The age-herald., 1900-04-22

faithful accuracy an old lesson to the new south. The cleverness of Miss Weedens drawings possess, however, a quality that southern people readily recognize as even more deserving of permancy than the charming touch of the picturesque that characterizes the ante-bellum negro types That the history of the old south is that too of her old slaves naturally makes the sketches that are drawn of the typical he- gro of the old regime q part of southern history. That Miss Weeden has portrayed so faithfully those luminous types of siaV- cry days emphasizes the historical value of her ballads and sketches. while of course thia picturesqueness will always appeal 10 all classes it might be said to all nahonai- ities: With the popularity of Miss Weeden sketches, recalling as they do the woiesome atmosphere of q by-gone time. one wearies of the eternal race question with it's prob lens. but it is something to be thankful for that it is through such mediums as "Bandanna Ballads that part of south ern history is not alone accurately pre- sented but that they go q long ways to- wards changing the minds of many per sons in regard to the attitude of the mas ters to their former slaves. This work of influencing a prediudiced world is being taken up successfully by southern women, who, poTtraying the olden-time negro types, reveal them and their life on the plantations in a new light.
 Alabama may plume herself on the fact that Miss Weeden enjoys the distinction of being the first southern woman whose sketches and drawings were widely recog- nized as Dortraying vivdly the character and Individuality of the negro type.
 The number of southern women, by the way, are making a profession of interpret ins the old plantation songs, is being aug mented yearly. Tho success of Mrs. Martha Gelow of Alabama is well known, and there has recently been a notable &C., ft11ipi fn he of o1aN who are making name for themselves fin this line of work
 Miss Caroline Lewis Gordon, the daugh- ter of General John B. Gordan. made her professional debut recently in Nashville an interpreter of negro ullabies. The story of how she decided to make this accom- plishment 9 profession is almost similar to the influences brought to bear upon Mrs. Gielow. Miss Gordon had at first enter tained her friends a her house parties at 'Sutherland' with these plantation melo- dies. but 1t was not until after frequent visits east that she at last concluded to make her work professional It is said that her songs have attracted the interested at tention of H. E. Krehbiel the leading m usical critic in America. and it is quite possible that he may purchase from Miss Gordon the right to publish the songs she has gathered together.
 She Is going east in the early spring with 9 view it is understood of comforting with MT. krehbiel in regard to her collection of plantation songs.
 THERE HAVE BEEN so many conflict ing reports printed concerning the birth place of Carrie Stamps Bridewell the young American contralto of whom such a bright future is presaged that it will probably be interesting to the public to know the facts. She has been claimed from Maine to Louisiana, but Miss Bride we'll is a Mississippian by birth and an Alabaman by adoption. She is the young est child of Mir and Mrs Henry Fielding Bridewell, of this city. and was born in Port Gibson, Miss. on the 14th of Septem- Der, 1877. The Bridewell family came to Birmingham in 1SS9 and since that time have claimed this town as their home. They are all gifted in music and several years ago the entire family belonged to the choir of the Church of the Advent. Mrs. Bridewell, Miss Rosale Gabriel, was well known singer of Columbus, O., the second daughter of Kate Bridewell, now Mrs. Anderson of Salt Lake City, possess a dramatic soprano of great sweet ness and power. She was for a number of years the leading soprano of Dr. Pal mers church in New Orleans.
 Carrie Bridewell received her first in- struction in music at the ock-Stephens institute and under Mrs. Finch in Fifth avenue. It was only seven years ago that MT. Bridewell took his remarkably gifted daughter, then girl only 16 years old to Chicago and made application for her to compete for the free scohalship offered by Prof. Zeigfeld of the Chicago College of Music. After an examination of three days Miss Bridewell awarded the scholarship for one year. Having finished the course in Chicago. she accepted the position of contralto singer at the First Presbyterian church of Pittsburg, Pa, and from there she went to Dr. Parkhursts