ANECDOTES OF THE LATE CHARLES BILLION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 25 February 1882, Page 2 (Supplement)

ANECDOTES OF THE LATE CHARLES BILLION.

ILLOH'S READING AT VANCOUVER ISLAND.' "Victoria City,. Vancouver Islaiid, has a' very mixed population, Although the seat of Government, it is not the home o£ the Muses, yet it possessed a theatre, and being there (said Dillon) I was induced to appear in it, As I could not act without a company a "reading" was suggested, and ultimately 'The Christmas Carol' decided on. The night arrived, and the -theatie was full, but the assembly was a very •mixed one indeed, The Governor, Bishop, and'officials of every class occupied the reserved seats in the solemnity of evening dress; but the pit Was more varied in rank and costume, iind tjumber'ed among its occupants tradesmen, lumber men of the docks, and-Sea'fhen—some strangely under the influenced I soon dis'coveied; These men will, never ;Se attentive to a reading; I directly thought; but,'glancing at the gallery, I was dismayed atfading it occupied by Chinese coolies and carrier'' Indians 'from the Snakfe District, who happened at this juncture to liein.Victoria. Tliey, evideiiily had 'paid one shillibei ahead'tiilder thejirripression that l'Was-someopdiy'on' tHe j a' conjurer, manner .poker wis registered and'all rights jirotefctedv "Here was a set ta read-.' TheChristmasQarol'' .Beiote; We shall have,a,ftee fight before!. get to the end of the 'fitst stave.' .Sending formyagen'i,,' 1 Why didyouadmit Ihb Chinese'?rid India'ns ?" I indignantly "'to *'• quiet reading like this ?'* '•' l covildn't keep' •'enroiit, th% with a iush.". "'Uutyou 'should^haVb- explained. its.nature," : I bawled;; "How could I;" re'pliedimy agent; I don'tknow languagi'; 1 besides:, 'tee socager' tp get in didn't think It'sMejto refuso : their money.! '''lt 'wilj lie '(af Wore, dapgeriilS to keep it after I (wjjidj'' J/gfimly rejoined; " Go home .and ]tud() frpni!iVeiybody till the morning. .If this {night 'enpSifatailyj tlie : ra()hfey wiH.be/aseM for Tuiietal expenses,". I cynically observed, as the imp>tienc?iof the audiencei \yarp<jdme of the danger'of longer delay.: With,a?forebodln'g of a storm, I resolutely jentered and bowed; A death-like; stillness followed my enthusiastic reception, and looking round, in the l most sonorous tones I Could command, began; "Marley is as deadasadoor-nail." " I'm-blessed if it isn't a recitation,'! exclaimed a drunken sailor. Cries of order soon begat attention, and again I repeated ."Marley was dead as a door-nail." "Oh, bury the beastl" cried another inebriate; " to think of paying two bob for rubbish like this." I tried to ignore ihis.interruptioD, and continued; but the: disappointed tars were irrepressible. Wake us with a comic song," suggested one, "Aye! with a chorus," added another j "we'll join, Mr, Georgey Barnwell," "No, nol protested the-lumber men," No, Barnwell ; Dickens |" Dickens!"' This section of the audience now took.possession of the house, and with the noisy tyranny of lungs pfevented ahy otte but themselves being heard, 1 -The Jack Cade-like demand 'to return the money' I feared was coming next, but this apprehension was banished by the indignant Governor rising, and ordering' the police to remove the disturbers.' A scene of indisoribable 'confusion followed, 'and a limited free-fight immediately The scuffle below aroused the Indians : and Chinese in-the ]>aflery ! from their apathy. Something congenial was at last occulting,

-mill they hoppel about ancnrang over sjie .railing Hte «cited anjmala in a cage jbut. the | (intarajtefnf ramantrat the dull and moriotonbusTendeHng or a story, not a syllable ol finished and the house empty they realised that they werenbl.satlsfiedj snd'so'deiietided' in a body to the emptyf pjiy-box to get back i their money. I had to allow the proprietor fiVejdpllarsfoiitepaif-of IgdM-nsti ;repeat my reading, at Vancp^yerlsland." r. Dur ing ion h ,of JP i j 1,0nL?3 • tfli Lincolti,j the; j time; being ! lhe attendance-wasyinpst plied slight conveyed in.theippop ; h.ouse^ffect.J jed Dillon's temper)} iipj.was ;-capt;oas irri«I tille .throughout.? j, A hair drunken Ibutcljer ,la j the . pit' expressing. : so(ne*disse|)t ( tp meuts Cpriolanus .was i utring, :r iHon ud-, denly .stopped, walked forward, and fpus.de.. limed himself :-"This ,js,,no{,t|)fiifir3(|timei that,gentleman jhas interrupted nine tQ'f\ighl>;F possibly lie'does not like my ; manne/ l p.f,re.ifi( dering th'i.character; t ,but ; I : .n))ist!, hitn! I have played it : before. Royalty, the;members' of. Legislative Assemblies,, the: J.upicial Bflwlv and .tlie,heads;of colleges andjliteriry.spcieliesi; 'ami; ai>yays with... satisfaction.': ~ jli .Is% ais p., played before Kaffirs, and the Australianjbus.bmen, wbiphi I deemed the lowest type,pfthe.huraat) face,!', but for gross stupidity, and brutal ignorance j never encountered, any. one ';to eqijal,. that gentleman now fitting ig. thepjt(pointiag at; the butcher). As, ;my: - .is not approved of, ladies and,gentle,nian,', we will drop the curtain, qpdi ypu can;,receive;your, money back at the doors. 1 ! Theevening|s en-, tertainment thus summarily ( ended..'

