Richard Mansfield on the Life of a Strolling Player
BUM1 mi actor around all day on a
rough railroad, put ti 1 tit through
trying rehearsals, make liltn
work tiK.Hl of the night and then
If liu happens to rumark ilanin'
when things go wrong, lie Ih dubbed a
crnnk. Other people have tin: permission
of thu public to Hay 'damn' nnd art- even al
lowed to iiso stronger expletives without
criticism, but thu actor who gives vent to
his feelings becomes an ect nitric."
ThlH Ih Richard MntiHftt'lil'H defense of
overworked aetoiM and actresses. Mr.
Manslleld doeHli't mind being criticised him
self, ho says l:e'H used to It hut ho main
tains that actors aren't the only people. In
tho world who have nerves. Ho Insists that
all ini'ti who enrsu and alt women who lino
llttlo white swear words shall ho called
lunatics and classed with the actor folks
who aro r.'puted to have locsu wheels.
"Why, Just look at this," Mr, Manslleld
exclaimed iih ho plckeil up a St. .loo
paper and pointed to a Hcaro head. (Mr.
Manslleld played In St Joe Just before
his recent ongngeiut nt In Omaha.) Hero
It says, 'Mr. Manslleld Is not eccentric,
but Just a bit queer.' Then It adds that
I wouldn't bo Interviews d and makes all
sorts of unkind remarks about mo.
"Tho truth of the matter Is thai a herd
of St. Joo newspaper men came to
my enr whlto 1 was bathing I couldn't tun
out without any clnthis on anil greet them
Consequently I am a 'bit iieer' and a 'Utile
odd.' I suppose they would have mo tun
out on tho back platform In a bath robe and
mnko a speech. If 1 had done that they
might havo mistaken me for Mr. Ilrynn. Hy
the way, I've been told that I resemble the
famous Nebtaskan.
li lit; I. oven St. .lot-.
"Hut 1 must tell you of my experience In
St. Joo several years ago. 1 played 'Ulchard
111' on a guaranty. The man who look us
thero failed to pay us and we had to sue
him for n balance of M)t). The Jury brought
In a verdict In his favot on tho ground
that tho production wasn't tip to St Joe
standards. Not up to St. Joe. Mo.
standards! What do you think of that''
"For four years I haven't made a curtain
speech, but thu other night, when we wen
sweating our lives out In the little theater
In St. Joe, 1 felt like stepping In front
of the curtain and asking the auilleii"e It
my production was up to the standards ot
thu town. Since my unfortunate experience
SI. Joo standards havo caused a good
bit of merriment In theatrical circles.
When Mrs. Kendall visited tho town she
wired me, 'I have seen SI. Joe!'
"I think It was eight yeais ago that the
Missouri Jury found ho much fault with tu
'Richard 111.' Since that lime I have not
revisited the town until the present Heason.
Hut St. Joo looks Just I he same to mo
that It did years ago. I couldn't see any
Improvement In tho old town at all."
In spite of the fact that he had Just
come from Missouri Mr. Manslleld was in
the best of moods during his recent stay
In Omaha. A visit to the actor In hi
private car would convince anyone that In
Is not the green-eyed monster who Is sup
posed to be ready to berate audiences and
assassinate members of his company. He
prizes his nerve force too highly to allow
himself to bo disturbed by petty annoy-
UI1CCB.
l.tVL'N t llllllNflf.
Ulchard Manslleld's private car Is for
Richard Manslleld alone. lie and his col
ored cook and valet live apart from the
rest of tho company. Tho supporting peo
ple and Mr. Manslleld seldom meet except
upon tho Htago. Tho great actor leads a
llfo of seclusion. Hooks are his compan
ions. Ho walks for an hour or two every
afternoon and tho remainder of his leisure
time Is spent In tho car.
