The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-24
Loved Mansfield; Bacame a Nun.

A dispatch to the New York World
from Washington, D. c., says:
THAT Richard Mansfield's early life
held romance as strange and as touch
ing as any that he ever portrayed on
the stage, and that its gentle heroine
sleeps under the sod of the burying
ground OF a Washington convent, to
which she retired on forsaking the world
years ago, is fact little known to the
students of the great actors public
career. The man who was regarded by
his audiences as a self-centered and
wholly egotistica artist had from his
youth cherished an affection as unselhsfl
and as hopeless as that of Dante for
Beatrice.
Few of the young pupils of the con-
vent school to whom the popular actor
was an idol realized that the lovely
nun who taught them daily had a part
in their hero's life-story.
More than twenty years ago, when
young Richard Mansfield's star had just
risen on the dramatic horizon, the love-
ly daughter of a Maryland country
gentleman made her first visit to an
aunt in New York Fresh from the
quiet of her girlhood home, the young
girl entered with childish joy into all
the pleaures offered by the big city.
to a theater was to see the play in
which Mansfield was then making his
first great success.
After the performance one of the
the actor to the young Maryland girl.
From that night Mansfield's fate was
bound up in that of the gentle girl of
whom he spoke henceforth as the
white Rose
The picture which the pretty country
girl, whose simple white frock contrast
ed as strongly with the elaborate ap-
parel of the other women as the white
rose which she had placed in her hair
did with jewelled tiaras, appealed to
A %{efio nd 10 SINGLED
her out for marked attention. 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 determination 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 to 1t
in adherence. The father in parti- |
cular, a country gentleman of fast
type, looked upon his |
sutton as being socially on |
the same plane as a circus clown, and |
sternly forbade her to receive his at |
tentions.
Forced to choose between his love |
and his art, Mansfield, with a grief
which left an ineffaceable impression
on his life and his art babe farewell |
to his dream of happiness, and con-
to which fate had predestined 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 novitiate in religious
order, and on finishing her probation
.ook the final vows which separated
ner forever from the man to whom
she had given her heart.
Years ago she became a teacher in
the convent school of the order in
his city The charm which had made
ler a belle in girlhood and her I'M
Usual intellectual gifts made her one
IF the most successful and popular
eachers of the institution. which en-
oys a wide reputation for excellence,
Ind in which thousands of young
women from all parts of the United
states have received their education.
That he had never forgotten his
4arly romance and still cherished a
ender affection for its heroine she
Knew, for every engagement which
he actor played in Washington was
ignalized by the appearance of a box
# white roses at the convent, sent by
Mansfield to the white Rose of his
ar1y dreams.
When, last spring. death claimed
he nun Mansfield was griefstricken
nd it is said that at the time of the
asst engagement he played in this city
lie visited the graveyard of the con-
-ent and placed a wreath of white
oses on the grave of his early love.