Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-18


not at all in keeping with his responsibilities.
Generally the place in which he works IS
hardly large enough to turn in, and it is lighted
by artificial light. 1t is seldom heated, and
the draft that comes through the open window
is like an icy blast. Yet even in such trying
surroundings he must be serene and unruff1ed,
nor must his equanimity be disturbed by
steady line of theatergoers of varying irrlta-
bity, many of whom believe he Is IN league
with ticket spectators and do not hesitate
to tell him so. He must be polite and affable
to all, and must coax one dollar and fifty cents
from the person whose original intention was
to spend one dollar. good theater treasurer
can always increase the receipts of perform
ance from fifty to one hundred and fifty dollars.
The Key to the Curtain
THE boxofice man comes into contact with
I all kinds and classes of people through
nimbfe wit. and dearly love their joke. They
show a prediction to send the unwary on
impossible brands, such as for thunder
box" a package of stage whispers, etc:
Just at present there is in the safe keeping OF
some New York theater boxoffice tiny key
to which is attacked a chain and weight of
some thirty forty pounds This IS sup
posed to be a key that will unlock the curtain
of a theater and permit 1t to rise. This cur.
tain KEY is known to every boxoffce treas
urer in the metropolis, and it keeps going the
rounds of the theaters during the season.
When it is lugged in by some hot, perspiring,
and gullible person in frantic haste lest the
performance be delayed or stopped, the
and is most profuse in his thanks. Very often
he tells his visitor he has made mistake IN
the place. and dispatches him with his heavy
load to another theater.
The boxoffice treasurer is confronted by
many odd remarks from his patrons Some
of religious trend who is unfamiliar with
the theater will request pew" and another
will desire seats "close to the exercises"
Still another who has confined his amusement
going to the circus will want place right
next to the ring"
Another will want to see map OF the par
qwet," and another will desire the ticket he
has purchased placed in paper bag" mean
ing, OF course, an envelOp.
The Treasurer Jokes
IN New Orleans where a farce comedy
called "A Railroad Ticket" was playing at
the ST. Charles Theater, bucolic looking in
dividual appeared at the boxoffice and de-
manded transportation to Pensacola Flor
ida He could not be made to understand
that he was in the lobby of a theater so to
pacify him the treasurer finally punched a
ticket envelop and handed it to him. Here,
he said, take that, and go for nothing"
The stranger grabbed up big valise from the
floor and went on his way rejoicing.
At St. Louis theater where vaudeville
company the attraction one week during
last season person with wonderful growth
of chin whiskers looked in through the win
dow at the treasurer at about eleven O'Clock
IN the morning and began lengthy negotla-
ton for ticket to the performance. The
treasurer finally sold him a fifty-cent ticket
for that nights show Somewhere about three
o'clock that afternoon the same person re-
appeared at the window and demanded his
money back. I've be n settin' in yer theayter
four hours he said Indignantly, an hain't
seen gol darned thing!'
At Wallack's Theater during the run of a
musical comedy, The Tar and the Tartar"
some years ago, some one applied at the box
Office for ffty-cent ticket. He was told
that he could go up into the gallery for that
But wanted to see The Tar and the
Tartar" he expostulated What are they
playing up in the gallery"
At the popular priced Crescent Theater in
New Orleans on the opening night of an at
traction a crowd OF usually thousand people
wait at the gallery entrance for the doors to
open. No seats reserved IN the gallery
of this theater, and the earliest in line at the
window secure the choicest locations. In the
rush and scramble one night last winter
man had his wooden leg broken. He fell
down, execrating in his helplessness the bad
luck that had prevented his getting front
seat. The polite treasurer looking out of the
window noticed his predicament and
alive to the situation. With great presence
of mind he rang up by telephone the stage
he. N1o,x