The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-09-10

In 1895. after a performance OF "Cy-
rano de Bergerac," Isreal ZangwiH.
the novelist, essayist and critic. visited
Mansfield behind the scenes.
DO Q ike my Interpretation OF
Cyrano?' asked the actor.
You are a really great actor" he
said IN the first act you are ad-
nlirable- ssable. But you do
not hold the mirror I'D to nature in
the last act"
What" said Mansfield. f%uriously.
DO YOU mean that, sir?"
Mos assuredlv ! do. Permit me
to add, sir. coquelin in the closing
scenes is more artistic. more or
sistent than YOU"
Mr.. Mansfield, sensitive about him
self and about the American stage,
defended both furiOusiy.
"Coquelin," he said. "Coquelin,
Why. we can give Coaueiin. Irving and
your so-called European stars points
they never heard about. You dare to
compare my Cyrano. the result of
months of arduous study, to that of
ConQuelin7"
Wheraupon he went into his dress
ing room without bidding the novelist
good night.
Mr.. and Mrs. Mansfield were enter
tanning !, distinguished at
their dinner table. There happened
to be present however, one who was
rather a bore. He made much of his
refusal to partake Of wine. You may
make him drink" he said. AS you
please" replied Mansfield, graciously,
then / won't press you any more"
Last of the quarrels which the great
American actor had with the women
Of his company. through extreme ner-
vousness anG inability to tolerate the
least of imaginary faults. was with
Miss Emma Dunn. who was playing
the part of Ase in Peer Gynt."
Miss Dunn left Mansfield after the
first act of a performance In New
York last March, accusing him of trying
to embarrass her by making remark $
in an undertone while she was reciting
her lines n of handling her roughly.
There is a scene in which Peer
Gynt," said Miss Dunn at that time.
throws his mother to the top of the
roof Of a mill house. Mr.. Mansfield
would do it with unnecessary vigor.
his clenched fst, placing me Of the
verge OF nervous pr~ostration."
Because Of quarrels with the highly
strung star eight Of his leading wQ-
men quit him. They were Isabelle
Il s1h6s HAodi re C6i1ed CiuuS dfiu III
efficient" Margaret Angl!n. who later
praised him: Katherine Grey, who set
tied everything amicably; Myra
Brooks, after he had said. you are
coarse and vulgar. You canno play
comedy Eleanor Barry, who was
greeted with Terrible. Terrible. Why,
you are an amateur" Florence
Kahn. with ringing in her ears his
Awful! Awful. you will destroy my re-
putation'" Lucille F1aven, to whom he
said, "Who ever told you that you
could act?' and Emma Dunn.
An anecdote Of Richard Mansfield
hi over one summer by q
emf OF his company who had it
from an English player who was an
associate Of the actor in his early
career As this narrator teels it, Mans
held. though a mere boy, was playing
the leading role in a tragedy, in the
iast scene Of which he was ~Strangled.
sometimes, however, the actor who
was to simulate strangling him be-
came too realistic. Several times he
nearly in~capacitated the principal
player for finishing his great scene.
1t came to such a pass hat drastic
had to be taken. One even
Ing, in the greet room, Mansfield
sIcied up to the muscular player who
was to strange him. The latter not
ed a strange addition to Mansf1eld's
instead Of the coilarette Of
it was his wont to wear bound
about his neck was a leather band
studded with prongs.
And what is that for?' he asked.
on, that replied Mansfield, with
the rising infection and a smile in
voice. that is merely a trife to
defer the collection of my life insur-
Most inconveniently the healthy
condition OF my neck and my throat
Is necessary for the of my
and the earning of my daily
bread"
h other actor saw the point and
apo1ogized. Mansfield took off the
collar and never after suffered at his
companion players hands in the big
seen
Some years 6 Mansfield was APP
pearlng IN his great part of Richard
III. company Of Harvard students. +,
some because they needed the money
and some for the lark got places