The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-07


hundred and fifty guineas at least was there ia
waiting, ready to whirl the popular PoIgers to
the Administer as soon as the Oxbrldge could
The 0xb1idge as usual, was Gro gded the
body of the hall, the slxpenny part, by working.
men and their wives, with sprlukllug of Jolly
dog" and budding beardess puppies OF the
sane breed, whose pride and delight 1t is to
emulate their elders As regards the audi
.nid e2ide' 19is ,h IS the hNav worst tina tnat may be
Sas WSs plain 'he OGdy glance the h%l na,oay
that the bulk of the people there were mostly
people not accustomed to music halls and orIy
induced to pay them visit on account Of the
hghlyrespectable character the music halls
are in the habit of giving themselves In their
placards and in the newspapers. In the stalls
ana the more expensive parts of the house, aud
very different Here were congregated selec-
tlons from almost every species OF vice, both
male and female, rampant in London. Here
was the Brummagem "swell" with his Hounds
ditch jewelry and his Whitechape gentility, and
the wel-dressed blackguard with pound to
spend, and the poor, weak. minded wretch OF
the Champagne ChAren school, and the pro.
iessonal prowler hoverlng about him with the
full intent OF pucking him If he finds the chance.
As for the females OF this delightful clique, it is
sufficient to say that they Piled their trade
without the least attempt at concealment. Aud
why should they not? who is to check then?
Not the proprietor OF the 0xbridge. 1t is a fact
that he admits them without charge, seeing his
interest therein. What else should take Cham
payne Charlie to the 0xbridge, and the host of
''swellsn who order neat little suppers and
recklessly fling down their soyereigns to pay Tor
wine that in sufficient quantity would sicken a
hog? OF what use Is "Ihe body of the hail" to
the proprietor? How far do paltry sixpences
go towards paying Podgers his three guineas
night? What profit is there on the price
charged Bill stubbs for his pint of stout? Not
but that the frequenters OF the sixpenny part are
very useful; indeed, to speak truth, the OK
bridge, could not get on well without them.
They keep up appearances, and present sub
stdntial contradiction to the accusation that
the masic hall is nothing better than haunt
Tor drunkenness and debauchery.
But surely" the reader may eXc,aim, "un-
less the company for whom the music hall
was originally designed found the worth of
their money, they would cease to pauo-
Rze 16e place Ihey go for the purpose Of
are not disappointed" l am 10th to say as much
IN the face OF the Popular Podgers and the I'm
mense Vamp, but should be vastly surprised if
the only element of respectability frequenting
the OXbridge was not only disappointed but
shocked and disgusted, and that very often. |
cannot explain why, after being shocked they
should make a second attempt except that they
are lured to "Iry again." aud that folks of not
over sensitive mind grow used to shockC. 1t
these music-hall songs were really written for
the respectable portion of the auditory there
would not be the least occasion why they should
be composed almost entirely of ndecency
and drivel; but the fact is these are the
persons whose tastes are not at all studied
in preparing the evening bill Of fare.
The individuals the song writer's writes up
to and the singer sings up to are the needless,
and abandoned, and disreputable ones who
have money to squander. The proprietor
knows his customers. Where would be, the
use of setting before tipsy ''swelp' (uuless,
indeed, he bad arrived at the maudlin, IN
VIII CHI condition he is profitable 10 no one)
wholesome, simple ballad? He would howl it
down before the first verse was accomplished.
| He must have something to chime with the
| how Vulgar, or how defiant of propriety, and
| he can obtain l. at the music hall. The I'm
| mense Vamp is his obedient servant as IS the
Prodglous Podgers and the Tremendous TIT,
| Any one would think, and not unreasonably,
| when he sees year in and year out flaming
announcements of the engagements here aud
there of these gentry. that there must be
| something in them; that, however pecular
| their talent, it is such as recommends itself
to something more than the passing admlra-
| tion of those who witness it; but it is nothing
OF the kind. Take any hat.dozen of the
most popular of our 'comc singers
and set them singing four of their most faVorite
songs each, and will warrant that twenty out
| OF the full number will consist of the interest
| trash that is possible to conceive. 1t would not
be much matter If the trade were harmless
not uni1equently 1t is most pernicious. Take
| batch OF tnese precious productions, and you
will tnd the one theme constantly harped on: it
| is all about a young chap" and "youug gall"
| or an 'old chap" and an "old gal, and their ex.
ploits, more or less indecent. A prolific subject
with these great" artists is the Spooney court.
| ship OF young man who Is induced to accom-
pany the object OF his affections 10 her abode
| and wbeu there get robbed and ill-used. As the
Immense Vamp sings
II WAS going TO 20 when In came a felIer
And he sn ashed my hat with lis umbre la,
And blacked my eye, and didn't bellowH'
The male singer of the music hall, however.
whether ne takes the shape of the impudent
clown who pretends to comicalIty, or of the
spoony sentimentalst who tenderly gushes
forth such modern enchanting melodies as
| maggie May" or meet me in the Lane,n is not
| the most pernicious ingredient that composes in
It's entirely the music hall hero. Time was when
with liberal sleeping OF Vamps, and Podgers,
and Smuttymans the decoction proved strong
enough, but, like indulgence IN other poisons,
what is a sufficient dose this year Is useless as
water next. 1t was found necessary TO
strengthen the miXture-to make 1t hotter Of
that Kind OF spice most grateful 10 the palate Of
the vulgar suob with a pound to spend. To
effect this, there was nothing tor it but to INTRO
duce the comic female element, or, as she more
moderny styles herself, the "serio-comic." The
"serion however, is not obtrusive. You seek
for il in vain in the brazeD pretty face, in the
dress that is exactly as much too high as it is
too low, in the singers gestures, looks, aud
bold advances. Decent men who, misled by
placards and newspaper advertisements, take
their wives and daughters 10 the 0Xbridge or
the Administer, may, as they listen, unge III
shame at the blunder they have committed; but
the dashDg, pquant, saucy delneator OF what
Jolly Gals are We" has the ears and the yelling
admiration of the brainless snoos and puppies
before alluded to, and the mad noises they
make, demanding repetition of the detestaoe
ditty, quite drown the feeble Kisses of remon-
STRANGE the decent portion of the auditory may
venture to utter. Some time since, during the
theatre and music hall controversy, a worthy
London magistrate announced from his judicial
bench that on the evening previous he bad
visited one of the most popular of the halls,
and found everything cTeditable aud discreet,
md a