Evening star., 1918-01-27

front Of the store at an. and the
early arrivals there at that hour found
a persevering. middle-aged gentleman
already there, snugiy ensconced in gum
overcoat and armchair Immediately in
front Of the door. According to pop
o'clock last night, resolutely bent on
getting the first choice Of seats. Tho
appearance Of several sharp, strange
faces in the crowd indicated that the
up the purchase OF Dickens tickets
wherever he has appeared throughout
the country were represented amongst
the purchasers on this occasion. Sew
eral of the washingtonians. too. in the
line. were evidently engaged in the
ticket speculation business. as from
their tastes and habits 1t was quite
certain they were not hero worshipers
to the extent of investing $72 each in
the purchase Of full-course tickets"
(The price of each reserved seat was
s3 and the advance sale was for course
tickets for $12 each for the course)
"one Of them admitted as much. He
said he had no doubt that Dickens
was a great penman. but he didn't
know much about such things himself
and had never read any of his writings
He heard that something was to be
made on tickets by early birds, and
thought he might make something as
well as others
"Refore o'clock the line of ticket
seekers had increased so as to extend
from Philip & Solomon's nearly down
to 9th street" (the store was between
9Th and 10th streets. although the num-
her was 1872. the enumeration OF build
ings on Pennsylvania avenue then be-
ing different from the present block
system.) "A number who did not care
to tail on to the long string essayed to
form an independent line In the direc-
tion of 10th street. Policemen, how
ever. were stationed at the door to in
sure perfect fairness and to cause the
applicants to approach In the order of
precedence. Many of the crowd. finding
time hanging heavily on their hands,
occupied themselves with reading the
morning papers and two OF three provf-
dent souls had supplied themselves
with books for the same purpose.
r
Meantime urbane Mr.. Dolby and two
or three assistants were engaged in
side dealing out tho
Blocks Of Seats tickets and checks
-, for the chosen seats.
Alm1teu. In order to out or
speculation and monopoly - far as
possible. no purchaser was permitted to
take moro than six course tickets.
Tickets for the course are sold first.
and after the sale of these is completed
the sale of single tickets will be
entered upon. At II am. the rush for
course tickets had pretty much sub
sided and the Indications are that all
who wish will be able to, get seats.
either through course tickets or single
tickets. Carroll Hall, where Dickens
reads. seats 1900 people. not $500. as
stated in some of the papers. Mr.. Dolby
pays Washingtonians the compliment
of saying that the ticket purchasers to-
day were the most reasonable and
orderly that had been met in tho sale
of tickets yet Messrs Philip and
Solomon have taken no little pains to
have the sale go of satisfactorily. and
at considerable inconvenience to them
selves. as all the business Of their es-
tablishment is necessarily suspended
while the sale is going on. At $50
o'clock about two-thiyds of the house
had been sold. A member Of desirable
seats are yet uR80ld and can be pro-
cured this evening. or tomorrow morn.
ing. when single tickets will be dis
posed Of"