CHAPTER XI

PANTOMIME SPOOFS AND JOKES

Harry Tate and I--Together we found the order of “The Beautiful Swells”--The Birmingham spoof supper--A mouthwatering menu --The “Beautiful Swells” anthem--Cockroach soup--Property viands--A mysterious waiter--Ernie Lotinga’s little joke --The spoofers spoofed--A pigeon pie that flew--A surplus of farthings--Rehearsing for pantomime--My first rehearsal --I am “fired” out of the theatre--Pantomime in Hoxton-- The gallery boy’s irony--A cutting retort--I get married-- Courting under difficulties--The married chorus-girl and the lovesick manager--Supper for two in a private room--Hoaxing the police--A sham tragedy and its sequel--The fat policeman and the big lobster--Sold again 149