The Washington herald., 1919-10-18
NEW YORK CITY
By Q. Q. MeINTYRE


New York. Oct. 17.-Tt is possible
that the future theatres in New York
VIII be without galleries or second
tiers. That foot-stamping. howiing,
whistiing gallery god OF yesteryear
Is no more. He either sits down In
the balcony or In the orchestra cir
Gle, or he goes to the movies. Sew
eral theatres have already closed up
their galleries. due to the lack OF
patronage.
'shuffiing. pushing. good natured
lines that formed In the-back alleys
TO applaud the marcelled heroes and
frail heroines from on high simply
do not form now. They enter the
marble entrance out front and per-
haps wear a silk topper and an ev-
ening suit.
There are many reasons for the
decline OF the gallery's popularity.
The beginning came with the fall or
the ten-twent-thirt where the vii
lain pursued her through the five
acts beginning in Old Mags under
Brooklyn Bridge, scurrying through
the Hells of Chinatown. and ending
up at the old farm-just at sun
down, when faithful old Joe takes
her back In his arms.
These melodramas were a lot of
fun. They gave cause for cheering
and whistling and Kissing. But with
the advent Of the problem play
things were different. No self-re-
snappy epigram or whistle at a
Shavian comeback from the heroine.
So the gallery god turned to the
movie and you will md him there
almost everV night, and he is much
happier. He can take his girl and
not be ashamed as he was in the
gallery-and he can hold her hand
all through the five reels
The gallery gods. too, were COM
posed mostly of young clerks, mes
senger boys. errand boys. and all
sorts of young men taking their
first grip on the business ladder.
Salaries in those Horatio Algeric
days were 81 per week-now the
same type of boys get SIS and $40.
So they can sit any place they please
mate to the moving pictures.
He Is an old time copy-reader on
Park Row. Years and years In the
City Room have furrowed deep lines
in his face and whitened his hair.
The young reporters smile at his
extreme over-carefulness and call
him -Methuse." They do not under
stand why he calls them over six or
seven times on a single take" OF
copy to say: Are you sure of the
name and address," rs that Just
what he said?" You are certain
there Is no libel!" It does seem like
excessive over-zealousness, but wait
until they grow old on the copy desk
and they will understand "Oid Me-
thuse" has a wife and six children
and he's paying for a home over In
Jersey. Every man who grows gray
In the newspaper service has the
same haunting fear-the fear Of the
Blue Envelope. For. after all, II Is
young mans game and the older
men realize they have to fght every
inch of the way to hold their jobs.
A mistake-well. perhaps no one
else will want him.
/ am always impressed when I
enter the perfumed atmosphere OF
Fifth Avenue by the gorgeous names
of the fossy establishments there.
On top of a bus the other afternoon
jotted down some of them in my
note book. Here they are with no
changes: Betty & Anne: Charles of
London: Dorothy Gray; Maison ST.
none; Lady Jane: Nine. Francois;
Henri: Maison Sarah Rosenblatt de
Paris; Jonas; Manyaka of Pekin:
Desti Salon de Beauty: Mime. Mohja
Mogabgabgab and Edyth Smythe.
Seen on the gravel path around
Central Parks reservoir: "A red
head" girl walking in her stockings,
Fay Banter and a .wolf-hound. Lii
liam RusselPs husband throwing
crumbs to the ducks. Copeland
Townsend and John Mex. Bowman.
in sweaters. walking fast. A stray
three-legged cat.