A glance at the Insldo of Mr. Manslleld's
car Is sulUclont to convince ono that ho Is
a man of artistic taste. Tho living room
of tho car la finished In oak and the
draperies and rugs are oriental slulTs In
subdued colors. In ono corner of tho room
Is a sideboard covered with brass kettles,
tobacco boxes, ash trays, chilling dishes anil
other utensils which look as though thoy
woro for uo and not for ornamentation
ul one.
"It lookB more like a ha rd ware store than
a sideboard," Mr. Manslleld remurked as
ho straightened tho articles nround pre
paratory to having tho Interior of tils car
photographed. "I was pretty hard up when
1 bought tills car. 1 had Just recovered
from the typhoid fever and was poor. Ho
foro long 1 expect to have a new cur with
more room In It."
In ono corner of tho room Is an oak writ
It was Colonel J. C. Her of Omaha and
Kansas City who described an acquaintance
as u "smart man yes, a very smart man
but lazy, very lazy; In fact, he's lazy
enough to be a good Judge." One evening
last week, relates tho New York Sun, a
man who wns with Colonel llor In the
south nt the time of the great Pullman
strike In Chicago told about tho colonel's
encounter with a ituin who didn't llku
George M. Pullman.
"This man wns a Boutherner," said Colo
nel Iler's friend. "Ho wns most offensive,
und we nil got pretty tired of hearing him
repent over and over tho statement that ho
'was born In Virginia, Bah, und raised In
ing desk, ubovu which stands a folio con
taining half a dozen pictures of Mr. Mans
lleld's son, George (llbbs, a robust llttlo
fellow, two and a half years of ago. A
photograph of Mrs. Manslleld (better
known as Hoatrlce Cameron) ns Hester In
"The Scarlet Letter," nlso has a prominent
place near the writing desk.
"My boy's In Homo now," Mr. Manslleld
romarkod as hu picked up the folio contain
ing tho youngster's pictures. "Here's n
picture of him taken on shipboard." The
actor pointed to a photograph of tho little
fellow wrapped up In a rug and comfortably
seated on his mother's lap.
Oinlr linn Itml llnltltM.
A deerhead, soino buffalo horns ami a
mountain sheup's head chow Mr. Maimllold's
lovo of outdoor Hpnrts. Soveral largu int
tan chairs with comforlable cushions, a
small chair with dangerously slender legs,
a table brightened by a bouquet of carna
tions and several book racks completo thu
furnishings of the room, And tho slender
legged chair has much the sarno hltory that
SITTING ROOM IN M ANSKIKLD'S
attaches to thu touch-me-not chair to be
found in nearly every reception loom.
"I'd rather you wouldn't sit on that
chair," tho actor remarked as one of his
visitors headed for thu splndlo.l-logged
cripple. "It has a way uf going lo pieces
when )ou least expect It. Thu oilier day a
friend of iiiluo carried it out on tho roar
platform. Tho llrst thing 1 knew he was
sprawling on the platform. Tho chair's
habits aru bad."
Hook racks extend around two sides of
Mr. Manslleld's car and aru tilled with all
that is latu In llctiou. "Like Another
Helen," "Ralph Marlowe," "Sweepers of the
Sea" and nearly every other popular book
that is found In thu up-to-datu book store
hint a place In Mr. Mansfield's littlu library.
A few volumes of history and essays aru
mixed among the novels.
Adjoining the actor's living room is a
bedroom provided with a brass bedstead and
a chllTonler, und next to the bulroom Is a
small room provided with a square bathtub.
"It's not very large, but then It's largo
enough for a cold bath, don't you know,"
Mr. Manslleld remarked. Thu affectionate
glaiK'o ho cast at tho tub and his soft "don't
you know" marked him us an Englishman,
nn Kugllsh gentleman, and not tho sort
that handles tho letter "h" Indiscreetly.
The remainder of tho car Is given over
Colonel Joe Iler's
Kentucky.' Wo bore with him for n while,
however, and 1 don't think that anything
would have been suld had he not begun nu
unnecessary attack on Pullman. Her stood
It for a while, and then he turned on the
man.
