Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-09-04

time dominated Mansfield's life From the days of his early successes he loved her fondly and hopelessly, and that she did not cease to sway his thuoghts long after she took the veil was shown by the lateness in life of his marriage with Beatrice Cameron.
 When Mansfield, more than two de- cades ago, was enjoying the prosperity that came to him only after years of bitter struggle the comely daughter of q Maryland country gentleman made her first visit to an aunt in New York. Fresh from the quiet of her g:rlhood home, the young girl entered with childish joy into all the pleas ures offered by the big city. The first visit she ever paid to a theatcr was to see the play in which Mans field was making his first great suc- cess.
 After the performance one of the members of the theater party present. ed the actor to the young Maryland girl From that night Mansfieids fate was bound up in that of the gentle girl of whom he spoke theceforth as the White Rose"
 The country girl, whose simple white frock contrasted as strongly with the elaborate apparel of the other women as the white rose she had placed in her hair did with tiaras, ap- pealed to Mansfields artistic sense, and he singled her out for marked at tention. He found her as lovely in character as she was in person, and fell as deeply in love as only man of his ardent temperament and de- termination can.
 But fate had fixed barrier be- tween the actor and the object of his devotion. The family of the young woman, devout Catholics and proud of their distinguished ancestry, held the stage and all that pertained 10 it in abhorrence. The father in par ticular, country gentleman of fast disappearing type, looked upon his daughters suitor as being socially on the same plane as circus clown, and sternly forbade her to receive his attentions.
 Forced to choose between his love and his art, Mansfield. with a grief which left an ineffaceable impression on his life, bade farewell to his dream of happiness, and continued with re- newed ardor the career fate had pre- destined for him.
 That his affection was returned, there can be no doubt. for the girl whom he had loved so ardently. to the surprise of all her friends, soon after entered upon a noyitiate in religious order, and on finishing her probation took the final vows which separated her forever from the man to whom she had given her heart.
 Years ago she became teacher in the convent school of the order. The charm which had made her belle in glrlhood and her un- usual intellectual gifts made her one of the most successful and popular teachers in the institution, which en- joys wide reputation for excellence, and in which thousands of young women from all parts of the United States have received their education. Doubtless from the chatter of her pupils she heard of Mansfield's won derful rise in his art and of his happy marriage. That he had not forgotten his early romance and still cherished a tender affection for its heroine she knew for every engagement which the actor played in Washington was sig nalized by the appearance of box of white roses at the convent, sent by Mansfield to the "White Rose" of his early dreams
 When, last spring, death claimed the nun, Mansfield was grief stricken, and 1t is said that at the time of the last engagement he played in this city he visited the graveyard of the con vent and placed wreath of white roses on the grave of his early love.