Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-08-26
SHDWMENS TRICKS.
Various Devices Employed To Dup
the COnliding Public. rf.

| the tOniiding Public. fvr
When Mr.. Joe Gargery made his ia
nous visit 10 London. Dickens 'ass,ires
US that the first OF the sights" 20 at
| tract the estimable blacksmith was
| the large shDcblacking establishment
| which had long stared at him from the
| lid of the box whenever he polished his
| booty. We are also informed that the
| pilgrim was disappointed. finding that
| 1t had been -drawed too archi-
| tcctolooraL 1t tx a habit of design
ing persons To draw every picture too
| 'architectolonral." and mankind is
| generally duped by the dodge. where
| fore. remains mystery. OF all peo-
| pl" who avail themselves Of this weak
| ness tp their profit. those who most
| ~. .seyrringly keep up the game. ana
| y no ind Il most likely 10 catch the un-
| wary. in spite Of its admittedly ancient
| character are the managers Of cheap
| theatrical compa ries. The worthy pat
ruus ~ cheap houses. which grant ad-
| mittance either free or FOR q few cents.
ara always ready. apparently. TO be
| captured by the stalcst Of bait. else
| Why 10 the managers keep ur the trick
With such optimistic feryor2
Just at present the BoWery IL en-
! iiycned with huge rainbow coloTed
posters announcing. APPARENTLY. the ad
| vent % highly sensational melo-
| 4ruml at unc NJ the low class theatres.
As matter ~ fact. nothing ~ the
sort IL IT. preparation. or H. so asserted
,n hc by the paper" Th- posters are
mcrcrlv what remains To tell the tale Of
i .tr.t I.f H.. Mn
-urS IN darkest New York with
mi,rusropia leE, nd pasted across set
| ting forth that the Slaves Ga Opium
1 Buri' Squers' will arpsar on such
| ilt. Slaves No opium" rc1dS larg,
| ana clear WEiiy frw hut th, wary
I would discover that II WAS not the
| rIa, but the 'hurIcsguc" named after
| tho rurlodr.,ula that Is announced
| slaves - opium" has met the fate of
| many aruthc- NJ it, Kind. ana LETT its
| manager with large quantities M Inn
uosinE "rau"-' IN h.~ hands the man
| aS'r of Sor1" cheap vaudeville Sho"
| has bought the posters for a song. and
| ru is Il" luck that until fairy IN tn
| theatre TIE Giftcrcr," between what
| tn. flaming sncct~ srt forth anu the
| entertainment really before the audi
| -nCe will not bc noticed. The trick is
not a rew one. but it apparently serves
| rs rUrpnsc. once past the hoN Office.
.ho money NJ the most dissatisfied
| patron is rs good ,s that of thc most
| Enthusiastic applaud"r.
| Another form OF the same trick is So
| common that il really seems to h. kepi
| N from force NJ Eabit rather than for
| 'hn sake NJ any advantage 70 b.
| gained. \ stranger. ? green Str1it-
ger. that is, might he surprised at the
| eNccednC beauty of the singers whose
| faces. On large posters. grace the out
| -ide of the free music halls in tht
Eowcry. where the managers pay sala-
| ries ana support themselves on the
| pl otits Of the FIVE cent glasses Of bee
trunk. Anna Held. fol instance. wa
featured" in front ~ one N ines
places FOR several weeks. Not hn6
said That She was really within, bu'
| the stranger who kncw II" better. II IN
| Iced. such innocence is u be found lr
he Eou ery, might we'll have gone IN
| 'idc ana enriched TIE cCffers by five
cents in the hope Of seeing the lovely
! cre2t ture
This trick however. is not confined to
| the bnwery. 1t is one commonly en-
/
| travelling rcportory companies. Paper
Is bought wholesale. representing attrac-
| tive leading men and gracious heroiiles,
| and these are pasted all over tht 3iie
| aight stands. possibly attracting large bu-
| collie audiences. Outside of the theatre
| tsolf II is a common practice 70 show inc
| photographs of well-known New ork
| actors who played the parts Orlglnaily.
| rthough what benefit this can be among
| ,eoplc who have never tCcn in New hpfh
| I is hard tn see. Stock companies TOO
| ,xhibit photographs Of actresses VINO ar AZ.
asked b. some friend who recognizes
| ne Young woman. and wants 70 knoW !,
! She is now playing will reply No. pu,
| although the actress in question may be
| 1t the other end of the country.
An odd variation Of tnis Trick Wa
played by wcll-knOwn manager. VINO
would not lightly be accused Of resortins
TO such devices. A second company
| toured the country while the actress who
| tinued in this city. but the posters read
| after this fashion: Miss Mary smith
| Rosamund presented BY select com
amy, with Mary Smiths 'Rosamund
about the company in very small ones:
| The result was. that even weii-intormeH
persons. seeing the posters would eN-
lain. Why here's Mary Smith, who
| made such hit in New York. anu would
rush to the box office and secure seats.
Down at Coney Island there are num-
erous tricks. each and all delicious TO
those who look on from afar: but one of
the funniest is that of emptying the
house whenever the management THINKS
it needs fresh material. The nights Will
al! go out. and the audience will leave:
but no sooner is the last man outside the
door than everything is bright and the
walters will explain: Them fellers wasn't
ordern' no beer at ALL" The climax OF
resourcefullness is reached when man
lager sells out a house to somebody, which
happens only occasionally, Not long age
a youth appeared at a cheap resort and
expressed himself as desirous of seeing
one of the stars of the house. She
couldn't be. seen until IL O'Clock main
tained the manager. whereupon the youth
wanted to know how much the possibili-
ties might be in the matter Of beer. The
)iinanarcr moacstlye estimated II ut n
sSnup!e q. dollars or so" The young man