The Washington times., 1906-02-14
CHILD ACTRESS
Ill IN HOSPITAL
Little LOttie Smith Missed
in 0lcOtt Cast.
MOTHER SITS BY HER COT
In Midst of Fever Little One Repeats
Snstehes Of Her Lines in
Play
MOTHER SITS BY HER COT

In a private ward Of the Georgetown
University Hospital lies q little actress
whom Washington audiences applauded
heartily several weeks ago when she
appeared at the Columbia Theater with
CEauucey Olcott in Edmund Burke d"
She is Lottie NIilbourne Smith, who
played the role of Mickey Murphy and
scored a distinct hit by her clever act
ing
The little actress caught a severe cold
some weeks ago in PittsbuFg, but il was
not until Wednesday of the week in
Washington that she began TO fail. She
sLurclly played her part that night and
THURSDAY. but toward the last of the
play or Thursday evening she gave out
The next morning she was in a raging
fever, and today devoted mother is
sltJIng by her bed IN the hospital watch
ing the little girl through the fateful
twenty-first day OF her illness.
Mother in Same Play.
Mrs. Smith plays Mona in the OIL
colt play, and two of her other children
are also in the piece. They are now
with the company down in Texas Mr.
Olcott IS devoted TO little Lottie Smith
and a succession Of cheering messages
have come from him TO Mrs. Smith and
his unfortunate little associate in the
many charming scenes of his play lie
IS looking after her with characteristic
fidelity to his little friends and has sent
word to her that her place is waiting
when the fever IS all gone.
This morning. after three weeks OF
suffering. the little girls temperature
was normal for the first time since she
reached the hospital. She was having
stood her doll right In sight when the
little invalid should wake and need
this very necessary comforter.
An Actress Since Babyhood,
I.ottie Smith is twelve years old and
has been on the stage since she was
five. Some OF this time was spent in
stock in Canada. the family's home and
the little girl has originated many parts
in weil-known plays which have been
tried out up there before being taken
TO New York She is exceptionally Clev-
er. and in this. her first season with
Mr.. Olcott she has won much recog
milton from the press for her work.
The little girl has been very i'll from
the first and for days and days her
mother has watched over her. fearing
the worst AT one time she became de-
iirious, and showed how much her lit
tie mind was on the play Looking at
her mother she said, Have you found
the trail of the paIe-faced girl i?''-one
of the lines Of her part She has been
a model patient. the sisters say. and
she has i,aen cheerful and bright from
the very 5srst. Sc alr- -sys said she felt
better when al 81 ne asked but every
once in a while she inquired of her
mother. How long viii IL be before /
can go back
Must Lose Her Hair.
A grave disappointment awaits the
little actress. however, for she is going
TO lose a beautiful suit of hair. The
fever has killed some pretty long. black
tresses, and when she reC0vers the lit
tic girl is TO have her head shaved
it viii be weeks before this little play
or can reioin her company. but with
the attention she is receiving from the
hospital staff. and :he presence of her
mother every minute, she has Some
bright weeks 10 look forward to While
she is III her sister thirteen months
older than Lottie. IS playing Iotfie's
part and her own-an achfevernanf
which many Older players are unable
to boast Of