But there is no excitement about an engagement now; I could fill five times as many as I do, if there were but some way of being in twa or three places at once, and of adding a few hours to the days and nichts.
I think one of the proudest times of my life was the first Saturday nicht when I could look back on a week when I had had a concert engagement each night in a different town.

It was after that, too, that for the first time I flatly refused an engagement.

I had the offer of a guinea, but I had fixed a guinea and a half as my minimum fee, and I would'na tak' less, though, after I'd sent the laddie awa' who offered me the guinea, I could ha' kicked myself.
There were some amusing experiences during those concert days.

I often appeared with singers who had won considerable fame--artists who rendered classical numbers and opertic selections.

I sometimes envied them for their musical gifts, but not seriously--my efforts were in a different field.