The National tribune., 1907-09-05

has been fighting Tor months. and on
Aug. 80 passed away at his Summer
home in New London. Conn. Altho il
. was known he was very seriou=ly III. Vet
he appeared. when in health. to be such
a strong. vigorous man that great h2pa-
We're entertained of his recovery. Rich
ard Mansfield was not only 4 great ac-
tor, but a painter Of no mean merit. a
poet playwright and musician. Vet every
success that he won in life IVES wraStei
by hard. unremitting labor from the
hand of fortune. Before he founI him.
self a successful actor he had nearly
starved to death trying to sell the pic
lures that he painted and the plays he
wrote. From his mother. who was a
celebrated Russian prir1a donna. he in
herited a talent for acting and Z very
good voice. which had been cultivated
in the finished musical education which
he received. and nearly his first appear
ance on the stage was in the part of
Sir Joseph Porter in the first Preduc-
ton of Gilbert * sullivans opera Pin
afGre." Soon after this he made a real
hit in London. and from that tins aever
knew real want. In speaking Of his
early struggles he once said that he
had often lived for days on smells. be-
ginning the day by going to a brewery
and smelling the hops because he
thought the odor strengthening. then
for second course standing before Il
butchers or bakers shop. While each
character which he presented on the
stage was the result of the most care
ful study. and his acting always finished
in the extreme, Richard Mansfield was
seen at his best in those characters
which We're something like his oUa. His
Nero, Beau Brummel and Prince Karl
were rendered with sympathy born
of a natural comprehension. In the
great characters of Shakspere's TRACE
dies his acting failed to please many,
yet it was impossible to forget his rem
dering. for he was always impressive in
whatever he did. and the new Shylock
or Brutus which he created compelled
your attention if it failed TO elicit your
entire commendation He was a man
of strange peculiarities, which so often
so hand and hand with unusual ability.
and was generally misunderstood. Of
an exceedingly high-strung nervous
temperament, The least little thing
which went wrong during the day
would SO completely upset him that his
acting at night would show it. Quick
tempered, ne often said things for which
he was sorry afterwards, and it is said
he sometimes apologfZed in advance to
his people for what he might say dur
ing a rehearsal. Altho possessed of
such an excessively nervous, eXcitable
temperament, inclined as he was TO
exaggerate small annoyances, Richard
Mansfield was a man of superb courage
and OF the most acute sense of justice.
He was in private life charming. high
ly cultivated gentleman, attracting to
him those of that high mentality which
was his. In entertaining he had infinite
courtesy. grace and tact. He loved his
work. and used his wide culture and all
his gifts to elevate the dramatic art
His hour upon the stage is over. and he
will be heard no more. 1t will be a
long time before anyone will be found
to take Richard Mansfields place.
A very touching and impressive cere-
mony took place in Russia the other
day when the little Grand Duke Alexis,
aged two. took command of all the
Cossacks in the Russian Empire. The
ceremony took place at Tsarkoe. where
the Emperor has one of his many pal
aces, and, on account of the rain. in the
great riding school situated in The i'm
perial grounds. Around the station a:
Tsarkoe all was excitement. A great
crowd of officers in active service and
Of gouty old Generals stood out in the
rain, the former in their gorgeous uni
forms and lambskin cans. and the lat
ter more prudently covered with OIL
skins, carrying their hats in pasteboard
boxes. Some three score or more of the
imperial equipages. the coachmen and
footmen, decked out in the yellow can
ary-bird livery of the Romanoffs. wait
ed to convey these military gentlemen
10 the palace grounds. Inside the great
riding school We're eight companies of
Cossacks drawn up, facing the imperial
box, which was trimmed with festoons
of flowers and plants and empty save
for the two dark, frowning Cossacks
who stood with uplifted swords at the
entrance. Their fellow-soidiers, and
ing at rest before the imperis 0ge,
presented truly picturesque appear
snce, each company wearing its cwn
coiors, and carrying its own guidon
Some wore blousess of blue, some of
orange, some tunics of red or scarlet.
ma 3enta and maroon. As they stood
there. those 1000 rough riders. they
looked like an imperial crazy quilt. OPP
posite the imperial box or loge was an
improyised altar with a reading desk.
upon which rested the holy books and
a number of ilcons suspended from
spears. Occasionally the bishop would
swing the incense about him Present
ty the imperial party arrived and a
few minutes later the Car walked out
quite alone upon the tanbark and APP
preached the CossackS. He is like the
photographs seen of him, but on this
occasion at least the dead eye and cX-
preston of his pictures were entirely
lacking. He is a little over five feet
eight inches in hight. and carries him
ing in a pleasant voice 10 the Cossacks.
then returned to the loge, but did mo-.
enter it. The Empress came To the rail.
and handed TO him their little son. the
transportation heir the baby tiexis
The child. who is stri!linglv handsome
was clothed all in white. in costume
made of swans down and ostrich feath.
ers. his pretty cuTfs c0mbel out ard his
hair parted in the middle and brushed
ont straight, after the ancient Musco-
vite custom. The little heir of ali the
Russias settled down comfortably up
on his imperial fathers left arm, and
the procession formed. First came tho
incense swingers and the priests and
bishops, then Nicholas with mis- beauti-
full boy his eyes glistening with excite
ment, then the Grand Dukes and other
notables In and out among the Cos
sacks they filed. when all fell back
leaving the Car and the smiling child
alone in front of the regiment Then
Nicholas. holding his boy proudly on
his left arm. drew his sword and rails
ing his voice until it filed the great rid
ing school said: "Cossacks Of the Don
and the Dneiper. Cossacks of the Volga
and the Ural, Cossacks of the Amur and
the Ussuri. to-day | commit TO your
care my God-giyen son Alexis. your
leader in peace and war, as God de-
crees." The Russian cheer, which is
not like our energetic hurrah, but a
long. penetrating shout which increases