A DEAL IN CUT RATE TICKETS.

1895

Two Theater Goers of Unequal Purses Accommodated by a Broker.

A young man entered a shop which displayed the sign, "Theater tickets at cut rates," on a Saturday afternoon about 2 o'clock and said to the ticket broker:

"What have you for matinee at Palmer's?"

"Dollar an 'af orchestry for $1," replied the proprietor, a sharp looking man, with a large diamond stud in his shirt.

"Haven't you a 50 cent admission? I only want to spend a quarter."

"Nope. Give you that orchestry for 75 cents."

"No," said the young man as he scanned the blackboard on which were chalked the attractions at the different theaters.

"Say," argued the speculator, "how much you got in yer jeans?"

"Fifty cents," was the reply after a little hesitation.

"All right," came back from the cage. "I'll go you. You just wait here for a pardner."

The young man walked nervously up and down the shop anxiously watching the clock, the door and the proprietor. Whenever a customer came in he listened attentively to the conversation. On the other hand, the speculator didn't seem in the least impatient.

At 20 minutes past 2 a tall man stalked in and asked:

"Have you an orchestra chair for Palmer's?"

A look of hope spread over the young man's face as the proprietor answered in the affirmative, and the tall man asked the price. But his look turned to consternation as the speculator answered:

"One dollar."

"Why, I thought you said 50 cents," the young man blurted out.

The speculator gave the young man a wink that would have done credit to a devil fish.

"Oh, I thought you meant those others," the young man stammered as he comprehended the meaning of the feat of facial contortion.

The tall man was satisfied and took the ticket and was told to go with the young man, as the ticket admitted two and couldn't be separated. Then the speculator took the dollar bill of the tall man in his left hand, while with his right he dextrously received and concealed the young man's two quarters.

As they hastened to the theater the tall man remarked in a patronizing way:

"I tell you what, it's a great thing to know all the ropes."

And it was with a smile that the young man assented to the proposition. — New York Sun.