Between You and Me

enhead than I was in Glasga. Gi'en I was gae'in there some time, I could save my siller by

. So I was like Mahomet when the mountain wouldna gang to him. I needed London mair then than L

ill and a' I could no see hoo they made oot I was sae foolish to be tryin' for London. Mebbe they were richt who said I could get no opening in a London hall. Mebbe the ithers were richt, too, who said that if I did the audience wou

ere were no bounds to the future I saw before me! Success in London is like no success in the provinces. It means fa

his specialty; he did little business in London itself. He was a decent body; he'd got me the week

you singers and performers from the provinces woul

t," I said, rather dryly. "What's

You all do. You're doing splendidly in the provinces, Harry. You're making more money t

said. "You think there's na

more. No manager would give you a turn now. If he did he'd be a fool, because his audience wouldn't stand for you.

me as many engagements, and as good ones, as he could, since he got a commission on all I earned through him. But if he did not believe

e moved from a resolution I've once ta'en. I was shaken a bit by the agent, I'll not mind tellin' ye, for it seemed to me he must know better than I. Who wa

we made a round o' all the music hall offices, and saw the managers, richt enow. Yell mind they were all agreeable and pleasant tae me. They said they we

gie'd me the opportunity to talk to the managers mysel'. Still, they made me feel my a

up wi' me, after the kindness he'd shown me. We went into a restaurant in the Strand. I was no hungry; I was tae

ot seen!" said Munroe, suddenly,

that?"

. You'll like him, whether he can do a

came over toward our t

in the Westminster Bridge Road

ity and interesting bills, owing to the personality of its manager, who was never afr

ou, Tom," said Munroe. "Shake hands

end of the conversation in gude enow fashion, bad as I felt. But when, Munroe put in a word aboot ma business in London I

s manner was still pleasant enough, but much of his effusive cordial

median," I

his hand,

boy, don't be angry, but there's no use. We've had Scotch comedians here in London be

rent frae them ye talk of. Why not let me sing you

ntly. "I know What my audiences like and what they

s we were getting more notice from Tinsley than we had had frae

time to hear the man sing a song you do as much for all

around to my office at half past four and I'll see what's to be done for you. You can thank this nuisance of a Mu

incentive for me to ke

, when I got there, I

busy to l

Just for to-night. If you'll bring your traps down about ten o'clock you can have a show. But I d

e provinces and I'll be surprised if I don't get a hand here in

sort altogether. You've got one of the hardest audiences in the world to please, right in this hall. I

on; I knew there would be no one to blame but myself. If I sang as well as I could, if I remembered all my business, if, in a wo

noo, that when ye fail it's aye y

t to be my turn. I was verra tired; I'd been going aboot since the early morn, and when it had come supper time I

hoose break into laughter at the first wee waggle o' my kilt, but that nicht it was awfu' still. I keened in that moment what they'd all meant when they'd tauld me a London

heered me-the beginnings of a great laugh. The sound was like wind rising in the trees. It came down from the gallery, leaped across the stalls

all-Again" then, and ended with "The Lass o' Killicrankie." I'd been supposed to ha' but a short turn, but it was hard for me to get off the stage.

gh to faintin' as I made my way to my dressing room. I had no the strength to be changin' ma clothes, just at first, and I

. "I never thought you could-you've proved

k I'll do

nerous man,

ou'll be having the managers from the West End halls camping on your doorstep. I've se

he hit I had made reached them. I bore them no malice, though some of them had been ruder than they need ha' been when I went to see them. They'd had their chance; had they listened to me and recognized wha

n custom that's never spread much to America, that lets an artist appear at sometimes

, though I'm blowed if I see what it is!"

at it is, maybe, they don't see. 'Deed, and I'm no sure I know mysel'. But here's a

o' that Scotch bloke?" o

r began

e meant? I didn't," he said. "Not '

they knew their audiences. But the two costers could ha' told them a thing or two. It was just sicca they my agent and the managers and a' had

be by hame in Scotland, belike I'd be workin' in the pit still. But whene'er I sing a character song I study that character. I know all aboot him. I ke

wad be recognized in the streets and wherever I went. I had an experience

"London Particular" had me fair puzzled. Try as I would I couldna find ma way dow

ed him, "can ye not put

ra

d then began to lau

ngry, too. But he only laughed louder and louder, and I thocht the man was fou, so I made to jump away, and trust someone else to guide me. But he

oroughly alarmed. "You've got the wr

? Ye look like him, ye talk like him! An' fancy meetin' ye here!

ief, even though he nearly shook the hand off

aid. "Here's a bob to

e. Then, when he had put

e pass for the show, ma

true Scots on the