THE HORSES. 283 



for garters ; " but as soon as these have been spliced into a suffi- 

 ciency of line to extend below, and the volant article has been 

 restored, all is order and quiet again. 



Passing from the coup d' oeil of the interior, an abundance of 

 bye play may be found going on at the out-posts ; sturdy fellows 

 are needful to act the Cerberus at the pit and gallery entrances, 

 for when a lot of half cocked jollies or a coil of sailors three sheets 

 in the wind are bent upon a " blessed spree," it requires a vigorous 

 arm and a determined front to keep them in order ; especially as 

 each separate tar is gifted with a fist as big and as brown as a 

 Westphalia ham, and nothing loath to do battle, either for fun or 

 in earnest, at any given moment. 



A scarlet faced young savage, red hot from the borders of 

 Dartmoor, with half a hundred weight of moist clay on his nether 

 members, walks up to the first person he espies inside the box 

 entrance door, and, with hat clenched in one hand, extends the 

 money in his other. 



" You must pay the door keeper — there he is in the box, close 

 to the red door." 



^^Thank'e, sur." 



" I wants to see the play, sur." 

 And down go four shillings before the administrator of tickets. 



" Dress circle, Sir? " says Conning, with a knowing look. 



" Ees, sur," responds Clodpate, with perfect composure. He 

 looks hard at the one ticket, but, of course, thinks its no mistake; 

 and, after a few minutes of half wondering, half stupid reconnoi- 

 tering he proceeds to pilot his three female friends to the check 

 taker. 



" Three more checks, sir, if you please;" and this is said with 

 a look at the group which plainly implies " Whether you please 

 or no." 



" I Ve a paid, fouer shillen, an' there 's but fouer of us." 



"Twelve shillings more, sir." 



" Bully Finch s€ed it 'esterday, an' said he ounly paid a shillen." 



" Ah ! I see, you have come to the wrong part of the house, 

 you want the gallery. 



" I should n't like to give 'e all that trouble thoa, mayhap we 

 could see as well on them ere red sates." 



" Can 't admit you, sir, you must give your ticket back, and 

 go round to the gallery entrance with your money." 



But when he has arrived there, in very quick time his three com- 

 panions are taken under the guardianship of a dozen man o' war's 



