The age-herald., 1900-12-08
SKETCHES FROM
 EVERYDAY LIFE

That genius Is closely allied to mad ness" said an ex-actor Ifs illustrated by some of Mansfelds eccentric performances. I have always been a great admirer of him and at one time Was in his company. He is unquestionably the greatest actor on the American stage, and probably the only one who may be said to possess geniusAIIe is always artistic and graceful, and to see his performance of Cyrano de Bergerac Is worth a trip to New York Katisha in the Mikado said that people came miles to see her elbow. I really believe they would go miles to see Mansfield hold up his hands before the glass m Beau Brummel. It seems there is nothing he cannot play, from the light and airy Beau Brumme and Prince Karl to Rodion the Student and Dr. Jekyll and MT Hyde. Mansfield undertakes to look after all of his stage fixing to the smallest detail. and trains and coaches every member of his troupe. He gets into violent humors at times and acts like madman. Training supes' and attending to every minor detail on the stage Is, how ever enough to make a man irritable.
 "The stage hands and members of his own troupe are as interested spectators of what he does as the audience. I travel ing around the country with him one sea- son when he was playing Rodion the Stu dent. This, by the way, is one of his most powerful plays, although it was not a pop ular success. We were doing one-night stands and our train arrived late at one Of the towns. It took some time to get the scenery in place and 1t was o'clock be- fore the curtain went up. Mansfield was in one of his irritable moods, and noticing a stage hand who was gazing at him with open-eyed and open -mouthed admiration, he walked up to him and slapped his face. The man was too surprised to do anything, and a moment after the curtain went up. Mansfield did not mean any harm-he was simply mentally unbalanced for the time being. I saw him go up to the man after the play and apologize and slip something in his hand"
 Considering the size of the southern cities" remarked the heavy editor as he finished reading one of his own editorials, "the southern newspapers are remarkable creditable Take some of the southern cities for example with population of from fifty to one hundred thousand, and compare their newspapers with those published in any northern or western city of Ehe same size, and the comparison will result favorably to the south In point of ability, appearance, and readableness the southern papers aTe far ahead of their northern and western contemporaries. Then you should consider that half the population of the southern cities are negroes who seldom subscribe to or read paper. Not including New Or leans, which is large enough to support good papers, I might mention as examples of good southern newspapers the two Mem pJhis papers, the Scimiter and Commercial Appeal, the Atlanta Constitution, Journal and News, the Savannah News, the Chat tanooga Times and News, which are pub lshel in a city of S2,COo people; the Nash vile American and Banner, and many other credltable papers published in the south ern cities.
 
 "The character of the papers Is largely due to a weeding out process" remarked the managing editor. You ought to read some of the communications that are sent in Here is a letter dated two days ago, giv- ing an account of murder which happened several days before. The communication is written on both sides of the paper. After the murder comes some social happenings, and then in the same letter follows the complaint of some subscribers about delay in the delivery of their papers, Finally on the last sheet crowded in one corner,l is postscrip, which says that the correspond- ent did not have but one stamp, so he held the account of the murder to await the trial which followed shortly after He wanted to kill two stories with 9he stamp, so to speak">
 "Tlhen here is a specimen of a communi- cation which purports to give some social dots from a town we will call Lumtum. I do not think the correspondent intended to be humorous
 MT. Jones, the carpenter, has just com pleted a new house for William Wilson. He says he enjoyed himself very much. That MT Wilson is a man and his wife d lady. They have a nice little family of ten chill dren--ten of whom are boys.
 The farmers this year have made nice crops, none of which are gathered. Dooiy ' yams are plentiful this year Some of the farmers are going to gather them if they have time.
 Willie Nupkins qlas brought his beautiful DGlue to HIS HOuSS. " iiiG I4u H6Al III SSd- ting her to come.
 Sam Bonfets storehouse Is badly in need of repairs. It is going to rack and ruin. Sam is a live. hustlinis and energetic business man, and will doubtless repair it.
 Jerry Jonesboro has returned from working in Bubul County. Jerry has been showing the Hong green" since his return, but it won't be green as long Jerry will
 Mrs. McFaddin Aldrich gave a reception to fler lady friends only on last Saturday. On account of bad weather there was only Mrs. Williams and her daughter present. Mrs. Aldrich always looks on the bright side of things, and made Mrs. Williams feel quite at home. Mrs. AlG:ich is a W. c. T. U. D. U. c.
 JOCKEY REiFF