The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-10

DAYS. Observe this: She has been in opera
nearly eleven years. 1t was in September
1888, that Emma Abbott introduced her to
the public in "Mignon," and at times dur.
ing that season she sang Martha, airline
In THE Bohemian Girl" and an important
role in Norma" The following season she
sang with the Conried Opera Company and
created tie role of the Prince in 1.-The
Kings Fool Della Fox was in the same
company at the time. Miss Bertram next
joined the John McCaul forces at Wallack's
Theater in New York. singing Stella in
Glover" n that rist were the lamented
Eugene oudin, DE Wolf Hopper, Jefferson
De Angels and Mathilde Cottrelly. She also
sang Miss Hellyette, SantuzZa and other
modern roles. Her next engagement was In
Little Christopher" and when that was
done she Joined the Bostonians to sing
Maid Marian in Robin Hood The fol-
lowing season she passed in London, where
she took the place of Florence St. John in
LA Perichole." She returned in the follow
ing year to the Rostonians. with which
famous company she continued two seasons.
, Her repertoire numbers sixty operas.
Somebody. who evidently has access to
the inner circle of the Mansfield life. tells
this: Possibly Richard Mansfield is the
! most sensible actor in the universe, con-
siderlng his peculiarly sympathetic. high
strung construction. He goes to the thea
ter and comes home with every nerve ting
ling from mental xcitement-but he does
come home. Other actors wander abroad
and hunt for forgetfulness and rest in the
fumes of clubs and places where further
depletion goes madly but deceptively along.
unwittinely draining the very force that
quiet and the tonic of refined influences and
special friendships offer. Not that Mans
field denies himself anything further than
wild and hilarious hours between perform
anccs. On the contrary, he surrounds him.
self with pleasant companions. sits UP late.
eats prodigiously. and drinks whatever he
likes best in proper quantities. But there Is
never any dissipation at the Mansfield
board, and he seldom adorns any other"
Mrs. Ida Jeffreys-Goodfriend, one OF the
stars in the MY Daughter-in-Law" COM
pany. has the credit o. being on Of the
most remarkably quick studies in the treat
rical profession. A few years ago she was
engaged at a weeks notice to play the part
of Mrs. Alving in Henrik Ibsen's drama,
Ghosts on the occasion of its first rro-
duction in this country 1t was a special
performance and was attended by all the
famous literary people in New York. Two
actresses who had started to rehearse the
part gave up the task as too serious an IN
dertaking. Typewriter, the part consisted
of eighty-one pages. 1t is undoubtedly the
longest as we'll as one of the most trying
female roles in any drama. 1t Is said to be
as long as the part of Hamlet, which las
more lines than AM role known to the
stage. In less than a week Mrs. Gocdfriend
had memoriZed the part, and. with only
one rehearsal, played the part without a
slip of any kind. What Is possibly a still
more remarkable feat of memory and study
was her performance of Rosalind in Stakes
peare's A You Like It." at the Chestnut /
Street Theater in Philadelphia, some years
ago. She was then a member Of the Gem |
mil Stock Company. which at that time
was considered the very best in the coun- |
try. VIM. E. Sheridan was the leading man
and Lily Glover. who had been the leading |
woman with Edwin Forrest, was the lead |
ing woman Of the company. Through some |
misunderstanding Miss Glover refused to |
appear as Rosalind. Mrs. Goodfriend. who |
was the Juvenile woman and was cast for |
the part of Celia, was informed at 8 o'clock |
in the afternoon that she would have to |
on and play the part of RosalInd. She |
undertook the task with great misgivings. !
for she had not only to study her lines but
also to look after her costume, for in those |
days stage costumes were not so easily oh |
tainable as to-day. Mark Smith, now with |
the ""Zaza' company. had a theater trunk |
belonging to his father, full Of old costumes. |
From this, with the aid Of several sean n |
stresses. a becoming costume was made. \
and when Mrs. Goodfriend vent on abe was
not only tail and divinely fair.' but she |
also letter perfect.