The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-12
ImpcrsOnatiOn Has Made
Deep Impression
ON PEOPLE OF NEW YORK
Eccentriclties of the Star Perform
er in the Piece
WILL BE MORE PRONOUNCED.

NEW YORK, Oct 12.-[Special. This
town seems to have gone daft over Rich
ard Mansnelds production of "Cyrano do
Bergerac." 1t is talked about nearly as
much In the aggregate as the current cam
paiQn and I'm some circles the dramatic
has completely eclipsed the political sub
ject.
Those who have not seon the play are
held by those who have to be away behind
the times and are urged to haste and get
seats tha& they may join at once I'm dis
cussing its points. Would be buyers OF
tickets are in evidence all day long at the
Garden theater box office, and the genius
who presides over the house diagram smiles
gleefully In the face of all comers as he
tells them that virtually everything Is
sold out for a full fortnight In advance,
while the choicest seats have been dispos-
ed of till after Oct. 81. Spectators are
making money out OF this situation, as a
matter Of course, and Mansfield has once
more demonstrated his unusual, compel
ling ability. "Cyrano de Bergerac" Is
evidently In for IA long run, and Mans
fields Golfers will have to be made bigger
and stronger than ever To hold the finan-
cial harvest he is sure to reap. Seriously,
the popularity Of the play Is almost un-
preoedented and this In spite OF the fact
that some of the most self satisfied critics
in the town wrote 10 down with great saw
ageness after seeing IL for the first time
Mansfield is naturally much gretiffed over
the box office receipts, but his friends say
he is happier over the public reversal of
certain critical judgments than no Is over
the inflow of money.
The Mansfield Of the Future.
Those who have known Mr.. Mansfield
longest and best arc wondering what ef-
feet his present truly overwhelming tri-
umph will have on the actors personality.
For years he has been considered the most
thoroughly eccentric of all the best known
dramatic lights In America, for years his
temper has been reputed To be as peppery
and vinegary as human being we'll could
display, for years his nerves have been
spoken OF as constantly on edge and for
years he has been justifying his reputa-
tion as to all these particulars by writing
the most extraordinary epistlos to the
newspapers and making the most extraor-
dinary remarks TO his friends.
Last spring after the close of the First
Violin" engagement he declared himself
ready to shake the dust of Yankeeiand
from his feet because Americans didn't
understand how to treat genius, and his
bitter I'm the extreme. 1t Is quite possible
that he will now become more short tenn
pered, less tolerant of criticism than
ever before, and some who have studied
him predict that precisely this will hap
pen. Whether Il does or not the fact re-
mains that he has made hit that Will
hold an important place In dramatic his
tory for many years to como and may
teach respect for him and his work to some
of those who have most delighted TO make
fun of his personal peculiarities.
Few who havo read the extraordinarily
solemn letters Mr.. Mansfield has sent TO
the newspapers within the past few years
could readily believe that he ever played
the part OF practical joker on the stage
Yet one of his earliest and greatest, though
not most Legitimate hits, was made by a
little joke played by him on two comedi-
ans, one Of whom had been cast for part
coveted by Mansfield himself
Mansfield was youngster then, and he
determined to take the shine of the work
of these two comedians IL suoh thing
could possibly be done and to that end
oudgeled his brain necessarily for nearly a
week before the opening performance of
the engagement. All ithree-Mansfield and
the two comedians-were on tho stage
during tho greater part OF an entire scene.
They had plenty to do, but his part was
wholly a thinking one. He provided him
self, however, with n big pin, ono quite
large enough to be visible In tho audi
torium. While tho two comedians were
doing their best to amuse the audience by
their business and dialogue young Mans
field proceeded to nullify their efforts nj
most completely by manipulating this
enormous pin. 1t took few minutes for
those in the seats to catch on, F" but when
this had been done Mansfield fixed IL in
the way every schoolboy we'll remembers,
point up, so that should he sit down he
would surely be impaled.
BY this time nine -tenths Of the audience
was watching him expectantly, while gig
giles and smokers were To be heard all over
the house The merriment was increased
by his apparent forgetfulness Of the pin
and the possibility that he might himself
no more surprised than any one else upon
assuming a sitting posture, and 40 absorb
ing became the general interest I'm the
situation that the scene drew to close
without ono laugh at the work done by
the comedians As the curtain began 20
fall Mansfield deliberately sat, but just as
everybody was preparing to shrek with
laughter no removed the pin. or course
this brought down tho house. To the In
tense modification OF tho comedians, and
Mansfield was 'clated Mt the success of his
scheme. But his olation was short lived,
for tho manager, sitting In 'front.' had seen
tho whole performance, and he promptly
gave the practical joker two weeks notice
when Wc Met His Match.
Possibly some Of the stories told o'
Mansfield arc apocryphal. but some OF
them surely are true. Hero is one In
which Mansfield did not comooff first best
The actor desired 10 SOFA member Of his
company mt once, and accordingly sem
him word to that effect. He was only hal
- dressed, however. and sent word back t'
Mansfield that he would come rs soon a.
he could get into some clothes. Mansilelt
protested per messenger against delay, ant
the young mnn went as he was. His en-
trance was greeted by an objectionable re
mark, and the young man, who had th'
arms and torso OF Hercules, responded
in kind