Augustin Daly's acting troupe, John Drew, James Lewis, Ada Rehan, and Mrs. G. H. Gilbert, won favor in his four-act comedy based on F. von Schoethan's Die Schwabenstreich, which is credited with saving Daly's company from bankruptcy. It opened on 24 February 1883 for 49 performances, but was revived often and toured successfully. The title refers to a number on a painting, Portrait of a Lady, that captivates two men, Courtney Corliss and Lord Lawntennis. The image's real name is Flos Bargiss and the men track her to her father's house where they vie for her affections while Flos's mother, Mrs. Bargiss, publishes love poems her husband sent her, not realizing they are Shakespeare. Bargiss is forced to buy up all of the published copies while Flos decides in favor of Corliss before it is realized that Lawntennis only wants to purchase the dog sitting beside Flos in the painting.
The Historical Dictionary of the American Theater. James Fisher.