The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-23
M E N, w OM E N
 A ND T HIN c s

cause his case gives me an opportu pity to bring out some things which think are both interesting and in
 structive in regards to his mothers attitude to the stage and the steps bS
 which he won place in the dramatic
 world.
 Mantell's mother, a strict Scotch Presbyterian. as noted in another story, was heart and soul with her children in the Christmas entertain ments when the billiard room of the little Belfast hotel was converted into theatre in order that they might give simple plays and eharades for their holiday amusement.
 At first their efforts were extreme ly crude, but the little players rapidly improved from season to season until they were able to give right respeeta- ble amateur performances to which friends were invited. In their re- pertoire were such plays of the period as, ''Therese, the Orphan of Geneva, "Alonzo, the Brave" and The Fair 
 Imogene."
 The ways of a woman are strange. and mothers heart is unfathomable, for while Elizabeth Mantell was a formances, she was greatly shocked and grfeved when Bobby proposed se- riously to adopt the stage as a career; and yet it Is not to be wondered at for strong Scotch Presbyterianism had dif- ficulty in reconciiing itself to the pro- fessional theatre.
 I confess that the glimpse I got of Elisabeth Bruce, the Scotch farmer's 5 daughter. honest, healthy, thrifty and canny, who married James Manteli, the Englishman, made me not only ad- mire but love her as she walked through the pages of Robert Man tells Romance" as told by Bullet. It is funny to read how her ambitious offspring on getting an offer of 16 shiilings to play part in The Lady of Lyons" which Allen, a member of the Belfast Dramatic club. was putting on.
 suppose few young fellows who ever lived in village, town or small city in which amateur theatricais were given ever escaped being cast in The Lady of Lyons" I can shut my eyes and call up a scene which took place tr, EIJfanIa nn Governor Jelks, my good friend. will have to pardon me for bringing him into my story, but he essayed the role of Claude Meinotte. while I had a minor part. It never hurt his social status, or interfered with his business. or put crimp in his political ambi- tions as he made good as an editor, accumulate a competency as a business man and made one of the best gover- nors Alabama has ever had
 Allen had engaged two professional actresses to support him. picked up some independent amateur talent about town, and then made raid on his old dramatic club to round out the cast. It was the first time that Bob Manteli had ever been offered real money to appear on the stage, and knowing his mothers aversion to anything which smacked of professionalism and to keep down family friction and inter- ference he like many another lad similarly placed just kept his secret to himself.
 Robert Mantell today is the master of make up and an artist in costuming. But this is easy to account for as he had had much practice in his long career In which he has played many parts. His first effort to provide a proper dress for the part he was to play was with his own hands, for to earn the, large sum of 10 shillings for appearing in The Lady of Lyons" he revamped an old suit of yellow under wear which served him as tights. A pair of Wellington boots worn by his father and frock coat of an elder brother completed his costume, while he hired wig and bought fierce black moustache. 'M
 But the touch of realism, which he added by thrusting the old Bannock- burn pistol into his hip pocket, fam ilyA heirloom treasured by his mother as relic of the great battle carried by Bruce ancestor. was the cause of Roberts being found out. His brother, Louis. sitting in the front row. noticed something suspicious about the black. bearded villain, and Bob had said only few words when Louis. all excited, drawled out in voice that could be heard to the back of the hall; Holy Moses! It's our Bob."
 Bullet records that the youthful actor recovered the best he could from the shock. and went nervously on with his part. But when he tried to draw his pistol to defend virtue, or perpet vice he never remembered which, 1t stuck and wouldn't come out. A violent wrench, however, brought the Ban .nockburn relic into. view. and Louis, as excited as before. cried out still louder: Holy Peter. It's great-grand- fathers pistolr' It came near break ing up the show, but Manteil showed bulldog spirit, and stuck to his lines and pulled the show together.
 It was in 1873 that Robert Maptell resolved to go on the stage, xHe made one concession to his mother, and that was he would not disgrace the family