Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-07-22
SHOWS IN LONDON
Crowds That Gather to Secure
Seats In the Pit.
A LONG WAIT FOR TICKETS.
The Line, Orderly and Well Dressed
Begins to Form as Early as O'CLOCK
In the Afternoon and In Case OF
Popular Play Even Earlier.

7
Begins to Form as Early as O'CLOCK
In the Afternoon and In Case OF
Popular Play Even Earlier.
In the better London theaters IL
costs ~. I'd to go into the PIT. WHICH,
relatively speaking. Is Il good sum ~
pay, for Il half dollar in New YORK
isn't much better than shilling III
London when 1t comes to purchasing
value.
The pit crowd begins TO assemble rs
| early us 3 O'clock In the afternoon ana
| In cases of II great success even earlier
than that. My first experience AZ
| pttite occurred I'm London one summer
night two years ago. when. AFTER vain
efforts to buy. borrow. beg or steal
stalls for Il popular play, writes Ad0lph
! Klauber IN the Green Book. ! hnaliy
decided to See it from the pit. when L
| arrived at the thenter. about o'clock
one Saturday afternoon. found there
was already long line of men aud
| boys and women. the foremost with
| face glued 20 the pit door and the line
extending far beyond the narrow pns-
sageway to the street in front Of the
theater. Now. with every desire In the
world to send my New York cOnStir-
uency some news of this great reign
ing success and not without some Gu
rosity Of my own was still far from
willing to cool my heels for the best
part Of three hours until the doors
should open
turned and found newsboy at my
elbow.
I'll old your place for you. sir" he
repeated. what time II you he back
1t was then TINT | discovered for the
Grst time this London institution. the
place holder ut the door Of the pit. one
of the many means by which one or
the struggling unemployed or of the
poorly pnd seeks to add a few shl-
lings to his meager. frugal income
There was no risk involved. The boy
was quick to note the foreigner.
It'll he all roght. sir" he said In
his cheerful cOckney way. as the
lady coming too? Me and me friend III
stand In line. and all you'll have to do
will be to change places with US when
you come around tonight. Only n
shillin' apiece. It's worth 1t. sir. not
to have to walt"
At 7 o'clock we were back In the
narrow court. but long before had
been able to dsentangle my boy from
the dozen or 80 others. all looking very
much alike. his cheerful tones greeted
me with ERE you are. sir, ere you
are. and you and the lady II get In the
first row If 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 pit
and every few minutes some new
vaudeville faker out of work would
come along to entertain the crowd
with tumbling. dancing. singing or imi-
tations. First 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 to 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 II generous shower
OF pennies had fallen on the mat. The.
next man TO appear carried yalise
from which be- produced wigs. Grim
pied hair and several false noses. IIiS
entertainment consisted of limitations
them. but infamous" they really were.
He was not encouraged. either. for he ,
pit line knew good from bad and
wasn't to be parted from It's pennies
without proper value in return.
The crowd was genial. orderly. Welt \
dressed. and when the doors were
opened finally expected a headlong
rush. But there was not the slightest
suggestion Of a scrambled little CONT
gestion naturally at the narrow en-.
trance. where smiling, good natured
bobby remarked quite pleasantly:
Now. then. 20 easy-just the same
as you went into church last Sunday
If you did go"
Then short passage up flight OF
narrow stairs. past a little cubbyhole
where the tickets are handed ont after
you have duly deposited your twoand-
six. into the theater and ready for the
play.