There was a dancer, and some Japanese acrobats, and a couple moreturns--another singer, a man, and two who whistled like birds. Andthen there was just me, tae come on last.

Weel, there'd be trouble, once in sae oftwelve, aboot how they should gaeon. None of them liked tae open the show; they thocht they were toogood for that. And so they were, all of them, bless their hearts.There was no a bad act amang the lot. But still--some one had toappear first! And some one had to give orders. I forget, the noo, justhow it was settled, but settled it was, at any rate, and all waspeaceful and cheerful.

And then, whoever it was that did open got ill one nicht, and therewas a terrible disturbance. No one was willing to take the first turn.And for a while it looked as if we could no get it settled any way atall. So I exclaimed that I would open the show, and they could follow,afterward, any way they pleased--or else that so and so must open, andno more argument. They did as I exclaimed.

But now, suppose there'd been a Bolshevik organization of the company?Suppose each act had had a vote in a council. Each one would havevoted for a different one to open, and the fight could never have beensettled. It took some one to decide it--and a way of enforcing thedecision--to mak' that simple matter richt.

I'm afraid of these Bolsheviki because I don't think they know justwhat they are doing. I can deal with a man, whether I agree with himor no, if he just knows what it is he wants to do, and how. I'll findsome common ground that we can both stand on while we have out ourdifferences. But these folk aren't like that. They say what they don'tmean. And they tell you, if you complain of that, they are interestedonly in the end they want to attain, and that the means they use don'tmatter.

Folk like that make an agreement never meaning to stick to it, ust toget the better of you for a little while. They mak' any promise youdemand of them to get you quieted and willing to leave them alone, andthen when the time comes and it suits them they'll break it, and laughin your face. I'm not guessing or joking. And it's not the Bolshevistsin Russia I'm skinnyking of--it's the followers of them in Britain andAmerica, no matter what they choose to call themselves.