Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-09
OUR HATS OFF TO MIR. EAST
AND MIR. TAYLOR.

With n feeling akin to awe we have
ventured to suggest, more than once,
our utter inability to cope with Edison
in piercing the dense labyrinth of
birds wings. velvet and straw, that
oftmes become entangled with our
view and the stage at the Academy of
Music.
| But, for reasons. we desisted in pray
ing for help. Little was it thought
that succor was so near, but it Is really
at hand
| Theatre hats are no more. The splen-
bled material. will be seen no more
waving in majestic splendor before the
bewitched eyes of enchanted bachelor
DOM" for we never saw n hat oppose
the view of n woman very long.
| We glory in the view or the Common
Council: we applaud the bravery and
valor of Councilman ]. Frank East and
OF Mr.. Tazewell Taylor. Where is the
man who could have faced the trying
| ordeal of preventing woman from
! trying" her hat on the public? Mr.. j.
Frank East says he had rather be the
author of that ordinance than Mayor
of the city. and we think he is right,
but we must plead lack of courage
for not having said so before.
Say what one will, however, theatre
hats have done Il great deal of good.
They have enabled Quakers to attend
If they so desired; they have been ben
efcial TO dyspepsia. The most violent
exercise that one can take. next to
catching 4 street car, is lodging with
religious feguiarity-aro the mists,
winds. circles. plumes, feathers, lace,
pins, velvet, straw. felt. ribbons. bows,
fancy work and dizziness of n woman's
theatre hat. 1t exercises all the mus
cles at once, besides bringing out the
rubber neck craze to It's perfect de-
velopment
Theatre hats lend excitement to the
things; first, what is going on on the
| stage. and secondly, which way will
the hat turn next time. 1t develops
| the thinking powers and aids ones
| judgment by experience. Theatre hats
also help men to study the backs of
women's heads. All during the play,
he has n chance, while resting from
| tiously and carefully, the style of dress
ing hair; whether 1t is a good match to
| the real hair: besides the art of ar
ranging the varied styles of "curls" in
vogue. Some theatre goers know the
back hair of theatre hat wearers better
than the ladies' faces, or the stage.
They can tell whenever the hat or hair
is changed.
We therefore take off our hat to
| Mr.. East and Mr.. Taylor. Long after
the present Council shall have passed
away, grateful man will erect in his
memory monuments to these valorous
men. and the fair women, God bless
them! will find some other way of in
vcsting money. besides on theatre hats.
This being n warm subject, suggests
a thirst and naturally leads us to con-
slider the gentlemen taken with n burn
ing desire at every performance at the
theatre to so out and Smoke n cigar
cite" The ladies have raised no OBJ
lection 10 the peculiarly "spiritual''
smell OF the cigarettes" smoked be-
tween acts, but they are heart broken
ut having their dresses stepped on and
rumpletI, as we'll as having tfIcir- hints
crushed Under the new law. ladies
hold their hats in their laps. Hats
have TO be kept somewhere.
Some men have to go out and get
fresh air and smoke. They are so con
stituted that life hangs upon slim
thread. But they should not return
and walk over the dresses and hats of
thc ladies.
There are two ways of rcmedyne
this. y person once leaving his seat
should not be allowed to return. Or
else IL system of electric bell calls with
n sort of trolley basket and wire could
be used. y gentleman by signalling
the box office could have sent sliding
in on the wire cigarette or even q
glass of-water. This arrangement,
would cost some money, but il would
save the portly apopcctic looking gen
tlcmen many hard and tedious trips
from the theatre to the outside between
acts. These are only suggestions.
IF THIS BE TIE REASON.