to DO bet,
on tho ahi sia mas d W W6nnef fbev en soa , on = o InS People 9pd
that the people appreciate them, and pay more
fessT How 70 or ,ne Nav US Yors women t,t,n, 10 vou-
catq sysIemi asked me lnterviewer;
Like aucks 10 water, vas the reply. men
a woman receiNes one OF me envelopes from an
hsr ba she s sinesy w mas anen up a h o,, out on comes
ner ha'. SINCE we opehea mere. nearly Two
months hgoi we We only mao TWO cases or KICK
lne; anu ooin we're ny men. 40 woman mas ever
maoe ame stgn Thn 4OJectlon 10 SornPiying WIN
our Un,l feq que allow Hh tbe t IS9,o men eIith VINO ,hon Ri &c and
WouIu not allow the iaoies WIN them 70 remove
their mats TOOK II as an interference with their
personal nDerty. An usher presents ono or the
cards toa woman ana steps aside Tor a Few
m,nn to Lo- A .Ma Sne I1a removed her nat ne
says 10 her. Mndain, allow me 10 check your nat
for YOU. and II she consents; and she invari;
ABLY does. no taxes IL 70 the courtroom and
brings her a check for 1t. we have three maids
IN our coat room ana our system or checking Is
so perfect mat IN a rev minutes after the per-
iorinahce the women az have their hats again.
Not only 90 the women In the orchestra remove
their hats now; put even those in the topmost
gallery az SO. Ihere 10 no zee charged for check
ing ana ~ IS a RUE mere ina u an employee s
caught taxing a rec he or she snail be dismissed
a. once: we don't claim to be phiianthroplsts
but we want people TO understand that the price
or their ticket gives them everything that we
nave 70 give, even a view OF inc stage unob-
stIucted by mats. New YORK people are the
quickest people IN the world TO catch on and II
Is only a 1natter or n snort time until our audi
ences here VIII pc entirely hatIess and VIII be