A MAX O’RELL STORY.

Northland Age, Volume V, Issue 16, 7 December 1908, Page 2

A MAX O’RELL STORY.

A proof of Scottish bonhomie (writes Mr. Max O’Rell in his " Remininiscences"), was experienced by my manager, in thq provinces of Otago, New Zealand, which province is almost entirely inhabited by Scottish people, a fact which easily accounts for its being perhaps the most prosperous part of the British Empire. We had a night off, and my manager, an excellent slave driver, felt very miserable at the idea that, I was going to spend an evening idle, that is to say without lecturing. So he worked hard and finally succeeded in booking a little village, conveniently situated about half-way between the towns where I had to appear. There was no public hail in that village, but -this did not disturb him. He made arrangements svith a good old Scotch lady, who kept a school in tho place, and decided to have tho lecture delivered in the large schoolroom. There was very little time to work and advertise the entertainment in the neighbourhood—only one day. The weather did its worst for us ; nobody could come to us from any distance, and the result was a very bad house. Well, it served my manager right for not allowing me to rest that night, and I felt almost glad. Now the Colonies are overrun with poor strolling performers, reciters, actors, singers, ventriloquists, entertainers of all sorts, who are quite happy and cpntented if the nightly receipts enable them to pay their local expenses and buy a railway ticket for the. next town. No doubt, the good Scotch 1 lady thought I might be one of those. The diay after the lecture my manager received a letter from her. Dear Sir," she said, "allow me to sympathise with you. The lecture was very good, and we enjoyed it very much. Feel sure that the bad weather alone was responsible or the small attendance you had. Next time you come, you will do very much better. I send you, by beaflrer, a parcel, to the contents of which you are quite welcome." We opened the parcel. The contents were—a pair of left-off trousers ! They did not fit either of us.