The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-07
A PEEP BEHIND THE SCREEN.


From the Pail Mall Gazette.
It is an old saying that half the world does
not know how the other half lives. Between
us and our peighbors great social gulf Is
fixed. or cold and impenetrable mist of an
tipathy hangs, or screen of some kind in
tervenes But occasionally there is vouch-
safed to us a hurried peep behind that screen;
and then, in a twinkling of an eye, there are
revealed to our astonished senses Gu
rious phases of existence and satisfactory
explanations of puzzling phenomena. For
instance, men who had no fear OF forty
shillings damages before their eyes, met toge-
ther lately for the publicly avowed purpose of
committing "a combined assault upon Satan.
The reason of SO violent proceeding at the
particular juncture was to seek; and it has
been found. Whoever would peep behind
the screen must keep his eye upon the adver-
tisement sheets of newspapers. Now the
assaulting party above mentioned, being COM
posed for the most part of elergymen, would
naturally be well up in the contents of all the
sporting papers. They would, therefore, un-
doubtedly have seen the following announce
ment:-
banquets lsvees, and drawing-rooms at Pandemo-
mum during the ensuing autumn, TO which about
10000 of his faithful disciples Will be invited ii. g.
M will at those drawlng-rooms and receptions,
number a lot OF beasts, and distribute series OF
rewards, varying in value from e1oO to 1Os. OF her
Tickets one smiling each application for which
Mr.. w. S., H street, c.. No personal
application must be made. and no notice will be
taken OF those which do not contain a directed and
held q few days before the Feast OF the Croydon
Stseplechases, tickets of admission to which must
be applied for before November &C."
From which it would appear that the enemy
is bodily amongst us, and has taken up his
quarters, as might have been expected, with
the sporting fraternity. 1t is hardly necessary
to draw attention to the happy manner in
which the announcement suggests that pro-
family is inseparable from steeple chasing.
Another peep behind the scenes of clerical
life is afforded in the following advertise
ment:-
"Wn the Rev. r. r. A., who forwarded his carte
de-vsite to the editor Of the London Journal for
sMyrtle' some time since, send another to Miss
B-5 Post once, Hastings, as she has not re-
The next peep afforded will explain in q
more or less satisfactory manner phenome-
non which must have attracted some notice.
For it will be generally allowed that gentle
man cannot have his whiskers burned or in
any way injured without attracting the atten-
tion of his family and intimate friends, at
any rate as many of them as happen to be of
the feminine gender. They would not, per-
haps, like to question him upon the subject,
lieved (or very much the contrary by the
singular request hereto annexed
"Would Mr. A. M. kindly call upon the lady who
burned his whiskers by accident, as she has some
thing Of Importance to communicate to him ?"
The important communication had reference,
of course, to some kind of "hair restorer;
but why was it necessary to advertise 1t is,
no doubt, possible that lady might acci.
dentally burn gentleman's whiskers even in
the best society; but one would suppose that,
If he was too much overcome at the time to
impart to him the important secret of restora
tive remedies, she might have afterwards
managed to reach him by some more private
means than the advertising columns of q
newspaper. Here is another case:-
'aThe two ladies who met gentleman between
the Minories and Blackwell Railway Station OF
Tuesday last about one, dressed Toilette de Prone
made, are earnestly requested TO meet him at thS
Charlng-cross station on Iuesuay AFTERNOON, iroH
three TO four"
There is q striking vagueness of descrip-
ton; for it would have been more remarkable
had the ladies', under the circumstances, beer
dressed in dishabille or in evening costume,
and "a gentleman" might be considered
almost useless for purposes of Identification.
Some idea, also, is given of the nomadic life
which must be led by certain people who
seem to be able to find no other trysting
places than the various railway stations
However, ladies are notoriously very quicl
of apprehension, and it is not so surprising
therefore, as some miracles are, to find tina
the advertisement was answered as follows
ssrhe Two Ladies (Toette de Promenade) VIII b
at the Charing Cross Station on Tuesday"
Here is another case:-
'pThe Lady who was at Baker Street Station at hal
mast seven on Monday evening, 18th, and who took
train proceeding west, travelling nrst-class, Is ca
nestly requested by the Gentleman on opposite pla
form TO communicate with him. Address +. b., A.
c. street, u. o."
Opinions will probably differ as to the pa
ticular phase of life therein revealed but it
most romantic to believe that, as a Knight {
the Round Table was wont to conceive
never-dying passion from one glance OF
fair strangers eyes, so the gentleman and tt
lady interehanged one meaning look over IL
rails, which might not be crossed, and th
he forthwith set out to WOO and win her, NJ
with sword and lance but with advertisemel
and the Daily Telegraph. It is quite toucl
ing to observe how that for him, poor maj
there was but one lady, when the 'fancy-fre
bystander would probably have seen dozt
ladies. Here is another case
.srHE YeuNa LADY at the Upper Refreshme
Rooms. Agricultural Show, for whom trumpet W
bouQht is requested TO send her Address to A.
as BOX, Post once, CO
Surely a tale hangs thereby. Surely it To
how rustic swain came up to London for I