Recollections of a player . PLAYEE ward of five pounds was offered for the apprehension of the culprit, but he was neveidiscovered. As I grew older I began to think thatsome other occupation would be morecongenial to me. After the Glasgow sea-son a company was formed to try theirluck in Greenock, a sort of sharing scheme,of which my father became the the running expenses were deducted,the remainder was divided according tothe relative positions held by the actors,the principals, of course, receiving a largershare than the minor members. In those days Greenock was a greatshipping-
Recollections of a player . PLAYEE ward of five pounds was offered for the apprehension of the culprit, but he was neveidiscovered. As I grew older I began to think thatsome other occupation would be morecongenial to me. After the Glasgow sea-son a company was formed to try theirluck in Greenock, a sort of sharing scheme,of which my father became the the running expenses were deducted,the remainder was divided according tothe relative positions held by the actors,the principals, of course, receiving a largershare than the minor members. In those days Greenock was a greatshipping-port. All the heavier vessels laythere, as the Clyde was not sufficiently deepto allow them to go up to Glasgow. Iused to watch the ships come in and out,and, seeing the sailors spend their moneyfreely ashore, I thought that seafaringwould be an ideal life, and resolved toadopt [it. I had not a good appearancefor the character. I was thin and verypale. My parents thought I was quiteunsuited for such a life, and naturally24. Charlotte Cuslinian. RECOLLECTIONS OF A PLAYER they objected; but I became infatuatedwith the idea. I had a sympathizing land-lady, who looked upon the theater as apit of iniquity, and in order, as she said, toredeem me, did her utmost to try to ob-tain for me my hearts desire, to ship onboard some vessel. She wandered with mefrom shipping-office to shipping-office, andtook me on board all sorts of craft, inter-viewing captains and mates, but all to nopurpose ; and despite her explanation thatI was the son of a play-actor, and thatshe was trying to get me out of sic a dis-reputable calling, she could not succeedin gaining for me the opportunity to be-come a jolly Jack Tar. Her last appli-cation settled the business, and she vowedshe would have nothing more to do withit. After much exertion, climbing overtwo vessels to reach a third that lay along-side, we succeeded in obtaining an inter-view with the captain. She began withhim as she had done with the others
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjecttheater, bookyear1902
