The Washington herald., 1922-01-31
M'INTYREPAYS
RESPECTS TO
GOTHAM '49ERS
How the Old Guard Line
The Rails on First Night
Looking for Fame.
By o. o. M'INTYRE.

NEW YORK, Jan. 3o.-Manhat-
tan's first nights" bring curious
crowd to the back rail of the
darkened theater. Too nervous to
occupy chairs, they stand tense. suG-
gesting the spirit Of the Roman
gladiators' cry: I'VE. who are about
to die. salute youw In the world
of the theater they are known as
Forty Miners.
Writers of lyrics and songs. cos
tuners, dialogue fashioners, heavy
sugar angels. plot passers and the
like. Waiting the verdict of the
| Death Watch to know IL 1t is a get
over" or flop" Every play has
| it's swarm of Forty Miners who may
have contributed just a single line,
or verse or a situation.
They come hoping this single bit
will send them hurtling to undying
| fame and illuminate the ash cans
| with their names. 1t so happens
| that now and then a Forty Miner
strikes a golden nugget and that Is
! why they emulate the spirit Of the
gambler for one last flip of the
| card
The producers are always present
among the first night hand picked
| audience and the Forty Miners tell
them in advance what bit they have
contributed. II II creates any ap-
| plause they are Crashing the gate"
next day at all theatrical Offices
begging for the chance to do some
thing big.
Two years ago a Forty Miner
suggested a phosphorescent dance
number which flashed for a few
minutes between two big scenes in
revue. In the parlance of the
theater II ran away with the
show" and this year he was given
, the task of writing a complete re-
vuc which is a success.
So 1t is that each premiere may
be the oyster to produce the pearl.
And while the Forty Miners wait
they live in cheerless boarding
houses within walking distance of
the Rialto. They carry canes. wear
velour hats and give a sartorial op-
ulence to Eenteel poverty.
Each is a supreme optimlst. The
seasons come and go leaving them
just a trifle more sere and yellow.
At night they gather about the
tables at Freeman's theatrical
eatery and build castles as rosy as
the dawn that always greets them
Thar she blows" That is the
cry of the whale hunters. Three
times in a week these hardy ad-
venturers have sounded the cry and
showed off to harpoon whales
sighted off the coast nearby. They
were in distance of one. but the old
fellow gave his tail a fiip and upset
the small boat and the hunters had
to swim back to their whaler. Such
swearing had not enlivcned Mr.. At
lantic's coast in years and years.
New York has exclusiveness. even
in its barber shops. The most ex-
elusive in town is on Madison ave-
nue.. It has three chairs. and only
those who have made appointments
with the secretary are permitted
to enter its marble and gold mag
innocence. There are three mani
cure girls. three bootblacks and
three bath attendants. The patron
is supposed to accept everything
they have to offer at one sitting
from a shoeshine TO violet ray
bath. The charge is 81 an hour
and 81 for each ten minutes there
after. 1t is said that the shop is
backed by the scion Of a rich Phil
adelphia family who wanted to
have a place where he could be
shaved without hearing the com
mon herd discuss baseball games,
horse races. gang murders and
other fascinating New York sports.
The rental for the shop is $4,000
year. and 1t is no larger than an
ordinary-sized living room. 1t is
not intended that the place will be
a paying proposition. The inten-
tion is to keep il refined.