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

sum. Being Brlton ana lQyhl man, Shn IL
cheerful sonpp as chief among the support
ing pillars of the Constitution, ne Wouli
very willingly have contrioutea nS ms nrno, snSre
person, was his opportunity Z Truly, he might
drink long life and prosperity to the Queen, and
confusion to her enemies, as ne 9 SAY az n9ne
house; but amidst the dstrscting influences of
domesticty how much of heartiness would
there be in the patriotic sentiment? He might,
as he sat with his feet on the home fender bar,
raise his voice harmonically in praise OF his wife
and 'the troop OF little children at his knee" or
OF Tom Bowling" or "Old John Barleycorn;"
but be would grow weary in less than week of
such pastime, under repeated reminders that
the baby was asleep, or that his fellow-lodgers
were complaining. Even twenty years ago
there were concert rooms" where professional
talent" was engaged and where sixpence was
charged for admi sion but, as a rule, these were
duty, low, disreputable dens, where liquor
little better than poison was, was sold an and
D5 male Inc and e@ female. o. He He had hT" nc5EeP EcP
place of this description. All, then, that
was left TO him was the tavern parlor Sing
song,n or free ndeasy, usually celebrated on
Mondays and Saturdays these being the times
when he was most likely to have a shilling in
his pocket. But what amount of satisfaction
was to be got out of it? Excepting for the
inordinate quantity of malt or sprltuous liquors
the working man felt bound to imbibe for the
good OF the house. the "free-and-easyn was as
aIne as tame could be- The same individual
the landord-occupied the chair invariably;
the same men sang the same songs lit would
have been regarded as most unwarrantable
liberty If Jones had attempted to render ditty
known as WllkinsO; the same jokes were eS-
cbanged the same toasts and sentiments found
utteTanCe. 1t was not enjoyment at all that
occupied the company, but good natured
spirit of fOrbearance and liberation.
Scarcely mau in the room came to
hear singing, but to be heard singing. This was
4 ,oplY, hot drpu mo mi n
| "ree-and-easyn together, and every man, out Of
tender consideration for his own ailllction, was
disposed to treat an exhibition of the prevalent
malady on the part of q nelghbor with kindly
sympathy. But the mornings reflection ensu-
| ing on such an evenings amusement never
failed to disclose the dismal fact that there was
''nothlng IN it"-nothing, that is, but headache
| and remOrse for money wasted.
OF late years, however, the state OF the British
| handicraltsman has undergone an eXiraordt-
| nary change. He is not the same fellow he
! used to be. He has cast aside the ancient man
tie of unquesIioning drudgery that so long hung
! about his dropping shoulders. He has straight
| ened his neck to look about him, process
| which has elevated his view OF matters gene,
! rally at least three inches (and that is good
! deal in the case OF man whose nose IRON boy
! Lood has been kept at the grtndstone, and
| whose vision has been al ways at bare level
| with the top of that useful machine). 1t was
no more than natural that work" being the
theme that had so lorg occupied his attention,
he should, having satisfactorily settled that
udIteI, TURN 10 luS or CT duLlLneSlS, play" ana
make few inquiries as to what amendment
were possible IN that direction. 1t became
evident to him that this portion of the social
machine, no less than the other, was out of
order. 1t appeared ali right from superficial
view; but when you came closely TO examine
1t there were loose screws in every direction,
| and many of the main wheels were so clogged
with Objectionable matter that no decent man
| could safely approach it. This was serious.
| The reformed handcraitsman had leisure nov,
and considerably more money than in the old
and he would pay his shilling for it cheertully.
But, mind you, II must be Mt and proper
amusement, and such as chimei harmoni-
ousy with his newiy;de,yel0;Iped con- Id
intellectual importance. But, looking to the
right and to the left OF him, he failed to disco
yer what he sought; and probably he would to
this very DAY have been vainly inQuiring wnicn
way he should turn, had it not been for certain
enterprising and phianthroptc persons, who,
! ascertainng his need generously undertook the
| task of providing for IT..
| tlemeu in question showed beyond doubt that
they thoroughly understood the matter. What
| you want,n said they to the working man, "is
| something very different from that which now
exists. You like good music, you have an atiec-
| tonate regard for the Or anna; but If at the pre-
sent time you would taste of one or the other
| you are compelled to 40 so under restrictions
! but you cannot do as you like In the theatre.
You must conform to certain rules AMI reguia-
tions, and, in a manner of speaking, are made
to Zoe the mark If you want a glass OF
! you should ?-you caut get 1t. what
! you can get for your sixpence is half pint aud
| gill OF Hat Oh sour stuff in a black bottle, and
! 10 obtain even this luxury you must creep noise.
lessly TO the shabby little relres hment-room and
/ drink it there, and creep back again to your seat
| in the pit as though you had been guilty OF
something you should be ashamed OF. You
! would like pipe or a cigar; you are used to
smoking of evenings, and deprivation IRON the
! harmless indulgence disagrees with you. No
matter; you must not smoke within the walls ol
a theatre; if you attempted it the constable
would seize you and never loose his hold on
your collar until he had landed you on the
! outer pavement.
''Now what you require, and what you shall
| have, is a happy blending OF the theatre and
the opera house and the highly respectable
tavern paIlor, place the atmosphere OF which
| shall be so strictly moral that the nnest- bred
lady in the land may breathe 1t without
danger, and at the same tiAe place where
q gentleman accompanying lady may take his
sober and soothing glass OF grOg or tank9rd or
ale and smoke his cigar as innocently and
peacefully as though he sat by his own hresidt
at home. We will have music both vocal anc
| Instrumental, the grand singing OF the grea
| Italian masters. ba lad-singng touching anC
pathetic and funny singing that shall promote
harmless mirth while it not in the least oheEd
the most prudsh ear. We will have operas; W.
will nave ballets. Should the public voice sane
| ton it, occasionally we will have chaste aero
batic performances and f. ats OF tum0llng auC
jugglery; but in this last mentioned matter W.
are quite in the han1s OF our patrons. Enjoy
ment pure and simple Is our motto, ana Dy II
we shall stand or fall"
This, in substance, was the prospectus OF the
first music hall established in London, and the
public expressed IT'S approval. How the fail
promises of the ORIGINAL promoters OF the
scheme were redeemed we will not discuss.