195

TRICKS THAT ARE VAIN.

Dark Ways to Deceive the Doortender
at National Theater and
Steal a Sight of Buffalo Bill-Etc.

The desire to see Buffalo Bill, Captain
Jack, "ye bar" and all the et ceteras of
the present entertainments at National
theater is very general and all sorts of
"rackets" are played on Locke to gain
free admission. In the first place, it is
found necessary to search the hall and all
hiding places on or about the stage and
dressing rooms nightly, and from four to
a dozen men and boys are found concealed
there every time and helped out. Then
come all sorts of dodges to get past the
doortender. Last evening we watched a
short time for the purpose of picking up
some of these "rackets." First came a
nice young man with a glass of water, as
though some lady in the audience had
fainted. It did not win. Then came a
bogus type, who had borrowed a printer's
rule and held it up a a sesame which
should open even rocky fastnesses. That,
too, failed. Next came a smutty-faced
chap with a few old type. He, too, was
turned back. Next rushed a boy with a
bogus telegram, all enveloped, sealed and
directed. Another tried to dodge in, conspicuously
showing a lady's fan, for which
he insisted he had been sent out. All these
and many more "rackets" are tried every
night. It is no uncommon thing for
these anxious individuals to try counterfeit
checks. Last evening those in use were
punched with a letter T by one of Titus'
punches. The curtain had not raised before
two very excellent imitations, punch
holes and all, were tried on the doortender.
So great is the anxiety of the bummers for
a free look at the performances that a
ladder is frequently improvised or obtained
and put up to the Smith-street
window. One little man with a stumpy
pipe has been at the door every night trying
to work his way in without paying.
He succeeded one night in getting as far
as the first stair of the gallery, and was
then incontinently pitched out. Another
game frequently tried is for a boy to get
up the stairs for two bits and then to come
down, get a check and give it to some
strapping fellow, who will try to beat his
way in on it. All such endeavors end in
the confiscation of the check. But the
ways invented all show how popular are
the plays now holding the boards at the
theater, and also that the hard times are
not yet over on the Comstock.