Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-08-26
SOME BOX OFFICE TROUBLES.
The Local Manager Relieves His Mind
About Some People.

It's only a step from the box office
to the bug house, said the local man
ager as he let a kid in for a nickel
after the first act. It's enough to queer
a funeral to see how people act here in
front of the window" he continued, as
he gathered and sorted the cOppers and
dimes that had gone for the entertain
ment of the multitude Say" said
an usher bobbing in from the rear,
there's a party of guys up in the re
served seats with admission tickets and
they won't get out"
Move 'em if you have to use dyna-
mite" ordered the manager
But it's Mr.. So-and-so and some
friends. We told 'em the seats were
sold. but they wouldn't believe it and
said they'd wait until they were want
ed anyway"
Now there you 60" unused the man
ager with an air of perpleXity. What
are you going to do in case like that?
There's some of the 400 of the town
trying to beat us. We can't set cop
on 'em to put EN- out of the seats or
crack their skulls like we could reg
ular dead beat. and they take advan-
tage of us. How are you going to get
'em out of them dollar seats that
they've only paid quarter apiece for?
1t happens over and over again. Good
respectable people who wouldn't take
Il DIN that didn't belong to 'em sail in
here as Enthusiastically as a full-rigged
ship and plank themselves in the best
reserve seats they can find empty and
do it on admission tickets The ushers
can bluff EN- out of them, for they
too sharp, and you can't drag 'em out.
But L got even once with one of that
breed. He made a regular thing of it
and it made me sore on him. He'd buy
admission tickets regular and then
take the best reserved seat he could
find and defy the ushers to pull him
out. They even had to fight him whan
the person came along who had paid
his good money for the seat He was
supposed to be respectable and honest
and / stood him for some time, waiting
for chance to pay him in his own
coin.
so one day l went into his store and
bought some small article that cost a
dollar. Then | threw a quarter on the
counter and started to walk out
But he overhauled me as if l had COM
mitted a murder. Haven't you made
mistake" says he, as smooth as silk
oh, L guess not says l, I'm taking
reserved seats on admission tickets
now and off | went as cool as could
be. That settled him for keeps. When
he wanted to occupy a reserved seat
again he stepped up like man and
paid his mon.
But this amt the only breed of hogs
that root around the box office by q
long shot. There's usually the tin-horn
sport who wants to have everyone know
he's around. His breath and his clothes
usually tell the story an hour in ad-
vance. but he wants to tell it himself
so he lounges up to the window wher
the rush is on and spreads himself like
the mainsail of a racing yacht and
wants to know what I've got for n good
seat. | usually spot him before he
opens his valve, but the easiest way to
handle EN- is to smooth their bristles
the right way. So 1 ask him Floor OF
balcony" and he has to think it over
Tor hve minutes. | don't suppose ito
be as long as that by the watch, but
with % people waiting it seems longer
He finally guesses he'll have the bal
cony and then it's the floor. He looks
EN- all over and nine times out of ter
| takes an admission and stands up
| squirting tobacco juice out the window
onto the front steps. Talk about your
| lady shoppers making n clerk unrol1 {
whole bale of goods to see if the fac.
| tory has measured it right
Then there's the woman VINO seem:
to think you ought to hold UP the SALE
of seats until you hear from her ant
let her choose. She usually turns III
and naneuvres a good deal like thu
| tin-horn sport, only she usually buy.
a reserved seat-if she can find one t,
suit her-and if she can't she flounce.
| out.
And again there's the people who
never stay put. The usher may place
them just right, but as soon as hi.
/ -