THE MODERN MATHEWS: Oh! yes. Germany fifteen months; then to Paris. Occasional theatre. Had to be home by eight! Locked out one night--one sou left. Put it on a gingerbread board gamble. My sou on biggest piece. Round went the spinner--stopped at my piece. Won! Only gamble I ever won in my life. Walked that night till six in the morning; managed to get into the school. Met head master whilst creeping upstairs. He commended me for my early rising! From Paris to King's College as a medical student. Ha! no sooner there, than able to go to theatre. Got to Cabinet Theatre, King's Cross, in amateur performances. There I first met William Blakeley, an admirable comedian, who in those days was a slim, thin, dashing young fellow. I was not long in making up my mind. I would go in for tragedy, I was so impressed with Barry Sullivan; though I fancy on looking back that Charles Mathews attracted me most, although I never dreamed of becoming a light comedian. What a voice Charley had, how perfect his every movement! The marvellous charm of that man was his extreme naturalness. How well I remember waiting for him at the stage door to watch him come out! No one who ever saw Charley could forget him. Dear old Mathews! INTERVIEWER (_noting down the great similarity between the actor's description of Mathews and himself_): And your first _real_ appearance? [Illustration: A CAST OF "DEARER THAN LIFE." _From a Photograph._ "CHARLEY GARNER" (Mr. Chas. Wyndham). "MRS. GARNER" (Mrs. Dyas). "MR. KEDGELY" (Mr. John Clayton). "LUCY" (Miss H. Hodson, Mrs. Labouchere). "MRS. PELLET" (Miss Everard). "MICHAEL GARNER" (Mr. J. L. Toole). "UNCLE BEN" (Mr. Lionel Brough). "BOB GASSITT" (Mr. Henry Irving).]