The times., 1898-04-03
CIjRI05 Of Mr.. MANSFIELD
A st. Louis Man Has an Exten-
Sive Collection.
OLD AND INTERESTING BILLS
Bottle Used in - Partisan Romance
and Flowers From "HeRu Brum-
mel" SacredIy kert-PhotoEraphs
and Autographs at Dincrent Ages.
RciIcs That siny BE Valuable.

The devotion of the public to Richard
Mansfield has taken other forms than
merely crowding the theater whenever
he appears. 1t has broken out in indi
vidual cases more singular than the au-
toSraph fiend, the photograph crank or
the matinee girl and her romanticisms.
All these MIR. Mansfield has always with
him, even as the poor are always with
us. There is the Providence girl, who
did all of Mansfield's photographs in
water-coIor and presented the paintings
TO him; the Salt Lake City man, who
wrote poetic rhapsodies and sent them
invariably by registered mail; and the
clerk, at a certain Washington hotel
newsstand, who is familiar to ali the
dramatic editors of the large cities. by
reason of his requests for copies of their
papers containing references to Mans
field, TO complete a file he has been
keeping for several years.
There is in st, Louis, however, a man
who combines the enthusiasm of all
these, but it is nationally leavened with
taste and tact, and comprises a collec-
ton of rare value. He is a man of
AiaNthlio- anu ilNtS III Il lGSI4ollGDle HudI-
ter of the city. a naturally refined and
aesthetic taste which might have
taken hold of art or vertu of a general
character has specialized itself, and
Mansfield is its inspiration. The col
lector has proceeded quietly, carefully
avoided making himself a bore TO M
Mansfield, who knows nothing of this
hne compliment, and making no bruit oi
his doings which he considers Iegiti-
.. to ,0s,~.r,
bat himself.
The room of the house which almost
any other man would have selected for
his billiard room has been made into the
Mansfield room. 1t IS in the third story
and looks To the visitor on entering much
like an antiquary's corner of a big mu-
scum. There are photographs framed and
unframed, water colors. pen and ink
drawings, some pictorial work clipped
from newspapers, old programs mounted
IN and out of frames, a piece of tapestry
on one wall, some swords and knives on
another, some miscellaneous affairs under
a glass case in the center of the room
several large scrap books in a book case
at one end and few on small tables Ey-
erythinG in the room has a personal or
professional association with Richard
Mansfield.
Il don't know why l should be called
ApOAA " GIVE III. reason IOT making tnlS
collection said the collector. in answer
to a leading question. "Antiquarianism is
Vagary which Is not amenable to rea-
son. Yet it is not unreasonable. / know
Mr.. Mansfield only across the footlights.
1 as he is known to every playgoer in the
country. yet / have a more profound and
aDpreciative regard for the actor than
anyone else. You know a sentimental
value has a commercial value. and I have
belief that lafara long no h,
have had association with Mansfield will
have historic worth. hence a cash value
yet | entered upon the qualification of this
hobby with anything else than specula-
tive intent"
A faded pink piece of paper, uncut
edges, with a Brummel picture and some
script printed thereon, was a souvenir of
the fiftieth performance of Beau Erum-
mel given at the Madison Square thea
ter nearly eight years ago The letter is
reproduction of an autograph letter of
| the real Beau, or George, Brummel in
Mr.. Manstields possession. This sng-
gested the other programs, of which
! there were a plenty. One bore the head
ing of the Lyceum Theater, London, and
the other of the Globe and they recall
| ed Mr. Mansfield's last season in Eng
land
Some indiscriminate bric-a-brac repre-
sents purchases at the auction of Mans
fields house furnishings and discarded
stage properties held in New York two
years ago. A piece of tapestry is repre-
| sented as having once hung in the Cha
! teau de Blois and a pretty price is paid
for it. A big black walnut chair with
extensive carvings is said to nave ccTne
from the Borghese palace.
The scrap books are devoted to nearly
everything that has been said about
Mansfield for years, gathered by press
clipping bureaus TO which the collector
subscribes. Not merely the signature oi