He was in the act of tossing away the paper when his attention was snatched back by a half-page advertisement; in which the name of the Orpheum Theatre stood out like a red flag. Mr. Mix glanced at it, superciliously, but a moment later, his whole soul was strung on it.
THE ORPHEUM Educational Motion Pictures FREE! FREE! FREE! Every Sunday afternoon and evening ESPECIALLY HIGH-CLASS ENTERTAINMENT of instructive and educational features With Sacred Music ABSOLUTELY FREE
to all those who present at the door ticket-stubs from the previous week's performances (bargain matinees excepted) showing a total expenditure of Three Dollars.
Two people coming twice during the week, in 75 cent seats, come FREE Sunday
Three people coming twice during the week, in 50 cent seats, come FREE Sunday
A PURELY VOLUNTARY COLLECTION will be taken up and divided between The Associated Charities The Starving Children of Belgium _and_ The Chinese Famine Fund This Sunday
THE SWORDMAKER'S SON--an absorbing drama of Biblical days Next Sunday BEN-HUR, in seven reels
NO ADMISSION FEE BEING CHARGED, AND ALL VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS BEING DEVOTED TO CHARITY, THIS ENTERTAINMENT DOES _NOT_ FALL WITHIN ANY CITY ORDINANCE PROHIBITING SUNDAY PERFORMANCES
Mr. Mix, goggle-eyed, jumped for the telephone, and called the City Hall, but as soon as the Mayor was on the wire, Mr. Mix wrestled down his excitement, and spoke in his embassy voice. "Hello--Rowland? This is Mix. I want to ask you if you've seen an ad of the Orpheum Theatre in this morning's paper?... Well, what do you propose to do about it?"
The Mayor answered him in a single word: Mr. Mix started, and gripped the receiver more tightly. "_Nothing!_... Why, I don't quite get you on that.... It's an open and shut proposition--No, I most certainly am _not_ trying to make a pun; I'm calling you up in my official capacity. That's the most flagrant, barefaced attempt to evade a law--Why, an _idiot_ could see it! It's to drive the crowd into the Orpheum during the week, so that--"
He listened, with increasing consternation. "_Who_ says it isn't a violation? Who? The City Attorney?" Mr. Mix was pale; and this was quite as uncommon as for his fiancée to blush. "When did he say so?... What's that? What's his grounds?... Repeat it, if you don't mind--Practically a charitable performance by _invitation_--"