The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-20

without having the key, and that it had been loaned to some other theatre, why,
 just give the party with the tears in his
 eyes merry ha ha and tell him to Back to the pinery." For if you attempt to help get the loaned key surely something will happen to you. That is. you will look like dray or junk wagon after going , on an expedition after the loaned article. It is all a joke, and only person who
 makes himself too conspicuous around a theatre Is ever the victim. Con Heeker,
 who has been the treasurer during the summer at the Auditorium theatre played
 it on a young man the other day and as a result had to lock himself Tn the box
 office to escape an enraged boy and broomstick.
 | Up at MT. Woodward's theatre there had been a boy hanging around who
 thought he knew the business as no one
 else did, and he became such nuisance
 that MT. Hecker on several occasions had
 grown wroth to the extent of almost
 throwing the boy out. He remembered the old trick, and so when the boy was 1 in the office he was surprised to see MT. Hecker suddenly grab up papers, look
 under the safe and otherwise act in 8
 high state of excitement.
 What's the matter?" he asked. "Ohy groaned Hecker, T can't find the curtain key, and if we don't find 1t, 1t is
 cinch we won't get the curtain to work"
 Mir. Hecker searched for few moments | longer, and the boy, although he had
 never heard of curtain key, also joined | in the hunt.
 By George, that's so; we lent It to the Grand people," said Hecker. ''rll get It. volunteered the boy. That was all that was needed to start ! the affair. Hecker went out and got a
 small log. which he wrapped up and gave to the long one.
 Take this down to Jason Ratekin," he
 said. "This Is the key that belongs to the Grand, but don't think 1t will do us any I good; if he can't find ours be sure and bring this back and we will try to make
 it do."
 | My Dear Jason Here Is sucker who
 wants a curtain key. Load him up with
 something and send him to the Gilliss. Yours in haste. Con Hecker. The boy loaded the timber upon his | shoulder, and, bending under it's weight, struck out for the Grand opera house. 1 Ratekn, the ticket artist, met him with | the glad hand and the information that the Glliss people had borrowed the key, and asked If the young man would carry | bundle for him to Harry Sparks. The | boy would Jason hustled out and found
 about twenty feet of cut up lead pipe, which he tied up securely in a heavy GOV
 ering, and presented the boy another note, which went like this:
 Harry: Load up on rocks or anything
 handy. He Is all o. K. Jason. 1 Picking up the now heavy load that
 would have called for an express wagon, the boy staggered off down Walnut street I in the direction of the home of the melo- | drama, where he arrived very weary l and perspiring individual. He dropped the pipe upon the floor with thud that fairly shook the house, and handed the surprised ! MT. Sparks the epistle from MT. Ratekin. | MT. Sparks didn't have a heavy thriller l to dispose of, as "How Hearts Are ' Broken" was needed that night to fill up | the Gilliss coffers. So, telling the boy to
 wait. he went out and picked up what | bricbats he could find in the alley, and | taking them to the billing room, wrapped 1 them up in a neat looking package. Sorry we have not got all of the key
 said Sparks ''I think the other part of