Life — February 10, 1898 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Present Remedy. To the Editor of Lire I would like to ask a few questions, which Iam sure in answering you would do the public’a great kindness. 1st. What should a person do if his view of the stage Is cut off and his enjoyment practically ruined by a big hat? 3d. Do you consider a person justified in asking the Wearer of such a hat to remove it? 3d, Supposing she refuses, what would you est doing? tion been cussed and talked about so much that a very large percentage of the big hats are removed, but it makes it all the more aggravating for a person who pays a big price for a ticket to have his enjoyment cut off, as well as that of a lady with him who removes her hat, by the wearer of a big hat in the first or second seat in front. oe The answer to the first and third questions is practically (the same. The only course of action we can suggest is a complaint to the head usher, and, in case of his refusal to act, to the manager of the theatre. ‘The woman who persists in wearing a big hat at the theatre has become so much the exception that she of course marks herself as selfish and vulgar. In face of a request by the manage- mentto remove it, we think she would, on her refusal to do 60, also become in the eye of the law a disorderly per- son, to be treated by the same police methods that would be accorded to any other disorderly person in a thea- tre. Managers would not?do this, of course, while they thought the senti- ment of women in general was in favor of big hats but that sentiment <n has changed, and we believe that no manager who knows his business will hesitate to make the polite request through one of his ushers, and back it up, in case of refusal, by insisting on the person leaving the house, In Boston the request is made by handing the person a printed card, and so far it has not failed in its effect. You are certainly justified in making the request mentioned in your second question, but in most cases it would be unwise. The same vulgarity which makes the offense possible is apt to provide the wearer of the hat with a vulgar tongue, and a perfect willing- ness to have it heard, Therefore your last appeal is to the man- agement, and, if they refuse to aid you, you would certainly not be going too far to ask for your money back. We think, though, that in the present state of public sentiment your wrong would be promptly righted by any decent manager. A Man in the House. H, I am so glad that you have come!" Mrs. Witherby, as she uttered these words, threw her arms convulsively around her husband's neck as he came up the stairs, and drew him quickly into her dressing-room and shut the door. She had been crying. “T've had the most dreadful time with the cook,” she said. ‘This morning she was awfully impudent, and actually threatened me, and I have been jn fear and trembling ever since. Now, dear, you must go right downstairs and put her out of the house at once. And you mustn’t pay her a cent beyond to- day. After the way she has treated me I shall insist upon it “cs