" 'Say,' he said, 'do you know any man
who was born In Virginia and raised In
Kentucky that has ever done anything thnt
will make Ills name remembered half so
long as Pullman's will be? I mean n man
who ever did any real good to any ono ex
cept tho dlHtltlcrs and undertakers. I
mean a man of whom tho country has real
cause to be proud; a man who has been
respuctnblo and hard working and of somo
to a kitchen and quarters for tho cook
and valet.
How lli Act mill Tall..
When Mansfield's trnln arrived In Omaha
the actor was reading anil enjoying his
morning smoke. He wore a loose lilting
brown suit and russet house slippers. A
white silk handkerchief served as a col
lar. The nose glasfes which ho wears
on tho street were replaced by spectacle:)
which had bows that ( minded his ears
Ho held a short briar pipe between hl.i
teeth.
When ho went for a walk In the after
noon ho wore a double-breasted bluu coat
gray striped trousers, patent leather shoes
and av black derby hat. He carried a
neatly rolled umbrella and woro dark
rimmed nose glasses. A he.ivy signet ring
was the only Jewelry he wore.
Mr. Manslleld Is a born pedestrian. He
walks with the swinging step so common
nuiong Kngllshuicu and does not cast covet
ous glances at street cars after the fashion
of Americans, Walking Is his chief
CAR l'hoto for The Hee by Bostwlck.
recreation. Ho lllls his lungs to their
capacity and enjoys himself thoroughly In
tho open air.
Many engines passed Mr. Mansfield's car
In thu yards at the union station and the
smoku bothered him. "It Is strange that
actors and singers have any voice at all," he
remnrked as ho looked down upon tho smoky
car tracks from the Tenth street viaduct.
"Wo live in smoke most of tho time, nnd
yet the publlu will not excuse us If our
voices nro not always In good condition."
lit- I.IKpn Pirate Stnrli-x.
A book store was ono of tho first places
Mr. Mnnsdeld visited In his walk through
the business portion of Omaha.
"Clvo me pome plrato stories, some good
exciting ones. That's what I enjoy," was
his Instructions to tho clerk who waited on
him. "1 should have been n plrato. I'm
never bo happy as when reading some
thrilling story of adventuro on tho sea."
"How would you like 'Qulncy AdaniB
Sawyer?' It's a character study, somu
thlng like 'David Hnruin.' "
"Oh, that's too tame for me. Olvo me
some good old-fashioned pirate stories. I
want something exciting," Mr. Manslleld
replied.
Some sea stories were laid beforo tho
actor and he began to examine them
eagorly.
Scheme for
rcnl value to tho community. Now, see
If you can nnuie him right off tho reel.
Don't stop to think, but nnmo Just one man
of that kind.'
"Well, the man who was born In Vir
ginia and raised In Kentucky wns so mad
that hu couldn't think of anything, but he
Just sputtered for n ttmo, and then, ns
he couldn't nnmo a man thqt would meet
the ieiulremeuts of Iler's question, hu
began to boast of tho resources of tho
states that ho had been talking about.
Among other things he snld that tho finest
mules In tho world wero bred In theso
states, mid that everything whs as good as
the mules.
MR. RICHARD M ANSI-M HI, D
"Ah, these look something like It!" he
exclaimed. 'Til take these. Now find mi
some more of this sort."
Mr. Manslleld plowed through volumes of
fiction and asked thu bookman concerning
every cover that looked Interesting. Tho
man had read all of them and pronounced
them excellent.
"Why, you're thu most wonderful book
seller I over saw. You must read nil the
time."
There wns a merry twinkle in the actor's
eye. Hu continued to ask for opinions
concerning books ami was ntnused at find
ing a number of volumes concerning which
the bookseller would express no opinion.
