THE FIRST HALF-CROWN I EVER EARNED.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1926, Page 16 (Supplement)

THE FIRST HALF-CROWN I EVER EARNED.

BY BETTY' BALFOUR (Squibbs). I can never forget that I owe the very first “salary” I ever earned to a Christmas experience. Incidentally, that experience in some remote way seems to have started me on the career which, for better or worse, I have adopted since. I remember being taken as a very small child to see a pantomime, the leading attraction at which was a low comedienne of the good old ’nineties. Her antics and her quaint speech, but more especially her striking mannerisms, tickled me enormously, and nothing would satisfy me, when I got home, but to stand before my mirror and practise them until I could reproduce every single one “true to life.” In the nursery after this my imitations of the comedienne became quite a standing “show,” and I Was constantly being asked to give demonstrations, while my youthful audience ..-.thrilled with delight. I had enough common sense to keep the game from my parents' knowledge, anticipating trouble if I were caught mimicking anyoneon the stage. One day, early in the New Year, a visitor called to see us. As luck would have it, my mother was out, and I was called upon to look after the old gentleman for a few minutes. He wore clerical garb, and looked rather stern; however, we got on quite well and in a very short time I was telling him all about the pantomime, and giving him a vivid iqiitation of the comedienne’s most' spicy number. At that precise moment my mother came in. I shall never forget the expression of horror on her face. “To your room at once,” she ordered, as I stopped : precipitately. But our guest was laughing so heartily that the tears ran dawn his cheeks. “No, don’t scold her/- It’s very clever," lie said, patting my head and pressing half-aycrown into my hand. So I was forgiven.