Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-07-05
TRIALS OF A WOMAN.
6HE WHO TAKES THE TICKETS AT
THE PICTURE SHOWS.
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AS a rule the young woman who
takes tickets at the picture exhibition
Is an art student herself. The other
girls trying 10 earn money envy her
ana think she has a soft thin,-" II
Is apparently easy enough To- n. the
ticket taker at a picture show. All
there is TO do, apparently. is to sit I'm
roomful OF pictures. take Deople's
tickets as they come i'm and sell cata-
logues.
You would be surprised 10 soc how
much work 1t is" said a girl who
takes tickets at one OF the big exhi-
billions. You have 10 keep vour eyes
open all the time. fC~ there are = large
number of people who try 10 run past
without tickets. | have 10 20 after
people dozen times n day. collirig
Ticket, please and they turn on me
with an indignant stare. Most of
them then go and buy tickets. But
one well dressed woman the other dav
took up her lorgnette. looked me over
from head To foot. and sail in an icv
tone: Ticket, | have no tickctr and
proceeded calmly on her way. ran
after her again.
Madame l said. 1 shall have TO
trouble you for ticket
1 have already told you had
none she said
I'm afraid you will nave TO get
one, said /. was beginning 10 be
afraid | should have TO get "A .bounccr'
TO put her out for / was determined
she should not 20 IN without paying
Ihat is what I'm here for. and / am
conscientious. Well. at last she fiounc-
ed out To the ticket office. bought her
ticket and put 1t down OH my desk.
saying:
What an imposition"
That is one sort OF the people have
to deal with. Then the other is the
kind who wish TO borrow catalogue
for minute and keep it the whole att
ernoon. l have to be very stern about
catalogues. The best way is 10 polite
ly look up whatever picture is asked
for and TO absolutely refuse 10 let anv
one take n catalogue for a moment.
one nice old lady took me at my word.
and ! really believe she asked me
every single number in the room.
did more than p cents worth of work
Tor her. l can tell you. The worst is
telling people the price Of pictures Aft
ter about six weeks Of it il CRATES on
ones nerves. This is what continually
happens: threadbare old gentleman
comes 10 the desk:
Do you know the price Of pic
turesT he asks.
Yes; would YOU like TO know the
price of anyE' reply.
There Is one in the other room he
says.
What is the numberg ask.
i can't tell YOU the number. but it's
in the other room
Then have TO send him for the
number.
"'No 221.'
THAT is $500.
Why asks my old gentleman.
IF It's early in the afternoon. l ex-
plain TO him that l suppose the artist
thinks it worth that: that he is well
known, or what not: later l say. i
don't know Not one person in 90 OF
those who ask the price have the
slightest idea OF buying. Some will
30 through half an exhibition and in
sist ON knowing the prices Of all.
get so tired of being polite and afTable
10 all these people that 10y the time !
get out In the evening | am ready 10
Insult my dearest friend for the sake
OF being rude To some one. Its 50
hopeless telling the price of a picture
over and over again and each time
having the people eXclaim. What an
awful price,
"A great many people hold me per-
sonally responsible for the pictures.
Lots Of people come and talk very dis
agreeably to me about them. What
makes them have such bad shows?'
they ask me. Young men come up
and say, Isn't this awful trashT in an
accusing sort Of way. as though |
had done it all myself. And one man
fairly shook his fist in my face and
demanded his money back. It's
swindler he shouted at me. But il
really wasn't my fault.
At private exhibitions it's different.
There people come up to me and say,
What privilege To sit among the
works of the masters all day"
don't tell them that If ! sat among
the works of the masters much longer
! should go mad, but | would like to.
THE other day friend OF mine
took my place. A man came up 10 her
and asked:
Miss. is your picture among these
works of artT
"'Why, no. she replied.
He stood of little way and
squinted at her. 1t should be-you
are worthy Of IT, Did no one ever tell
you you had beautiful prohleY
THAT was n little startling. coming
from an utter stranger. Later she
learned that her admirer was -. the
we'll known photographer. or course
he had been looking at her through an
artists eyes and from n purely ar
tistic standpoint and had meant no
offense. But il was trying. New
York Commercial Advertiser.
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