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176 ROAMIN' IN THE GLOAMIN'
when her ladyship returned with the Royal command that I had "just to begin at the beginning of the list and his majesty would tell me when to stop !"
My concert took place in what seemed to me to be one of the greatest underground vaults of the turreted castle. As there was a big house party at the Abbey for Doncaster Races the audience numbered forty or fifty people. The King sat well forward in the "Stalls" beside his host and hostess; near them were many lords and ladies and other members of the British aristocracy while in the rear seats were gathered the officials, esquires, lacqueys, butlers, footmen, and maidservants down to — I presume — the humble dishwashers and stable grooms. There was a nice little stage with a piano in one corner to which John tremblingly advanced when Lady Savile gave us the signal to begin. I began with "I Love a Lassie," went on with "Tobermory," "We Parted on the Shore," "Stop Yer Ticklin', Jock!" and before I knew where I was, so to speak, I had sung half a dozen songs. But still there was no indication from the great personage in the "front of the house" that he had had enough. So I just went on to sing every song that I had jotted down on the list, ten in all, and ending with "When I Get Back Again to Bonnie Scotland." That number finished I went to the footlights, bowed several times and nodded to John to leave the piano. "And that's all I can sing tonight," I announced, "because I have no more music with me!" As a matter of fact I was completely exhausted.
A few minutes later I was having a rub-down in the dressing-room when a Royal equerry came to say that his majesty wanted to see me. "Like this?" I asked jocularly, indicating the state of nakedness in which I was at the moment. The official laughed, said he would explain to the King and that perhaps his majesty would wait for me. He did so — and I can truthfully say that I am one of the few men in the world who ever kept a King waiting! A few