Kansas City daily journal., 1896-09-27

"a Partisan Romance" Tks actors and
actresses had assembled on the historic
the late A. K. Cazanran (author and adapt
err. had taken up his position at what is
known in theatrical M parlance as the
Manager A. NJ. Palmer. The stage man
ager had just called out. First act" when
the veteran actor. J; H. stoddard, odd ad; I'D;
him the part of Baron Chevral. at the
same time telling him that he did not see
any possibilities in the character and that
he would rather be excused from playing
1t. The manager cOurteously acceded to
the veterans declination of the role. and
handed the part to Mr.. Cazanran. AS Mr..
actor. wearing glasses and of modest de-
meanor, stepped down to the prompt
table and i, raising his hat, said to the
slider me too presumptive. 1 should very
much like to rehearse the part CT Baron
Chevrial." Mr.. Palmer smiled. picked up
the written part from the table. and hand
ing 1t to the actor, said:
'All right, Mr.. Mansfield, go ahead; let
me see what your conception of the
The rehearsal proceeded. and Mansheld's
first conception Of Chevrial, whatever it
might have been, was lost to view in the
manager in the efforts of the other artists
to evolve the characters assigned to them.
The baron was forgotten in the ensemble
and Richard Mansfield was permitted to
rehearse it his own way-it was an unim-
portant part, mere character bit, a minor
role; the interest must assuredly center IN
ne psT Hen De Tsrs and
ett's impersonation of the wife. Marcelle.
The opening night came. The curtain
aP on IN the Of
Targys. The guests were arriving. the
muff1ed notes Of that dreamy waltz, IDOL
The, stage was superbly set. the perfume
of the exoticS was waited out to the au-
dience. Vixen the richly liveried footnan
uneertain step. unsteady Sand tWiacSine @ e
face, querulous voice. monocle in eye. mus
tache Waxed to needle points. sparse hair
Saad a tbaa "a ann so Iad had
been gay and was still gay" walked
onto the stage in the person Of Richard
The play He
first act, four times after the second. when
the actor was hailed with shouts of bravo!
bravo" from nearly 1000 throats.
Manager Palmer rushed back to Mans
fields dressing room; the actor was chang
ing his costume and retouching his facial
makeup with master hand.
Young man, you are acting superbly"
exclaimed the manager.
That's what I'm here for" curtly re-
Ieu Ine across @ his forehead and w pruceeded to
darken the hollow circles around mis- eyes,
'You must excuse me. Mr.. Palmer. but
am very busy"
The abashed manager withdrew and the
actor, having completed his changes Of
makeup and attire, went into the wings
to await his cue. It soon came. and his
temperance on the stage was the signal
for an ovation from the audience The
curtain fell on the third act, and Ave times
had the actor to bow his acknowledge
ments before it. But the apex of Mans
fields triumph was yet to come. Like the
clever jockey who holds in his steed only
to let him out in the home stretch. so did
Mansfield subdue his art only to throw
open wide it's foodgates in the fourth act
in the famous supper scene, and as the
curtain came slowly down on the words
Stop the music. the baron is dead" the
audience rose; men cheered themselves
hoarse, women waved their fans and hand
kerchiefs. Cries of "Mansfield! Mansfield!'
were heard from pit to dome. The curtain
was pulled aside and the actor stepped
slowly out and. with bowed head, mutely
acknowledged the grand tribute to his art
Not less than eight times was he COM
PEELED to come out in response to the tre-
mendous ovation accorded him. His broth
er and sister actors. all of them artists
crowded round him to tender their con-
gratulations, but he burst through the
throng, rushed down to his dressing room
and proceeded to take Off his now familiar
makeup.
Half an hour later he sauntered out into