Francis Wilson, the comedian, says that many years ago when he was a member of a company playing "She Stoops to Conquer," a man without any money, wishing to see the show, stepped up to the box-office in a small town and said:
"Pass me in, please."
The box-office man gave a loud, harsh laugh.
"Pass you in? What for?" he asked.
The applicant drew himself up and answered haughtily:
"What for? Why, because I am Oliver Goldsmith, author of the play."
"Oh, I beg your pardon, sir," replied the box-office man, as he hurriedly wrote out an order for a box.