Evening star., 1947-12-28

Association, National Capital Press
Club, Washington Light Infantry
Corps and similar local organiza-
tions of note, and was one of the
main attractions at the benef1t ten
dered Mr.. Buckingham at Albaugh's
Grand Opera House.
Frequently it went outside of
Washington to play. and an old pro-
gram. saved by one Of its former
members, Joseph P. Cullen, shows
that on May 80 1892, it took part
in an entertainment at the Town
Hall, in nearby Rockville, when the
first part of the program included,
"Normandie March, comic recita-
ton by Frank Harrison; Young Go
Wap" Japanese song and dance)
by Messrs. Smith and Cullen, the
Smith being the Well-knoWn enter
tainer, Hub" Smith (Hubbard Tay-
lor SMITH Of years gone by; sere-
made, Ripping Waters" for man
dolin and guitar; comic song, Charlie
West; banjo solo. "A Pretty Caper,"
gallop, Joe Cullen; The Darkies
Dream by the club.
Part of the program included,
tambourine song and dance, Messrs
Smith, Cullen, West and Hale: violin
solo, E. A. Kubel; Seek No Further
and Southern Zephyr" by the club;
humorous song, Hub Smith, waltz,
"Remembrances of Naples; recita-
ton by Frank Harrison, and THE
City Band" by the club.
Hub Smith, Entertainer.
Perhaps it will not be amiss here
for the writer to repeat some of the
things he may have already said
about Hub Smith, who, like John
Howard Payne, died many miles
from home, and, also like the author
of Home, Sweet Home" died in
the consular service.
Hub Smith was a great entertainer
and the songs he sang will long be
remembered by those who were liv-
ing in Washington around IS years
ago. Particularly will this be SO
with his Swinging in the Grapevine
Swing and "A Little Peach in the
Orchard Grew" The words of the
former were largely copied from the
poem by Samuel Minturn Peck, and
the latter from Eugene Field.
Smith was Hoosier and was born
in Vincennes, Ind, in 1860. He came
to Washington in or prior to 1876,
and entered the Federal service as
a clerk in the War Department. For
while he lived in the old first
ward. He early became a song
writer, and was particularly popular
at banquets and social functions,
where he was generally called upon
to sing. He also composed several
operettas, including THE Lottery
Ticket" and "A New Year Recep-
tion,' both of the comic variety.
Several of Mr. Smiths songs were
appealing and became extremely
popular. His "SWeethearts and
Wives was for many years and is
probably still sung on every naval
vessel throughout the world at mess
on Christmas night. In 1898 he
wrote "The Dear Old Tombigbee, !"
and THE Song That Broke My
Heart" was also one of his contribu-
tions.
Won National Acclaim.
He was a graduate in medicine
and a musician of ability, and his
compositions gained for him ma
tional reputation. He remained a
clerk in the War Department until
November, 1850. when he entered
the Census Office for a brief period,
re-entering the War Department in
1881 and remaining there until 1890.
In 1892 he entered the State De-
partment as private secretary to
Secretary Foster. Later he was de-
tailed for duty at Paris, and in 1896
was made a deputy consul general
in that city In 1897 he was trans
ferred to Constantinople in similar
position, and in 1898 became vice
consul at Osaka and Hiogo, being
later sent to China, where for a
time it was thought he had fallen a
victim to the Boxers, who, about