The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-07
MUSIC HALL MORALITY.
by James Greenwood, the "Amateur
Casual

Casual
Twenty years ago amusement for the people
was at low-water mark. Railways were less
numerous and extensive, and railway directors
had not yet thought of working the profitable
field suggested by the little word excursion"
Eight hours by the seaside" TO be compassed
comfortably within a holiday of single sum-
mer's day was a miracle scarcely even dreamt of
by the most sanguine progressiOnist. Tho1-
sands and tens of thousands OF LondonbOrn
men aud women lived and labored through a
long lifetime, and never saw the sea at all.
Sheerness, twenty years ago, was the work ng
mans seaside; and his knowledge of sea sand
was confined to as much of it as was uuplea-
sanity discovered lurking within the shells of
the plate of wrinkles served up at his shil-
ling tea at Gravesend. Even the green
country "far removed trom noise aud smokrp
was, if not sealed book to him, at least a
volume placed on so high a shelf that, after
some experience, he was driven to the conclu-
sion that the pains and penalues attending
climb for it were scarcely compensated by sue
cess apd temporary possession Of the Prize. The
only conveyance at his servlce-aud that only
on recognized holiday occasions was the green
grocer's van, newly painted and decorated for
the event, and in which mixed company OF
the sexes crowded, and were dragged along the
hot and dusty road at the rate oil We miles an
hour, towards Hampton Court or Eppng
Forest, there 10 huddle on the grass, and par
take of a collation. that, but for its four hours,
grilling on the van roof under blazing sun.
would have been cold, with flask-liquor or
InkeWarm beer out OF a stone lar as lluuId
accompauiments. Twenty years ago a CRYSTAL
Paiace had existence nowhere but within the
cover OF that book of wonders, the "Arablan
Nights Entertainments, and the soil out of
which the museum at South Kensington has
sprung was devoted to the growth of cabbagas
In that dark age, however, it is questionable
II the lnconVenlences enumerated were regardel 4
as such' The people knew no better The Jack
or the past generation was Jack -of.all-Work
according to the strictest Interpretation of that
term. 30 seldom did he indulge in a holiday
that he went at 1t as a teetotaer broke loose
goes at hard drinking and 1t unsettled him
on him more real bard labor than his accus-
TONED Jog-trog work'time and he was an
unhappy, dependent man until his excited
nerves grew calm and the tmgllug of his blood
snDslded. Such were the alarming effects on
nlIn mat 1t seemed happy dispensation that
Wnltsun and Easter came each but once a wear,
as man who earned his bread by the sweat
Si UioIn. hls oIowl and who consequently was iu a
Slolent condition OF perspiration during twelve
nouts III each twenty four, 1t is scarcely likely
tnatln az estlon OF evening amusement would
Mucn n tro9ple the working man of that period.
1aded and weary, he was by necessity hearth
and home-lovlng man. BE had neither the
pluck nor the inclination to be any.
thing else. The evening saw hin
plodding homeward, and all his de-
are was to remove his heavy boots from hi,
uTed feet, and engage with all speed in the
demolition of his tea-supper, after which thert
was nothing for 1T but for him to drag his chat
TO the chimney. corner and there sit and smok,
or doZe till bedtime. II he we're inclined for al
hour or SO OF away-irom- home recreation wher
could he find 1t There were the theatres; bu
he so rarely went TO such places that "going 4
the payn was an event not to be treated in az
off.hand mauner, or to be decided on Withou
due deliberaton. Besides, it was a dear treai
B1pposing that he.went into the PIT (he woul
take the ''missus" of course), there would g
two shillipgs, and at least another one for a dro
of something 10 take in and a mOuthful of some