New Britain herald., 1928-11-17

one else for their tobacco. Fre- quently, two shows a week were at- tended. thus drawing more heavily on the slender bankrolls, but the boys were out in force nevertheless.
 Must Have Their Chew
 IL may be that everyone in mig ger heaven" did not chew tobacco. but certainly the great majority in dulged. They would not consider going to the theater unless they were certain of a tobacco supply. Some liked cut plug, and others were partial to the "baled hay" as the paper tobacco was commonly known. Some went in for large portions at time, while others were satisfied with hardly more than a medium sized pinch. Where some could make a single 'chaw" last through four acts, others would not think of going through intermission without freshening up. and many youth went out on the dead run in Q mad search for a drink of water after gulping too carelessly during a tense moment in the drama.
 Just as the movies of a later pe- riod were to serve as the meeting places of friends. ''nigger heaven" was the mecca of it's time. Advance notices on the billboards kept every one posted as to coming attractions. and night in and night out for years upon years. the same crowd climbed the stairs and the same fellows oc- cupied the same seats to see the Barrymores. Chauncey Olcott, De Wolfe Hopper and the other celebrl- ties who played here. Many inc;- dents of an amusing nature occur red in the "heaven." not the least common of which centered around the pranks that were perpetrated on various town characters. and num- erous were the tributes paid by the actors to the gang way up on the shelf" who, though critical. were recognized as fair judges ot hlstrl- onic effort and were as generous with their applause as they were vehement with their catcalls.
 During the passing years that brought the motion pictures into popularity the highest seats in the house continued to be popular but they seemed to have lost their at mosphere and their great hold upon the gallery gods of the earlier day. Tn all probability, the passing Of many of the older theater fans was partly accountable for this change. for the dyed -the-wool patrons of the drama and the musical comedy were slow to warm to the pictures. The younger men went finally to the more refined atmosphere of the balcony and the orchestra circle. until all the attraction of the hard, plain seats, so close to the ceiling of the auditorium seemed to have be- come lost.
 Hoarded Price Of Admission
 "Nigger heaven" was packed with humanity more often than not. and the box office at the foot of the stairs was generally flooded with dimes. nickels and pennies as the crowd swarmed past How hard the work was that accompanied the earning of the price of admission has often been talked about and commented on by some of the men who were the boys of that time. How many evenings they were un- able to move outside their own homes or the clubs they belonged to if to leave meant the spending of a five cent piece, could probably not be estimated with any degree of ac- curacy. even as the great pleasure and genuine happiness they derived from the performances could not be 
 Matinee performances at the Ly- ceum also drew large audiences to