Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-12-03
sl.5o Per Year.

see her crouching there early In the
morning with her shrunken hand, with
| nngers like the claws of en- animal.
stretched out To everyone who passes.
Her shrlll voice awakens us at all
hours of the night. Beside her is an
old woman who sells lottery tickots.
Her voice is stronger. but not so shrill
| MS the child's. They seem TO have an
understanding. alternating with each
other In their cries. and think psr-
haps they may be mother and daugh-
ter, They are not unusual You can
| see such pitiable creatures in any city
of Spain or Italy. and the strange part
OF 1t Is that they appear 10 be at their
posts all the tine. When they sleep
or eat is a mystery. They were there
yesterday morning at o'clock when
| awoke. and went over to close tho
blinds. and three or four hours later
saw them again,
But IT IL a peculinrity Of this city
that people seem never TO go to bed.
You cannot look ont upon the great
square called Puerto del Sol, the rem
lezvous OF tho busybodes and the
oaiers of Madrid, at any hour of the
night without seeing 500 or 500 people
standing idly around. smoking cigar
sites. talking politics and gossiping
with ench other. evidently without the
slightest intention OF going to bed:
while the peddlers, as matter of
course, remain also and are moving
iround among them. Human streams
continue to pour Into the square from
he side streets until daylight and dis
ippear in other directions. Coming
iome from the theatre at or In the
morning the sidewalks are overcrowd-
sd You can meet women carrying
children In their arms or leading them
by the hand. as II they were returning
iome from some pleasure trip or from
Iaying visit The cafes are open
III night, and the theatres have plays
beginning as late as 20 In the morn
ing,
The theatres OF old Madrid are con
iucted upon peculiar plan. whicn
IS called the "tanda' "genero CHI
20" or small play never more than
-wo acts, and usually a comedy or
broad farce based upon the everyday
life of the people. is given for an aa-
mr. money, The performance Is dl.
ided into four parts, each part being
omplete and distinct. and tickets may
be bought for seats or boxes for single
lcts or "fiinciones por hora." the plays
II one hour. This arrangement, which
PREVAILS at all OF the cheaper and pop
liar theatres, is In compliance with
the popular demand. Their patrons
# the working class cannot afford to
pay more than 25 cents for an even
ng's entertainment and theater man.
tgers cannot afford TO give them more
han an hours fun for that amount OF
money. So unique custom has
grown up. like our continuous perform
nces at home, and anybody who can
caise 25 cents can have the privilege
of seeing the cleverest actors and
singers in spain for at luast a part
If the evening, while, if they can af-
tord to do SO. they can pay 80 cents
md stay AT the theatre all night, and
'eally all night II Is. for the curtain
seldom falls upon the last play ear
Ter than 2 or 2:30 o'clock 10 the morn
.ng. For single act. or fourth OF
IN evening. you can hire box seating
our people for a dollar ard for six
people for dollar and a half. For
The entire evening the boxes cost 81
md S.
The prices for grand opera and mt
Two OF the twenty-six theatres where
deavy tragedy is given are much hign-
or. the entrance fee being from 81 70
50 for each person. and the boxes from
$40 to $50 for the evening. AT the
Royal opera house and at all OF the
better class OF tbetares the boxes are
sold by subscription at the beginning
)f the season and the opera house and
ono or two OF the higher class thea
Tres are owned by the nobility and
irlstocracy and the wealthy element OF
society. The fact that a man owns
box. however does not give him free
admission to the thcater. He has to
buy his entrance fee just like anybody
else, and If he does not give notice OF
his intention to come at least two
hours before the beginning OF the
play seats In his box are offered for
sale 10 the public. unless there be
some definite understanding. There
ire usually two tiers OF boxes running
iround the theater in the place OF the
irst and second galleries.
The box holders generally remain
through the entire evening. or at least
until midnight. but the occupants of
the parquet. the orchestra circle and
he galleries are almost totally chang
ed at least three tlmss during thes
evening While those who have wit.
messed the first act are pouring out OF
the exit on one side OF the building.
those who have bought tickets for the
second act are crowding through the
entrance on the other side. The FIRST
ict begins at $3.50. II lasts an hour
or little more. and half an hour or
so is necessary TO change the audi
ence and the scenery and allow the
actors to make up for their new parts
so that 1t Is 10 O'Clock before the sec
ond act begins; midnight before the
third. and often 2 o'clock in the morn
ing before the curtain rises on the
fourth act. In order to MI the house