When Mr. Manslleld came upon books he
had read and enjoyed he would exclaim
"Hully book," with all the enthusiasm of
a schoolboy.
Pour books were selected by tho actor.
He ordered them sent to his car and left
Instructions to collect from his man.
"Publishers' prices, renumber!" he re
marked laughingly, as he left the store.
"Vou know I'm an author."
"I don't llnd any time for serious work
when I'm on the road. I must be amused,
so I always keep a large supply of readable
books on hand," Mr. Manslleld explained.
"Nothing rests mu as much as rending a
good, exciting story."
IviiIn I.IKu a I'lnlii Person.
While Mr. Mnnsfleld was walking through
the business section of Omaha he decided
that he must have something to eat. Ho
entered several cafes before he found one
where staring women did not look him out
of countenance.
"Bring me anything simple which you
havo prepared," was his order.
Thu waiter returned with the announce
ment that fried frogs' legs and baked trout
could be served nt once. The actor de
cided upon trout.
He laughed heartily nt tho following
motto on the wall of the cafe:
"There Is no higher nrt than that which
tends toward the improvement of human
Bluffing a Bluffer
" 'Well,' said Her to him. 'I understnud
that when men go down theru to buy
brains they Invest in mules.'
"The southerner wns so mad that ho Is
sued a challenge to Her at once. Her
told him that he did not know much about
the code, and nsked what his rights ns
tho challenged party were. He was told
that ho had a right to name the weapons.
Her nt once said that he would make this
proposition: Tho two were to bo bound
together by the left arms from the olbows
down. Then each was to take a bowle
knife In his right hand and begin to carve
and they were to keep on carving until thoy
wero nut Tho southerner rnfused to listen
Photo for The Hee by Hostwick.
food."
"Sort of a slap at Bonn; of us folks who
think we are In the high art business, don't
you think? Hut I guess we'll have to
grant that point. Tho trout Is well
cooked."
Mr. Manslleld ate the llsh with a relish
and drank u cup of cocoa. Meantime he
expressed some of his Ideas on dieting:
"I can't understand how some people eat
as much as they do. I never eat but one
thing at a time. If I have chicken for
dinner I don't care for anything olse. 1
never have what most people call a full
meal. I don't care to eat a course dinner
of houp, llsh, leu cream and all that sort of
stuff. Nobody can work on such n diet.
I have known a goul many people who ate
and drank themselves lo death."
Speelni'iiliir In lluril Wni-U.
Tho present season has been an un
usually hard one on Mr. Manslleld. He
complains of tho great length of his pro
duction of 'Henry V and says that at the
end of a performance he Is completely ex
hausted. The armor he wears is very
heavy and makes his work even more
arduous.
"I shall never havo another such a pro
duction as this," Mr. Manslleld remarked.
"It Is too great a task to carry such a
company nnd I can't afford It. Thu pro
duction cost between $r.t).00il and $fin.o)0
and we will do well If we get our money
back. It Is Impossible to get thu prices
such a production should command, People
will pay extravagant prices to ticket brok
ers without a murmur, but they would
complain terribly If the prices were ad
vanced to n point which would make elabo
rate productions possible.
"Next season I shall have a double bill.
Booth Tarklngton's "Monsieur Beiuicalre"
and Phillips' "Herod." 1 believe the two
pieces will make a very acceptable com
bination. The first Is light and pleasing
and the other serious. One balances the
other."
to nny such proposition, nnd thero was no
duel between the two. 1 never could get
Ilur to tell whether he would havo fought
tho man or not, but I think ho would hnve,
and won, too."
Bright
Detroit Journal: I entered the p'ace trust
ingly, as Is my wont.
"I should like to look over your collars,"
oald I
"Alas!" giggled tho haberdasher, "I fenr
your neck Is too short!"
For, In despite of our vast commercial
expnnslon, thero nro still among us tho-e
who would rather be bright than succeed in
business.
