Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-07-11

l. @s' S'ossv eno We'll Dressed,
Begins TO Form ~ Early - s O'clock
!" the Afternoon and In Case Of q
Popular Play Even Earlier.
Ia the better London theaters II
cos.s Is. Cd. TO go into the Dit. which.
relatively speaking. Is good sum To
pay. for half dollar In New York
isn't much better than shilling I'm
London when II comes TO purchase
value.
Inc pit crowd begins to assemble as
early as o'clock IN the afternoon and
In cases OF a great success even earlier
than that. My frst experience as a
pittite occurred IN London one summer
night Two years ago. when, after vain
efforts TO buy. borrow. beg or steal
seaiis Tor popular play. writes Adolph
hlanber 10 the Green Book. | finally
decided TO see II from the Dit. When I
arrived at the theater. about 9 O'Clock
ono saturday afternoon, | found there
was already long line Of men and
boys and women, the foremost with
E'ce glued TO the pit door and the line
extending Tar beyond the narrow pas
sageway TO the street In front Of the
theater. Now. with every desire In the
wopd to send my New York coustit.
ueaty some news OF this great reign.
ing success and not without some GU.
riositI,of my own ! was stu far from
Wiling to cool my heels for the best
part OF three hours until the doors
Should open.
turned and found a newsboy at my
elbow.
III old your place for you. SIR" he
repeated. What time II you be back? 2"
II was then that discovered for the
nrst time this London institution, the
place holder at the door Of the nit, one
or the many means by which one of
the struggling unemployed or of tho
poorly paid seeks to add few shil-
llngs/to his meager. frugal income.
tnere was no risk involved The boy
was quick TO note the foreigner
It'll be all roight. sir" he said In
his cheerful cockney way. lis the
lady coming too? Me and me friend III
stand In line. and oil you'll have to do
VIII be to change places with us when
you come around tonight. Only a
shiiIin apiece. It's worth II, sir. not
to have TO wait"
At o'clock we were hack in tho
narrow court. but long before I had
been able to disentangle my boy from
the dozen or so others. all looking very
much alike. his cheerful tones greeted
me with Ere you are. sir. ere you
are. and you and the lady III get I'm the
frst row II you look sharp when you
pass the door,"
"Gee-rusalem," muttered as we
dropped into the interstices left by
the departing boys. "a good half hour
to wait-or more"
But. after all. found the waiting
far from tedious.
Hawkers Of fruit and chocolate pass.
ed along the line. finding ready buyers
among the waiting patrons OF the Dit.
and every few minutes some new
vaudeville faker out Of work would
come along ITO entertain the crowd
win tumbling. dancing. singing or imi-
tations. First a Juggler appeared. and
when bobby sent him spinning faster
than his plates and balls contortion-
list took his place. spread ragged car
pet mat and began 10 turn himself in
side out while the newsboys and shop
girls going home from work shouted
encouragement and appreciation. FL.
nally the bobby ordered him to move
on" but not until generous shower
or pennies had fallen on the mat. The
next man to appear carried a valise
from which he produced wigs. Grim.
PIED hair and several false noses. His
entertainment consisted of limitations
or composers. famous" he called
them. but infamous" they really were.
He was not encouraged. either. for the
pit line knew good from bad and
wasn't to be parted from its pennies
without proper value I'm return.
The crowd was genial. orderly, well
dressed. and when the doors were
opened finally I expected headlong
rush. But there was not the slightest
suggestion OF n scrambled little con-
gestion naturally at the narrow en-.
trance. where a smiling. good natured
bobby remarked quite pleasantly:
Now. then. go easy-just the same
as you went into church last Sunday
IL you did GO"
Then a short passage up a fight of
narrow stairs, past a little cubbybole
where the tickets are handed out after
you have duly deposited your two.and.
six. into the tbeater and ready for the
pIo