AN OLD STAGE STORY.

Western Star, 31 March 1911, Page 4

AN OLD STAGE STORY.

Mr. George Grossmlth often met Irving when on his travels, and once they were both staying at the Queen’s Hotel, Manchester. Mr. Grossmith had to leave first, and, seeing an enormous crowd outside, he said to the porter : “Are those people waiting to sec me leave the hotel ?” The porter replied, ‘'‘No, sir ; they are waiting to see Sir ’Enry Hlrving.” Mr. Grossmith said, “But doesn’t Sir Henry find this a hit of a nuisance ?” The porter said, “It does worry him a bit, sir ; he doesn’t like it.” Mr. Gossmith there and then decided to do him a good turn. He had ’his fur-lined coat on, so he pulled up his collar a bit, adjusted his pince-nez, pulled bis Homburg hat over his brow, and strutted down the steps with the Irving gait. The cheering was great, and when Sir Henry came down a little later, he found no crowd awaiting him. Sir Henry hoard of the incident afterwards, and, with a humorous twinkle in his eye,, said to Mr. Gossmith, “Yon ought not to have done that ; I pay these people to come here every night.”