The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-02
OUR NEW HOUSE;
OR, THE
Pleasures of House Hunting.
a re CT U n e,
Rev. De witt Talmage,
LAST EVENING,
ar MUSICAL FUND HALL.


being a lecture by Rev. 7. De Witt Talmage,
under the auspices of the Philalethean Literary
Association. 1t was a rare treat, and the audi
ence manifested their appreciation by fire.
QuentIy applauding the speaker throughout his
amusing address,
At O'Clock precisely, Mr.. John d. Ford
came forward and said: Ladies and Gentlemen
The Philalethean Literary Association Of
Philadelphia is one probably known to the
majority of you. 1t will seem useless at this
time to make any extended remarks relative to
it, and we would only state that it is an associG
tiOn whose object is to promote the talent and
usefulness of its members in the fields OF
6terary effort and pursuit. We hold our
meetings every Friday evening" at our rooms
No. 796 Arch street, and we would employ the
present opportunity to cordially invite young
men, who desire to avail themselves oil the
advantages which an active ana eihclent
organization is capable of ahordlng 10 the minds
Of it's members, to come and JOIN u.s. We feel
confident in stating that all such will be gladly
received, and that their connection with us will
be amply rewarded The lecture to be delivered
this evening is presented under the auspices of
this Association, and it needs no lengthy speech
by way of introduction of the distinguished
gentleman who is to address us. We thank you
all, kind friends, for your attendance on this
occasion, and on behalf of the Association now
have the honor. of introducing to you Rev. T.
De Witt Talmage.
The applause which greeted the mention of
the lecturers name continued for several min
utes, and was again renewed when he stepped
forward to the desk, after which he spoke as
follows:-
Ladies and Gentlemen:-At some time every
man builds house, or is interested in the build
ing OF one. If he does not get enough dollars
TO do the work himself, his children will do IL.
He will be called upon for counsel in the matter.
Such large opportunities are opening that the
probability is almost every young man will be
able to build himself house, and from the way
that matters look now, judge that some of the
young ladies will, before long, be invited to
move into these newly constructed edfces.
Every man ought to own a house. They will
admit this whose ankles have ever ached In
that delectable business of house bunting. To
start out on spring morning, with the physi-
cal system relaxed up this street and down the
other, looking out for those short, delicate
words, "To Let" You are to enquire auiAin."
But, alas they do not want to show you the
house. The present occupants, with an
outburst of indignation, eXclaim, 'Who told
you that this house was to let" You cringe
in the corner of the hall, and hold your hat
down with the humblest air, and say, 'Sir," or
MADAM, saw the sign at the door, and thought
whole family, some from the haltopened doors,
and some looking over the banisters, glover
upon you till you feel that you must be bur
glarious and miserable offender, and are almost
disposed to do as my little girl Of two years old,
who, when discovered with her hand in the
cake-box, knelt down in the corner of the pantry,
and prayed, "Dod bless papa and mamma" But
the first outburst of Indignation has passed,
and you are told ITO look de0dy it 5jOu ac0n tO.n
AS you are passing through the hall you are
told that the furnace does not heat the house,
and the bath-tub leaks, the cellar is damp, the
window pulleys are broken there are reaches in
the closets and moths in the garret. But by
this time you stand in the soap-suds OF the
kitchen, with rat-terrier at your heels bark
ing with such perfect spite that you know some
body has given him the wink; or yeu are up
stairs gazing ON the outside OF the doors OF
rooms which they tell you are locked, but are
just like all the other rooms. When you get
out on the sidewalk you give one long breath
of satisfaction, considering that you have had
a h0irbreadth escape, and feeling like the man
who paid the dentist one dollar for drawing an
ugly tooth, declaring that he had on previous
amount of money. Nevertheless you muet
have house. and so you try it again. Up this
street and down that until at last you see bill
in such large letters that you think this must
be o genuine case of a house to let; but you are
to inquire of the house agent. Forthwith you
seek his office. You find that there is great
scarcity of tenements, and that there are other
applicants. He that will give. the most can
Perhaps some of you don't know what bonus
is. 1t is slight consideration, you know; "for
you know people must live; good deal of trouble,
you know; does not half pay anyhow"
bonus is-well, cannot tell what 1t Is. If you
want to know, just ask anybody who, during
the past two years, has wanted TO rent house.
The effect upon one is very much like having
mustard-plaster on the bottom of your feet,
another on the palm of your hand, and one on
the back of your neck, your hands tied behind
your back, and big horse-tiy on the end of
your nose that by no twisting or blowing can
in anywise be induced to vacate the premises.
daughter, continued for several minutes)
But some say Escape all such perpleXities,
and pass your life In boarding-house." Such
a place is sometimes very attractive and home
like. The furniture indicates that there were
vase, the set of oid-time chairs show show" tbst III Il
once was an afhuent home; but disorder or
death came. She who presides at the table
once had other hands to achieve her livelihood.
CarewOrn face. She was persuaded to put her
name to papers that she ought never to have
signed. There are still in the world those
living who devour widows houses, and for a
pretense make long prayers. None may know
duct of household affairs which once were
attended to by other hands long ago folded in
sleep.
But there are boarding-houses where the
home feeling never entered once, and the only
question is how little care can be given in
return for what you pay. You live chiefly in
your trunk, and never find anything you want
until you have pulled everything out and
got down to the last thing on the bottom; nl;
you must swallow the indigestibles. What
melancholy hash! What vast uncertainty of
Aausagei You would be satisfied If you only
k11ew what TINS Is that you pick up from the
;whe * belonged to. Naughter) You send out
wOur emu for more tea on the same platter with