Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-08

M7E OFTEN wonder whether people are
w really as human as they appear, or is
1t only our imagination? Everybody we
Suggest, thinks of Others as being excessively
hlman, with all the frailties and crotchets
appertaining to that curious condition But
each of us also 1--WE are not dogmatic on this
matteO seems to regard himself as existing
on n detached plane of observation, exempt
(saVe in moments OF vivid criss) from the
strange whms of humanity en- masse.
For example, consider the demeanor of
people at a theatre while waiting for the
curtain to go up. To note the consciousness
with which they study each other one con-
cludes that each deems himself (herselD
singulary blessed as the repository of human
correctness.
Incidentally why is 1t that one gets so
thirsty at the theatre? We never get thirsty
at the movies, or not nearly so thirsty. The
other evening wesdrank seven paper cups full
of water in the intermissions of a four-act
play.
The presence of people sitting behind one ia
the reason 1--WE fancy for great deal of the
queer antics that take place while one Is
waiting for the curtain to rise, particularly
when It. is twenty minutes late in going up as
1t was at certain theatre the other eve
ming. People behind have a horrible
advantage. One knows that they can hear
everything you say, unless you whisper il
in a furtive manner that makes them sus-
pect things far worse than any one would
be likely to say in a Philadelphia theatre
except, of course, on the stage. The fact that
you know they can overhear you, and intend
to do so, leads one on to make the most
outrageous cynical and scottish remarks par
ticularly to denounce with fury a play that
you may be enjoying quite passably we'll
All over the house you viii hear (after the
first act) men saying to their accompanying
damsels, How outrageously clumsy that act
was l can't conceive how the stage manager
let it get by" Now they only say this be-
cause they think it will make the people
behind feel humble and ashamed for having
enjoyed such botch, But does it? The
people in the row behind Immediately begin
to praise the play vigorously for the benefit
of the people behind them; and in a minute
you see the amusing spectacle of the theatre
cheering and damning by alternate rows
Here and there you will a lady whis-
pering something to her escort and win
notice how ladies always look backward over
a lily shoulder while whispering. They want
to see what effect this whispering will have
on the people behind. There is deep-rooted
feud between every two rows in an audience
The front row, having nobody to hate (except
possibly the actors) take 1t out In speculat-
ing why on earth anybody can want to si,
in the boxes, where they can see nothing.
What the boxes think about We are not
sure We never sat in box except at a
burlicue.
And then complete essay might be written
on the sa6 in the theatre program-wnat
high-Sptritbu aus lHey are! HOW full of the
SAVIOR and luxurious tang of the beau mondei
How they insist on saying specialize instead
of specially
Well, all we meant to say when we began
was, the heroine was Only Fairly which
we mean to say she was beautiful and moth
ing else.
Apres Ia Gary.
General Wood pissed the guerre but Is
<making up for 1t at Gary SOURABES.