The times., 1899-11-12


constantly, to play tricks and to otherwise
show their utter disregard Of those who
have paid to see them work OF course,
this form Of insult is due to the fact that
The Thespian's mind does not permit of
his or her locking as far ahead as next
year. He--gr she-knCws that on the NOR
row the organization win be en- route for
the nearest town and feels that his or her
actions can have no effect upon the busi-
ness OF the week The following season
Will bring forgetfulness 10 the persons so
treated.
But succession OF such happenings is
rot without it's effect. In New York the
theatres are better filed on Saturday than
at any other time. The final performance
tn each seven is the most Profitable. There
is every reason why this should be true
whers-the fact that many employers
pay of tten and that many employees are
enabled TO sleep on Sundays 1t Is not true
elsewhere simply because anusement-IOv~
ers know from experience what they may
be forced 10 tolerate on Saturday evenings
HCTs.r5ss or hurry Is pG-sib.e I0r the
trujsm that, in Washington, the business
OF Saturday rarely is above tte average.
Unfortunately the offenders themselves toe
Cften are forgotten before they return. TIC
guard against mis- The Times proposes to
have representative at every house In the
District for last appearances, and, upon
TIE coming back Of the entertainers who
indulge themselves at tae expense OF their
patrons, il viii peg due attention 30 the
jokers iu the criticisms of Tuesday.
AIaEaglrial DisdemeaGCTs-this is not
quite the word-are greater because tte re-
spocsiaiiiu15 are greater The proprietor
I Of theatre depends almost altogether upon
the inhabitants OF his city; even upon a
certain clientele. The money Of these pGo-
pie enables him TO exist. In return he
owes his seat purchasers all the comfort and
! liberty he can provide. though that COM
! fort and liberty be the result of personal
! aXsrtion or expense. As has b5sn said
/ the local resorts are especially free from
( disagIeeable features There are no tip
/ demanding officials, as in New - York; no
! imperuuent ushers. as in Baltimore; no
( unreasonable rules, as in San Francisco.
| Such small courtesies as the passing of iced
/ water and Inc furnishing Of attendants in
/ the waiting rooms give earnest OF good in
4 5eution. But there are conditions stiu that
/ should be clapged-that The Times makes
! ootd to believe viii Be changed when theiI
| CbyiousHezs is understood
Chief among these is the umbrella and
| overcoat cXtortjon. On wet mig it is
| all but impossible to take ones dampeEei
! garments into an auditorium AMI vet one
| is confronted with the Alternative of doing
! this or dspCSitiug from 10 10 - cents for
/ each check. Such a payment for cen
veuieuce that is not cosJiy-save in for
I leiture for the privilege-tO its purveyor
! is ridiculous \ man who surreuders some
I thing like 50 in order to gam admission
! TO a place of amusement certainly should
| have all the luxurles possible without fur
! ther expenditure. Nor after giving up
/ his garment and holding up his hands.
/ should he be obliged TO stand, st3rk-like
on one foot for an inconceiyable period
| while The keeper goes at his stock after
what seems to be a system mode ed upon
that by which grab-bags are sold. Neither
| of these annOyances is suffered at the
| Grand where checking is gratis and rapid.
! Managers Burke & Chase, however, dc
| reduce the tone of their theatre by per-
hitting the vending of candies and chew
ing gum during their performances. The
| traffic also is carried on at Keruans, and
! in one or two other houses. Last week
photographs of Odette Tyler were buyablC
at the National though in the lobby. But
this care was not taken with the souvenir
booklets cried about while Mrs. Les
Carter was here. nor with the song sheets
offered by a boy in the employ OF the Wes
Minstrel people.
This plan OF commerce. in many cases
is on a par with that adopted b. the shoe
string peddler who accosts only gentlemen
accompanied by ladies'. Ii brlues shopisu
unpleasantly close to art. besides beinl
common and circusey. When the lads en-
gagged are too enthusiastic. matters grow
| even worse. There is something Olsen
chanting in having the scoundre ; threat
of murder followed by the announcement
that My Mother Was a Lady" and othe
ballads that may be purchased at cents
in being told, during the action OF low
| scene that "Guyler's chocolates are 'onl!
10 cents a package" There is place fo
everything-the playhouse is not az
for auctioneering.
Then there are the programmes. Dur
ing the past two years Manager Raple!
has furnished for the National and th
Academy bills that are really artistic II
shape. color, and design. But with thes
exceptions, the pamphlets handed out a
the doors of local theatres are abomina
tions Too frequently they are absoutel,
incorrect. and very often they are so rev
that the woman who handles them run
the risk of having her gloves dyed withou
extra charge. The lonely amusement
seeker who counts upon these sheets 70
entertainment during intermissions show
himself to be a guileless innocent. Tn
unsold columns are stocked with jokes a
the beginning OF the season, and, to saw
the cost of typesetting, these remain unit
the end On the programme at Kernan's /
an antiquated anecdotal fossil that appear
ed on that of the Grand in 1892.
The carriage call system used in Wash
ington is very bad indeed. Across tn
Hudson in New York, the playseer is sup
piled with a numbered check when he quit
his cab. the driver receiving a duplicate
Upon emerging from the building he sur
renders this card to a porter, who erie
the figure printed upon it, and thus noti
fes the waiting cOachman. At certain the