The Harmless Little Girl, 1896

Sheet music for a song from "The Lady Slavey," performed at the Casino, N.Y. Archie Gunn is the artist. This was distributed as a supplement to The New York Journal, April 26, 1896. The plot revolves around a Major who wants to marry one of his four daughters to an American millionaire, who falls for the wrong daughter--a fifth one who the American thinks is a maid, a role she has taken to help her father out. Marie Dressler has a role as "a flighty music hall singer." All of this background can be found in the preview of the stage show that ran in the NY Times, February 2, 1896 (the Times vast archive is available to subscribers free). The play was a German farce adapted for English audiences and had a successful run in London prior to New York.

From the ever fabulous Duke Digital Archive.