The Secrets of a Savoyard

r Creditors-"Well, Mr. Bundle"-A Thirsty Situation and a Melodramatic Finale-A Stammerer's Story-Comradeship in Adversity-Roaming the Country-

gh unluckily for me, my services as understudy were never required. The D'Oyly Carte companies then, as now, were always a happy family, the membe

dlady we were to get. In these times landladies do not always look on actors as their legitimate "prey." But then they were extortioners, though there were, of course, some pleasant exceptions. I remember, for instance, that in some places we were charged 5s

e best part of two years. But they were not continuous engagements. From time to time we would find ourselves idle and our tiny resources steadily dwindling. Luckily, duri

r, "and in your case that will bring the sense of independence. It will put you on a different footing with everyone you meet, and you will know that at last you are beginning to shape your career yourself. Save everything you can. Save a shilling a week, or two shillings a week

our modest savings had been exhausted during one prolonged period of "resting," I remember being driven by sheer necessity to apply for an engagement at the booth of an old showman at Shepherd's Bush. I had to do something. So I walked up t

showman. "Go over ther

Sorry as things were with us, I just could not come down to th

ntertainers in the villages and small towns of Surrey. It was to be a Commonwealth. Whatever profits there were made were to be divided equally. One week this division enabled us to take 7s. 10d. each! That was the record. What ill-success our efforts had was certainly not due to any want of "booming." The services of a bill-poster were obviously prohibitive. So at the dead of night

did was to take some ramshackle hall or barn, and then to make a brave show with our posters, though the printer was often lucky if he got more than free tickets for all his family to see our performance. Generally our creditors considered that, as there was small chance of getting any money from us, they might as well have an evening o

though the actual words used on the stage were mainly extemporised. "Winging," even when one has theatrical experience behind one, is not at all easy. I know that in "Tom Tug" I dreaded the very thought of having to go on and make w

. Bundle,

r. Bundle

I stamme

el

el

e. "Well?" it yelled, accompanied, so to speak, by a tremendous note

but in my confusion I left behind me the book of words on which we were all depending. From the others in the wings there came anguished whispers. "Where's the book?" "You've

terous "Here I am my darling," I found myself, standing behind her in such a state of stage-fright that I was absolutely "dried up." I could not utter a word. I simply stood behind her limp, speechless and motionl

to the plot). Nowhere on that desert island was water to be found. They sent me out to explore for it while they rolled about the sta

d been in vain. "Not a drop," I croaked in a pa

s through our most anguishing scenes. It transpired that while I was sitting near that fire-bucket the bottom of my Arab cloak had dip

ity man who acted as conductor and orchestra rolled into one, and then went behind the scenes to play the cornet, to act as stage adviser, or at a pinch to take a small part. He was an enthusiast who was here, there and everywhere. "'Oppy," in additio

he used to say, "and the man-an-an-ager he sa-a-a-aid to her, 'Wh-wh-wh-what can you sing?' And she said, 'Ho-ho-ho-home, Sw-we-we-we-weet Ho-ho-home,' And he told her to sing

arers exploding with laughter. "Wh-what makes you all lau-lau-laugh so?" he used to ask, incredulously. "You lau-lau-lau-lau-la

dly. He had been too hungry to wait for us and had already eaten his dinner. So while my wife and I each enjoyed a chop-the first square meal we had had for many a day-he sat by and kept us entertained. Splendid fellow! Little did we guess that as he did so he was suffering the pangs of hunger accentuated by

e act of self-denial might be in some generous manner repaid. Neither inquiries nor advertisements, however, have ever reve

as sore of heart and as hungry as the rest of us, was always ready with some cheery word, some act of kindness, some "goodness done by stealth." Louie and I were rather small in size, and often as we tramped from one place

soldiers gave us a fair amount of patronage at threepence a head. If we did not please them they did not hesitate to fling the dregs of their pint pots on to the stage. One night we felt ourselves highly honoured by the presence of a number of military officers at our perform

, witnessed part of our performance, and engaged us to sing at a garden-party. I remember that, exhausted as we were, gratitude enabled us to give of our very best as the only return we could make for his kindness. He told us it was a great pity that such clever people should be living a precarious existence in the country villages, and

ed casual work as a bill distributor. I had to go from door to door in a certain select part of Kensington. I remember I looked at those gilded walls and those red-carpeted stairs with a good deal of envy. Later on I was destined to visit some of those very houses and walk up those same red-carpeted stairs as a guest-those very houses at which to earn an odd shilling or so to buy bread I had delivered those bills! Yes; and there was one hou

Waterloo Road, and in those days it was a terrible neighbourhood where one's sleep was often disturbed by cries of "murder" and "police." Our baby's cradle was a travelling basket-we could not afford anything better. I remember, in connection with those plaques, that in after years I was dining at the house of a well

dly an imposing stipend for a family man-but the second week it was ten shillings and the third twenty shillings. Singing at occasional smoking concerts and running errands supplemented this mo

managers. Slender as the rewards which the stage had thus far given me were-just a meagre livelihood and precious little encouragement-the call to return to it remained insistent and strong. Sooner or later I was bound to return, and whether it w

er a long wait, just leaving his room and hurrying along a corridor. Without more ado I button-holed him and asked him once again for an engagement. Mr. Carte was not a man who liked that sort of conduct. "You should not interrupt me like this," he said, in a tone that betrayed his annoyance. "You ought to send up your name." Explaining that I had done so and had been told he was out of town, I rep

ith was taken seriously ill with peritonitis. By an effort he was able to continue playing until the Saturday. Then he collapsed

eal to-day I verily believe I should shirk it. But then, the audacity of youth was