An Aristocratic Rolling-Stone.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 11980, 31 January 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

An Aristocratic Rolling-Stone.

There have been several notable instances during the last few years of young peers resorting to unconventional methods of making a living, such as acting, casual newspaper writing, and travelling for trading firms; but the most venturesome and versatile of all is Lord Lyveden, whose experiences as an aristocratic " rolling stone " are recalled by his appearance (says the London correspondent of the " Age") in the provinces as a dramatic reciter. Before he succeeded to his title not long ago he had tried a startling variety of occupations. As a youth he was intended for the army, but failed to pass the preliminary examination, and apparently he did not avail himself of the social influence which, according to the recent commission on the education of army officers,- usually comes to the aid of embarrassed young gentlemen of his caste. He then joined the Royal Artillery as a private, but bought himself out at the end of eight months, concluding that even for an aristocrat the prospect of promotion from the ranks is not exhilarating. For a time he found a more congenial pursuit in the life of the theatre, and he progressed so far as to achieve a " second lead" with the Bancrofts in London. Next we hear of his descent to the Bowery end of New. York, where he took service as a waiter! He can scarcely have become a capitalist in that position} but he contrived somehow to get enough money to start shortly afterwards a mnsery garden in North Carolina.. Gardening, however, did not suit his temperament. His next move was to become a steward on a boat trading between Wilmington and New York. After an unusual spell in this post—about two years —he got ashore again and joined a travelling dramatic company, zigzagging throughout the United States. Back once mere in England, he spent the next few years as a provincial actor, as manager of a touring company of his own, and as a nurseryman. The latter occupation was only a slight relapse, and presently he took to the sea again. He was successively assistant steward on the liner Paris, bedroom steward on the Royal Mail steamer Nile (trading to Brazil, where he contracted yellow fever), upper saloon steward on a vessel in the Manx trade, purser on the same ship, chief steward on the Polytechnic steam yacht Ceylon, and finally ona of the caterers to the General Steam Navigation. Company. He had just vacated his last post when he came into his inheritance.