Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-14
IN THE MUSIC HALLS,
Jerome Z. Jerome Tells Of His First
and Second Visits to Them.
THE FIRST WORKED A Reform.
A Battle at Billingsgate Between . Per
former and an Auditor.
MADE FAMOUS By A TONGUE-LAsHING
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATcH.l


My first appearance at at a music hall
was in the year of grace one thousand eight
hundred and s. we'll, would rather not
mention the exact date. 1 was IA at the
time. 1t was during the Christmas holi-
days and my aunt had given me shillinga
to go and see Phelps-I think it was Phelps
in ''Coriolanus''-I think it was "Corio-
lanus." Anyhow, it was to see high-class
and improving entertainment, know.
I suggested that 1 should get young Skeg-
son, who lived in our road, to go with me.
Skegson is a barrister now, and could not
tell you the difference between knave of
clubs and club of knaves. A few years
hence he will, if he works hard, be innocent
enough for Judge. But at the peroid of
which speak he was a rcd-haired boy of
worldly tastes, notwithstanding which I
loved him as brother. My dear
mother wished to see him before con-
senting to the arrangement, so as to be
able to form her own opinion as to
whether he was fit and proper compan-
ion for me; and, accordingly, he was invited
to tea. He came, and made most favora-
bic impression upon both my mother and
my aunt. He had a way of talking about
the advantages of application to study in
early life, and the duties of youth toward
those placed in authority over it, that won
Tor him much esteem in grown-up circles
The spirit of the bar had descended upon
skegson at very early period of his career.
Satan in Juvenile shape.
My aunt, indeed, was so much pleased
with him that she gave him shillings
toward MS own expenses (''sprung half a
dollar" was how he put it when we got out
side), and commended me to his especial
care Skegson was very silent during the
journey. An idea was evidently maturing
in his mind. When we reached the Angel
he stopped and said: "Look here, I'll tell
you what Well do. Don't let's go and see
that rot. Let's go to music hail."
l gasped for breath. I, had heard of
music halls A stout lady had denounced
them across our dinner table on one occa-
sion, fixing the while steely eve upon
her husband, who sat opposite and seemed
uncomfortable, as low, horrid places,
where people smoked and drank, and
wore short skirts and had added an opinion
that they ought to be put down by the po-
lice. I also recollected that our charwoman,
whose son had lately left London for pro-
eiaCsCu III DeVOuSHlTe, ndQ, III CONVEX
sation with my mother, dated his downfall
from the day when he first visited one of
these places; and likewise that Mrs Phil
cox's nursemaid, upon her confessing that
she had spent an evening at one with her
young man, had been called q shameless
hussy and summarily dismissed as being no
longer fit associate for the baby. But the
spirit of lawlessness was strong within me
In those days. so that hardened to the voice
Of Skegson, the tempter, and he lnred my
feet from the paths that led to virtue and
Sadlers Wells, and we wandered into the
broad and crowded ways that branch off
from the Angel toward merry Islington.
A Very Satisfactory Smoke.
skegson insisted that we should do the
thing in style, so we stopped at a shop near
the Agricultural Hall and purchased some
big cigars. A huge card in the window
claimed for these that they were "the most