Roamin’ in the gloamin’ (1928)

CHAPTER SEVEN" THE LURE OF THE ROAD Shortly after I was married I had seriously to consider the question of my future, whether I was going to remain a miner or take up the stage as a business. Sometimes it happened that I had to leave my work for a few hours or even for a day in order to carry out my professional engagements. As a "local celebrity" I was given quite a lot of latitude by the pit "gaffers" under whom I worked but it was very plain to me that this sort of thing could not go on indefinitely. Nance and I discussed the problem over and over again. So far as she was concerned her last word was always, "Just please yersel', Harry." I had now got together a fairly extensive repertoire of songs, comic and sentimental, and I felt that if I could only bring myself to take the plunge everything would work out all right. But it was a difficult situation. As a miner I was sure of a good wage ; as a comedian my income was by no means certain. I had practically decided to remain in the mines, only accepting an occasional engagement near home, when Fate again took a hand in my destiny. Resting in front of the fire one evening after a hard day's work at the coalface, my eye caught an advertisement in the Evening Citizen. It read — "Comedian wanted for six weeks' Scottish Tour With Concert Party. Apply Soand-So, Glasgow." I pointed out the advertisement to Nance. We looked at each other. "What about having a cut at it ?" I said. Again the old phrase, "Just please yersel', Harry!" Deciding that no great harm could come of at least finding out the particulars I wrote a letter of application there and 82