The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-01
MAN IN THE BOX OFFICE.
Appears Placid but He Has His
Troubles, Nevertheless.
Meets All Sorts and Conditions Of Men and
Women...TTeats Them Courisously.

OF all men one sees about a theatre.
the man-in- the -box-ofiice appears the
most placid and serene. Ii seems 20
make no difference when one looks at
him through the crystal cage In which
he sits like some choice exhibit. pro-
tected from handling or being poked
by the ubiquitous old lady with the um-
brella. His smile is ever the same. his
apparent indifference TO the affairs of
the world at large apparently un-
changeable. and his Chesterfieldian
manners never rufiied.
And yet he has his troubles.
Indeed, IN one may believe half or
the tale OF woe he unfolds when re-
leased from his cage and In confidential
mood, his troubles, as compared with
those of any one else about the the
atre, are as mountains To molehills.
What is the chief requisite OF
ticket seller?" was the question asked
by the writer of Mr.. Man-in-the-b e-box-
office at Keith's.
"Unfailing good nature, self-control
and eternal courtesy" came the quick
reply.
How about honesty. quickness and
accuracy"
sential; but unless one possesses the
others he H. no more ht To be In box
office than the F'ilipCIos are To govern
themselves"
"And Why" asked the writer.
why? Goodness me, What do YOU
suppose? Don't you know that there's
no place on earth where people display
their idlocyncracies and their disagree
able qualities as they do in front OF the
box-ofIice window? The ticket seller
has TO be an Information bureau OF 20
large volumes in one; he has TO be the
friend OF everybody and nobody: he has
10 listen TO tales OF woe, 10 condolences
of marital squalls. TO give legal and
medical advice, 20 know just what act
Is on at any given second and how
long IL will run. whether Marie Jansen
is coming again later in the season,
how old Miller Kent Is, whether Mrs.
Tobin IL really as pretty as the news
papers say, and several thousand other
interesting things: and he has TO know
10 at least appear to give an intelli-
gent answer to every question, even IL
he doesn't know thing about IL.
"Of course, this sort or thing isn't
quite an bad when you are not selling
reserved seats; but since Mr.. Keith
yielded to the demand for seats re-
served in advance, the rush has been
so great that II has developed all the
peculiarities OF human nature 10 an ex-
tent that would have made even old
Job a trifie nervous.
Its not all one way, however" con-
tinued Mr.. NJ. /. T. IL. o., for we do
meet some fine people and see some
of the very best phases OF human ma
ture. Last Saturday. for instance. a
beautifully dressed and handsome lady
nearly made me faint; and this is how
she did IL:
s.sI ,,.o,,il ,kt,o tuo saa,s rasar,ad ip
the orchestra for Monday evening. said
she, at the same time confiding to me
the fact that she was n great admirer
OF Marie Jansen. You put ME way
back last Wednesday; but i know that
was my own fault. for IL was nearly 8
o'clock when / got them and l said
didn't want to be too far front. Just
let me have the best you can this time,
please. and I'll leave IL To you
well. you may be sure l took pains
10 mark off what i considered the two
best seats not already reserved.
mo, we don't have much trouble
about passes. I'm not surprised at your
question: but we have no lithograph or
billboard tickets at this house, and
passes are as scarce as hens teeth.
What few there are simply represent
value received; and our system doesn't
meet the requirements Of those persons
who at some theatres secure tickets or
passes only 10 sell them at a discount
TO others. The only deadheads whose
passes don't represent value received
are the aldermen, who enjoy the law
given privilege. or perform the law
commanded duty, of entering at any
time 10 inspect the theatre
Among the curious types IL the wo-
man who stops TO tell you all her pri-
vate business. including the bargain
purchase she has just made at Shep-
ards. and who will actually keep line
waiting while she recites all the wrongs
she endures.
Then there is the woman who asks
II the show is funny, what IL the fun
niest thing In IL and what will be the
funniest thing in next weeks bill. She
throws In the Information that hei
mother is an invalid and she can only
come i'm the afternoon, and then per
haps concludes not to get her seat to-
day, but to wait till next week.
"Nery likely the next person VIII be
the man who hands you 81 bill, tries
20 be funny by saying he's blowing
his money in now as the draft OF
wind through the door lifts the bill IN
through the window. OF course. we
hear this bright joke trife less thar
hundred times a day, and always
smile just the same. Before the day Is
over, you'll surely see the man who
and deliberately walks off without IL
until the officer drags him backs
deliberate effort 20 get chance 20 re-
port you-simply "a manifestation OF
human 'cussedness."
Just behind him may be the woman
who asks IL Charlie has gone i'm, &c
which, OF course, never dreaming who
Charlie can be, you reply not that you
know of; and then she confides that
she doesn't want Charlie to know shes
here. and IL Charlie comes, don't you
mention n word TO him-thats a dear.
And II. by chance. you can guess oI
YOU know who Charlie is or course
you're going to keep out of any family
jars
"Of course. these are bat Al very few
types. and arc even some of the mildcl
| ones, met with at the box office Illus
trating the manysdedness of human
nature. DO you begin TO realize th'