Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-24
AS ONE WOMAN SEES 1T
How the Boss Of the Limouslnes
Lords II Over Those Who Occupy
the Seats Of the Mighty
BY SARAHn- InWRIE

~ not ordlnarlIy sit IN the seats OF the
L mighty boxes or parQuct-when l go
10 the opera. nor do generally belong to the
carriage folk" but the other night for
'Alctistofcle' did both being guest.
=, was aware for the first time how well
the applause sounds to a sitter in the
parg9et from the two upper galleries. 1t
sounds so discriminating. for It comes quite
irrespective of the applause from the parquet
and for quite other artists.
was interested at the grumbling over
me discomfort of the seats in the parquet
L do not know whether there is really less
space per person there than in the upper
most galleries. but it is decidedly cooler and
mas no pitch. and l think the space for
Iong Iegged person is probably just as
cramped. Az there is less visiting in
the upper galleries. there is. of course, also
less scraping in and out past the end per
sons, who hate to rise
why do end persons hate to rise? They
must must Know when they choose their seats that
they will have to-
ON the whole the gallery seats 4re not
nearly so comfortable, but no one grumbles
ABOUT discomfort. 1t is only when thing
IS badiy done on the stage that there is real
BrumDiing Then II sounds like the parquet
But it is the getting away from the opera
when you are carriage folk''-i. e.. lin
CUISINE folk-that is the real adventure.
never could have had that experience il !
n,idh nad NOT oeen guest in the Seats of the
miGhtE: The first and second opera.
when was there in the usual way. when
J wanted togo home just walked out! But
mat is not the way it is done by the parquet
and boxes. 9'''
Let me tell you how the high ceremony
OF leaving by limousine is managed
N a REMOTE corner Of the entrance hall
= of the Academy there is arranged a sort
OF platform. upon which stands the god of
the limousines. He is very tall, brond
African, with face that has some signifi-
cheek. NN
Attached to his left ear is metal phone
ana TO his lips an adjustable speaking tube.
In his right hand he holds very bent
megaphone.
Proud men and beautiful ladies press
about his throne and adjure him-he does
NOT even glance at them. Trembling oldish
ladies' hold out little white disks for him
TO glance at. He does not remove his eyes
from the unseen distance. Aged clubmen
Whisper their would. be lucky numbers into
his ear by climbing up step or two Of
tne broad stairway and leaning oser his
stalwart back. He makes no sign. Moments
pass the crowd presses prayorfuly about
Innai, L,n oeauttml perfumes rise from the press
lovely combinations of color surge IN "
waves perfectly arranged coiffurcs mass and
CONFRONT him. he mutters into his tube in n
Ip"' CONTINUOUS murmur. as though he were
a'ohe oy the sea communing with nature.
-r,
'TEN minutes pass. Fifteen To any one
l. entering that stately hall and seeing that
raised African figure with its immovable
sinister face and moving. inarticulate Inns.
iaWned Tpon by swaying crowd Of worried |
lmnacuIatcly dressed, besecching men and |
women. the sight could only admit Of ono |
"Nn,anation. new religious cult at Worship |
Ihcn suddenly without warning he began |
10 emit numbers. At first haltingly and far |
apart. ike an unwilling ouia board. and |
'heh win 1ewer intervals of drearincsa.
~ u ~ nj 1Inl
dart"d from the asSemblage out info tbe
night. '"' INV rue
G. When our own number was callcG-"326
Nla--chon Rrod Strit'-I discovered the
dld not get to Station 1. Broad street. bv
a hylnG leap your limousine wouId hovc
come and gone. For. though the street WINS
empty as a new pocket, the police waved
an ownerleSS motors out of their sight with
out mercy or stay
was on th" stair little out of the wind
when that No. 326 was bawIed bv the
god on the platform. Ny hostess had a
"ehtE loot start on me- I caught M with
her ar the door. But did it by troodng ~,
a Riddle. and jostlng against a CadwaIoder
hnu hnu spreading havoc among less. Storicd
urnS' Morr than one of them gave me
wh9t might be called ''one look. =
l5ut ludge mat all but the last dozen
mhde 1uSt such exits from that sanctuary
Of waiting as l. '""''
A PART from the satisfaction Of seeing
= -. - Broad street swept and garniShed like n
DIlllard taOi"' empty as q church between
services, do not know what there is in II
,"r the noli"" fore" except. of course.
sense OF power. But for that colorcd mon
with the battered m"gaDhonc. it is Judgment
lay anticipated. II is one wild nirhtmorn
Ot power come true
, ANY white man would go delirious under
me INTOXICATING draft Of heady potency. Not
SO the African His is the dignity Of one