RIVAL MANAGERS,' ' ' "I crossed," said unhealthy' Central American Railway (every 'yatd of its labourers' bones, according to popular report) 1 , and got safely to San .Francisco; 1 Had corres-' ponded with and received, offers'from; both managers of this prosperous city, iiiii elected .toact at Mr. C—'s hplise. The ppppsitydnv wtjje'erecalled on me'as soon as I arrived';' 'jirofedV£tji said he hailed from Boston," ana, -wSs:i)<jt#mplimentary to his fame; being tlie . wfong-®t>l.was not cordial in my'retfepjidri. Wellf pfifjfo now'you've come yov'll.fizz,' I;.tell hel" 'I have placarded you for'ml&^ound; id fact, you are a perfect blaze;of on the walls. 1 ' Well, but. to you," I coldly i-ejoiriedV. '* IVgo' to'tliV other theatre,",' ;''^'Yuu' , apnV| sirj" continued lie positively,,'" I 'f never break!et|gagemenls," I answered.'" Trten youjlj haye s tq begio in Frisco, ' Wiiat'il you. open in ?'! said s lie, coolly. "In nottiing with' youj" I rtpliid, aiigrily. . Ido not act at 1 yourtheatifejAir, I tell you,'? ' "Men you'll not l otherj' for Qp-p lias got no, company,lll tell you," he He hild; last\v«.k, fori received his'listbfnamep.". "Jess,so, only to force you' into'tty'liiuse I have bought over his whole aciing'cotpS. ' ' So you'll have to draw wellto pay'.me, 1 , iriind." "That's sharp conduct, butVely dßcreaftabldJ", I observed indignantly. " Yes^^it's''smart.; ain'i il P" he chuckled j " but' we ity«i'fasti 1 sir,, on lliis side the Pacific Slope'," L ' i: ' ' " ' A MODEL HALLKSBtER, R.esolving,to'keep ray engag'eraeijt iii'SahFrancisco, I looked round for a company,' John W, (comedian, and anold friend).'was the 'spot; but, as he suffered' occasionally - frorti i i delirium tremens, was . not very reliable, heavy gentleman who was; willing to leave the 1 hospital,' was also available j and the mdniget' got a few. people -from neighbouring»to*ns,: ffith this scratch team I decided on openirtg in 'Belphegor,' and rehearsals were called;' Ai ■ young lady of the States, who called herself: Maud Montmorenci,' was selected-fromiheii youth for the boy Henri. From no'othercause I am sure, as, she possessed neither dramatic capacity,, sense, nor sensibility. As' much depended on the sympathetic Expression of this part; I laboured heavily :to give iher some conception of it, but in vain, :At>lenglb' she grew obstinate, burst 'into tears, and left 1 me fto play it myself.'. This was a dead lock,' 'Come and have,a drink, Charley,' said>my friend W,, 'and we'll think what is best to be done.' Having a drink was his ordinary wayof solving all difficulties,.l soon discoyejed, Proceeding'through'(he hall for. this:drink, a tall, powerfully built man,; with, one eye, who was the hall porter, put his, huge hand .npon my chest and rudely stopped me. 'You Dillon,' look here ; l am paying my addresses toiMissMaud Mowntmorenci; observed' this Cyclops - viciously! r Tate your handdowh; i'eljow, pd, stand I replied 1 angrily, '[ 'Oh i'ypur, cussed European irisole.nte won'i| do'on fifeq,' soil, sir;' and jess listeii,' ' If' yoii'.'ihsiilt that, young creature again',''You'll have 1 wit H.me) quick; so mind, Mr. tifsk.., lly friend' W. l pullfedj me. ! llu;6u|sidp| 'TorGod'ssake avoid tKat" fellow.'; mostdesperite urged my o frien'di In, a '.Bob Acteish I 'ititsli§ity'j. l knife" or pistol on the slightest,'ptttexti, 1 and j is the terror of the buildme.'"' you are sorry, and send him'oWr tfArink,'"' * ' '