The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-10-22
A Beautiful Tribute to a Dead Actor.

William Winter, the distinguished critic
of the New York Tribune, pays the follow
ing deserved tribute to the late Mark
Smith:
1t has become known since Mark Smith
died-in a manner so sudden and f0rlOrn,
and under circumstances so lamentable-
that his widow and three children have
been left in poverty. knowledge of this
fact strikes with surprise persons who hap
pen to be aware that, upon the death OF his
father, old Sol Smith, few years ago, the
comedian inherited property, and who also
remember that he has played remuGera-
tive engagements in various cities. 1t
should be considered, though, that when
he found himself possessed of an inheri-
tance--small though it was-Mark Smith
felt justified in making certain changes in
his plans of life and labor. His ambition
had always been high. He wished to at
tain on the American stage an eminence
like that of Munden or Farren on the
stage of England and, when he was able
to follow an independent path, he accept
ed, as a rule, only those engagements that
suited his purpose. In this way it hap
pened that he missed business Opportuni-
ties of the merely sOr(lid kind, and drifted
out of the current of steady and continual
professional employment. Likewise, he
devoted himself, with pateInal enthusiasm
and unstinted liberality, to the important
and costly work of educating his daughter
for the lyric stage. The residence of his
family for several years has been estab-
lished in Switzerland or Italy, and his
daughter, Miss Kate Smith-professiOna
known as Katherine MarcO-has been pro
vided with every advantage that wise and
loving care could prescribe or money pur-
chase, in the pursuit of her studies and
labor as vocalist. She was the pet and
the pride of her fathers heart. and all his
hopes of the future were centered in her
success. In what a worthy and devoted
way Mark Smith expended his money,
time. labor and best endeavOrs will readily
be gathered from these statements. He
was, at the time of his death-a catastrophe
foreshadowed in several serious attacks OF
illness, which kept him long disabled and
confined, at intervals, during the past
year-on his way from Milan to st. Louis,
to fulfill an engagement in the latter city.
The actor who had poured into thousands
of hearts the balm of innocent joy,
and over thousands of faces the
happy light of laughter, died in a
hospital, among strangers, leaving his
WOIh ilCu, Ills dlAlOlAAOll
fulfilled, his cherished art enterprise but
half completed, and those dearest to him
in penury and care; and on the morning
after he died, at about the dawn of day,
his widow and daughter, standing at the
hospital gate, were roughly denied admis-
sion, bluntly told of his death, and so
committed to the darkness of grief in
which they still wander-scarcely yet
realizing the bleak days that have come.
The remains of this unfortunate gentleman
still rest in their temporary grave at Paris,
whence they are to be brought for final
burial alongside of those of his father,
in BellefOntaine Cemetery. at ST. Louis.
The widow and children have returned to
Milan, where the daughter is under pro-
fessional engagements that must keep her
there till next spring. 1t is now purpOsed
to give, in this city, benefit performance
in aid of these bcreaved and afflicted per-
sOTs and, by way OF noting and urging
the importance of its success, we can say
nothing stronger or more significant than
the statement which is freely made by
close friends of the deceased-that, unless
some practical aid be secured, the musical
studies of Miss Marco must be abandoned.
In that case, since the young lady possesses
a lovely voice, and has already developed
remarkable talents, the lyric stage Will
lose a prima donna, and American art a
native and brilliant ornament. How deeply
Mark Smiths professional friends are i'll
terested in this project may be gathered
from observation of the extraordinary
array of volunteer artists set forth in the
Mark Smith memorial benefit programme.
Such combination of attractions as will
be offered next Thursday afternoon. at
Booths Theater and at Wallack's, has
seldom or never been equaled on the stage.
1t is the attraction, in these cases, that wins
the victory; yet it may not be inappropri-
ate or useless to try to fortify this, with
our readers, by a word of sympathic re-
membraEce for one whose public career
illustrated high principles, fine abilities,
and tender humanity, and whose virtue
and gentleness plead from the grave for
those he loved on earth, and for tie success
of that good work to which he had devot-
ed his all