The Washington times., 1903-12-27
BY MATTHEW WHITE. JR.

New York. Dec. %.
n comic opera the composer gets
all the glory. and in musical
comedy it falls to the librettist.
SO am never going TO write
another comic opera"
So said Harry b Smith to a newspaper
man in 1899. That he has not stuck TO
his resolution all playgoers must know.
although shortly after that he did turn
out Liberty Bells. with his name
alone under the title And now he may
enjoy to the fun all the responsibility
for "A Girl from Dixie which has come
20 the foouights in the same half-or-
phan fashion, with the music credited to
various sponsors ON a back page Of the
house bill.
Really. from the amount Of ingenuity
displayed in devising situations and
business Tor this affair. one might sup
pose Mir. Smith wrote it during his cal
low days an Chicago. when he was bill
clerk in wholesale drug store. with
secret aspirations for the stage.
"a Girl From Dixie"
or all provincial shows that have
ever visited Broadway. this one can
easily ss.sk in the lead. do not wonder
that it collapsed on the road How il
ever found an angel to bring It into
New York is the marvel. Probably
he wouldn't have turned UP had not
Jessie Millward fallen down in "A
Clean Slate" and so supplied open time
TO be filed in some way at the Madison
Square.
You can imagine what the major part
Of the humOr must be like when an au-
dience eagerly seizes on "a big bark
connected with small dog on which to
expend its merriment
Although neither featured nor starred
50 FAR as the types are concerned, Irene
Bentley is the main prop Of this show.
I used TO think she was pretty and had
q pleasing voice when / saw her in THE.
Wild Rose" summer before last, but In
a Girl from Dixie" she works so tire
lessly that hard lines have crept into
her face, and her tones have grown
raspy from trying to make Mr. Smiths
lines score.
Press Agents Tip.
1T was intimated by the press agent
that the piece was written about Miss
Benuey's own family history. She
comes from Baltimore. and has almost
succeeded ia tracing her ancestry back
90 the Calverts. and It is a maiden OF
this name she impersonates I'm a Girl
from Dixie Her brother Wilmer is
WIN her In tie piece a jolly lad. whose
frank enjoyment in his labors IS almost
worth sitting through the show to see.
The leading male part falls to Ferdi-
nand Gottschalk. who. for the past few
seasons. ever since The Climbers in
fact, has been IN Amelia Bingham
company.
he is a Londoner by birth. and is
really very versatile fellow. aside
from what he has accomplished as an
actor. His parents were lovers OF art,
and from them ne Inherited an artistic
temperament, which made him a paint
cr, player upon various Instruments a
composer Of some ability. as well as a
writer Of plays.
Gottschalk's Career.
In his early tweuues he formed
among his young associates In the
Hampstead region OF London an anna
teur dramatic club. He acted character
hho eccentric parts in the plays they
produced 20 such good purpose that the
late Isosina Vokes heard Of his fame and
engaged him for her next American
tour. lie remained with Miss Vokes
Until her retirement. and at her last per
iormence in Washington she called him
GU from the wings and insisted that he
snare with her the favor Of the public
Well. after that Mr.. GottschaIk wan
III al l.
Was not easy for one OF his short stat