The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-23
. IcHARD MANSFIELD was a mefe

ID ICHARD MANSFIELD was mere
TX boy when he first came to Amer
lea. That was in 1872. when ne
was still in his early teens. The trip
was an affectionate adventure, and
doomed over the horizon of his boyhood
with no especial significance
His mother Madame Mansfield. the wife
of an English army officer, was a singer
at the various courts of Europe. When
Patrick Gilmore organized his peace =
bilee in Boston in 1879 he was credited
with master stroke in having secured
Madame Rudersdorff; this was Madame
Mansfield's professional name. The re-
suit of her triumph was that nearly evc,y
voice of consequence or promise in Amer
lea was offered her if she. would open
studio and teach there. She consented.
and established her home in the Touraino
apartments, a fashionable house on the
corner of the common where the Tot
raine hotel now stands.
She brought Richard with her. There
WERE all told, four children, all alive to-
day; a daughter, now married and living
in France; Felix Mansfield. now living IN
England Henry Mansfield, now living in
Italy, and Richard Mansfield. 1t was i'll
evitable that Richard should have Gc-
companied his mother. Their mutual I'M
Outstanding and affection amounted to
worship Richard. from boyhood, had
been her companion When she started
on those long visits to the courts of the
czar, of the king of Denmark. or of the
smaller kingdoms of Prussia, she always
took Richard with her. Doubtless his
native skill in the depletion of men o.
| royal blood and mind has Its explanation
| in his association as boy with the FAM
+, lies among whom his mothers visits
| brought him.
| If the visits were prolonged for a con-
siderable period Madame Rudersdorfi
would put Richard in a neighboring
school. Here was laid the foundation of
| his knowledge of languages, for he stud
| led In France, Russia, Germany and III
| Switzerland. 1t is with England how
| ever, and his English memories tndt
| Mansfield loves to dwell, especially the
| happy days under his beloved DR.. Walter
| Clarke, head master at Derby school.
| From Derby came the first manifesto
| ton of the special gifts in the boy, which
were to lift the man to pre-eminence.
| And the secret of the future was precise
! ly prophesied by the bishop of Litchiieid.
| 1t can scarcely be called a new story,
how, when the boys of Derby gave a per-
| Torrance of 1.-THE Merchant of Venice,
young Richard Mansfield acted Shyiock;
| but 1t is given significance by the good
| bishops words, when, after the perform
ance, he called the young actor to him
| and said, Heaven forbid that l shoul
suggest that you become an actor, hGt.
should you. If I mistake not, you will be
/ a great one"
| Mansfield first met Irving during these
| Derby days. The elder actor was already
| famous, and was in the first days of his
| success In 1.-THE Bells" Mansfield came
| down to London with a number of other
| schoolboys to see him. Later he was
presented by Gerald Dixon, son of Her
worth Dixon. This is Richard Mars
| feld,' said his friend. Irving gave q
start, extended his hand for a frigid ella 81
and then shook his finger at the young
man and said significantly. i've heard of
you.'
The explanation of this remark was
never given until Irving's last visit To
| America He was supping with Mansfield
| and confessed that on that occasion his
| hearing had tricked him into mistaklns
Richard Mansfelds name for that of an
| other Richard M of a similar but not
identical surname. a younG gentleman
whose social position made him especially
| conspicuous for certain Irregularities.
! His name cannot be mentioned, for he
| still lives and stands over six feet tive
| Irving was impressed with Mansfield s
acting the first time he saw him, and he