The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-05
PARIS gHEAIRE GRAEYERS
HIGHT y0hfS on THEM ExPECI
TIPS. FROM VSsfTORS.

Open Hands Both outside ana Inside thu
Houses Tho Ouyreuse Locks I'm YoEr
Hat and Coat So You Have 70 Pay
TrIbute- attempts At Revolt Fan.
when q Partisan hits on the unhappy
idea Of going. to the theatre writes n
OF them, -he has to run the gauntlet Of q
rare collection OF nuisances and plunderers,
First there Is the crowd outside the theatre
and then there is another gang inside.
He must give one tip 10 the ooachman
who drives him and another 10 the nimble
person who springs TO open the carriage
door-even II he opens it himself. Then
come the flower girls and the ticket speol-
lators and the programme vendors. They
stand In his way and importune him, 10
has almost to use violence to rescue his
coat tails from their clutches.
AT last the theatre foyer swallows him
up. He Is saved from one barking pack.
but new prosecutors are ready. There is
~ the refreshment counter attendant.
Won'the buy oranges9 No. he won't. Then
won't he buy candy for the lady? Mol
Then maybe a sandwich to eat between
the acts. and 30 on. Next to this plague
comes (2) the programme peddler-only so-
thorized and official programme, OF course
and (S) the opera glass man"
There Is a fourth, too, but the fourth
interior plague Of the theatre takes a great
deal Of space and Ill temper to describe IL.
She h the ouvreuse, the official box opener
and seat finder, the counterpart Of the
usher in New York but displaying ali
itching palm and a very unpleasant dis
position when not paid 10 be genial. The
ouvreuse is the worst parasite OF the Partisan
theatre and few indeed are they from
whom she fails TO draw blood.
Her hand is not extended until the close OF
the performance, but she begins to get her
fine work In at once. Not that she makes
a ny pretenoe Of finding the boxes or seats
that tn . tickets presented to her call for.
The kicker dehes any one In Paris 10 come
forward and swear that she ever found his
place for him. Nobody could make such
an affidavit wit bout committing perjury.
he says. But what she does Is grab his hat
and overcoat and walking cane. These
she looks up in a chamber Of horrors which
she calls the o~loakroom, and thenceforward
the Iotim is at her mercy. He oannot
escape without paying tribute.
1t Is no wonder that the ouvreuse devotee
more attention TO collecting her revenue
than to seating the audience, It is a serious
mAIpcT IOE nCT. MOI Only uH6 b0S 10 MAKE
her living out Of IL but she must also make
up the quota Of the house." In one theatre
the ouvreuse pays seven francs. or $l.40, a
night for her privilege; sometimes 1t Is more
or less. but always somewhere between Eve
and ten francs. exceptrecently in two or three
of the best theatres which have tried TO
reform the system. One or two go 80 far
as to pay a salary, but even In these there
il such a pleading look in the poor woman'S
eyes as she surrenders ones light baggage
- - 49, E-AA 49, l--- ~
hand out Of his change pocket. He knows
the woman is under heavy expenses; she
must be extensively dressed in up 10 date
style to keep her job,
But occasionally a man will revolt. One
tells how one June evening he went TO- a
variety theatre alone. He lodged this
ouvreuse at q busy moment, slipped down
the aisle, found his seat by himself and sat
down in It with an expression OF unconscious
innocence. As it was warm, he had no
overcoat and he hid his hat under the seat.
All the same, toward the end of the per-
Torrance, the ouvreuse appeared with
outstretched hand.
What for?" he asked.
For service she answered.
what s~ervicef'
THE customary service
But you gave me none, why should !
give you anythingf'
.oh pardon she exclaimed in a good
audible tone, Il did not recognize thai
mOIlbi6uI WA u uGduuodus
This brought him to time and he gave her
a franc.
Another mar going to the Forte st. Mar
tH Theatre attempted to enter his box
himself An ouvreuse headed him of, and
though she had seen him at leest once a
week for several years, demanded his
ticket.
Il nave none,' said he. Il travel 90 q
pass
-Then what's you name?' she asked.
H. -ayyn &Aa vanaa &c Tot,rharyoia rLsay,
is the name OF a town in France. and when
she returned to say that there was no such
name on the free list, he gave her the names
successfully of Puteaux and Surennes.
which are towns in the same vicinity. Then
she realized that she could not get the best
OF min that way, especially as she saw one
OF tine management in the background
grinning at the dispute, so she ended the in
cident with a killing shot.
Il humbly apologize said she. II 7
had known that Monsieur was a private
detective on business, ! would not nave
tried to force him to reveal his name