The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-06

Mansfield IS almos. ;hc best copy" OF
any Of ou- public men. Mansfield says and
does many wonderful things. but why is it
the widest yarns about him hnL believing
cars? Indeed. impcrs5Eai paragraphs are
foi"ted on him.
\ case in point happened on 4 suburban
car last week. Two smartlv dressed girls
were coming over a smas, maea=in". I'm
der The heading. "II.s Imperial Majesty
the periodical printed this:
Tie Eminent TraGsdi II "a; q nrer in his p-i,I:,
carr; "Aw. conductor. jrs. order tie cnriner- 10
reduce speed Tor an hour or so"
Conductor: What fore
Eminent Trls'dian: ! wan; to eat more slow
ly.r
Oae girl nudged The other and whispered.
Mansfield Tho writer bought a copy Of
The magazine ana read the above to half
dozen people. Every one picked the orig
NSal Of the Eminent Tragedian 10 be Mans
field. 4 NV York paper was found the
other day credulous enough to accept and
print as an arecdote of Mansfield the fol,
lowin-:
What is your opinion of Irving as a
STAR. asked a youns woman Of Mansfield
after the play.
That IS a leading question" said Mr..
HarS07ld, "and the question OF leadership
Is no; for The leader to discuss"
or course, it is hard TO deny those things.
for few people outside Of his own domestic
irc'e get near Mansfield. He = n diiident
MN. ]. is not until he has known a person
for some time that hc feels At home with
MIN. When that pleasant time comes there
Is no more agreeable or Companionable man
in the Nor,d than this same awc-inspiring
per1-aalitT Of the stage. He is quite two
men. say those who know him, on and OF
the stage. Behind the scenes and
In his drhssing-room a spell seems to
possess him. lie becomes transformed into
a personality quite different from the blithe
companion Of the supper table.
No one likes his jokes better than Mans
fald. even at his own expense. In his home
TT" two large group photographs. Each
represents Mansfield surrounded by his
company. to whom he is reading a manu-
faelirt. In one he appears much bored, but
every one else is alert and interested. In
The other he 10 all smiles and interest, but
tn company have gone TO sleep. He often
points the latter picture out to a caller and
remarks: That's one of my own plays I'm
reading them"
At a dinner at which Mr.. Mansfield was a
guest the hostess asked one OF the gentle
man 10 be so good as to raise a certain
window. He graciously made the endeavor.
but fresh paint held the frame fast. and
the young man had only his ruf1ed lined
and the beady perspiration on his forehead
for his pains. But he kept valiantly at his
struggles until he saw Mr.. Mansfield ap-
preaching a picture of a modern Brummel.
"Ah. here's MIR. Mansfield" said the young
man. Hes 50 clever. Perhaps he will be
ingenious enough to raise this window"
The actor looked him over. and, inward
" conscious of his own compliment temper
and immaculate linen. replied lightly:
Yes, l may be ingenious enough to raise
the window. but I'm not ingenious enough"
Here is a story which is told in connec-
ton with Mansfield's preliminary tour IN
'.RpauCai ire before the New York np,n-
ing:
When Mansfield was travelling through
the country with 'Beaucaire' he carried
three horses with him from place to place.
In the course of the play. however, only
two appear. A man who was interested
in stage affairs asked one of the stage
hands at a Baltimore theater why the third
horse was carried about from place TO
place. when he never had a chance to shine
in the limeliEht.
"Ah!' said the imported Mansfeldian
auxiliary. that Just goes to show what a
fine hartist our Mr.. Richard is. e don't
really need the third 'orse at all. you
know. but there's one place in the play
where he hannouces that e is going out to
mount his 'orse. And 'e's such a fine real
- Mr.. Mansfield is. that he employs this
orsNto be in waiting outside in the wings
so tnsS e can come off and mount i'm.
Why. even in h~artistic matters e wouldn't
lie to one of is audience for the world"
vi course there is a diversion IN opinion
as to the actual facts in such stories. But
no one. even. those who discredit them. but
say: 1T would be just like Mansfield to do
things in that extravagantly grand scale"
Mr.. Mansfield has always considered it
mira dig, to deny the many silly fctions
about temper, harshness and kindred weak
nesses which have been the stock in trade
of raconteurs for years. He has been equal
modest about his kindly deeds. and is SO
sensitive that he never permits any one to
speak in his presence of his benefactions,
his presents or his courtesies. This sensi-
tiveness is almost painful. He has said: II
hate to be thanked. 1t embarrasses me so
I never know what to reply"
One of abe most graceful things a great
artist ever did has just come to light. Dur
ing his "Beaucaire' engagement in Phila-
delphia the house was packed to the door
every night. The last night the audience
stood In their places after the play and
would not leave the house until after many
calls, Mansfield addressed them. He said,
In substance: II am most grateful for the
kindly expression OF Philadelphia during
the past fortnight. 1t encourages me to
believe that you will accept from me a word
about a very charming and beautiful young
artist, just at the beginning of a promising
kareer, who is coming to this theater next
week. She belongs to Philadelphia by ma
tivity and ancestry, and / hope you will
extend the same generous welcome to Mrs.
John Drew's granddaughter. Miss Ethel Bar
rymore, that you have given me-"
Last spring a member of his company was
taken sick and had to be left behind In a
hospital In st. Paul. Mansfield paid all the