The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-09-25
An Actors Funeral.

Yesterday, at two O'Clock, the funeral of the
late T. ID. Rice took place from ST. Thomas
Church, In Broadway. Mr.. Rice was the ORR
einA Jim Grow, whose success first popular
lied the species of amusement known as ne
gro minstrelsy. He had been extremely fortu-
nate during his career, and had he possessed q
talent for saving money, might nave died q,
rich man but, like most Of his class, he was
free liver, and in his latter days was In embsr-
rassed circu ms tances. But death has released
him from ali his troubles; the curtain has fall
en- on his final exit; the last scene of all has
ended his eventful history. The change from
life TO death is never more striking than In the
case of those whose occupation IL is TO please
others. The intensity of a stage existence the
brilliant theatre, the crowded audience, the
loud plaudi are sure to be called To mind
when one sees him who attrao ted the crowds
and extorted the plandits, laid low forever.
And when comedian, one wont 10 set me Ia
BILE on a roar, is sllenced in death. 1t is impos-
able not 10 rene N Der the words of one, nm
self once player, who spoke SO touchihgi9 Oh
testers
where be now thy sibes, thy quick flashes OF Wit "
The funeral Yesterday was large, ana at
landed nv mauy we'll known actors, comedians
and supernumeraries, aud dancers and singers,
and melo dramatic performers-for the actors
have great deal OF fellow feeling. Ihey are
in n measure shut out from the rest OF the
world Their very occupation compeis them
10 labor when other men rest; their work is
other mems play. In the ordinary pursuits of
men they are not often seen on change, a
church, Except at a funeral,) aud in the thea
tire they are not present in their own persons.
The preludlces existing among many IN regard
10 them tabooes them in some quarters, and
they do not often seem to claim OF desire init
macies outside of their own little sphere. They
live Tor the stage, and on the stage; they take
but little in terest in what concerns other men;
they know mostly only themselves. And, OF
course. they feel all the keener interest in each
other for this reason. Although ready enough
10 speak hastily of their fellows on occasion,
although much, II not all the Ill that the world
q ntNrS nroI ina
in the scandal they themselves set afloat yet
when an actor is in trouble, his mates never de-
sert him. Many an eye was dimned WIN real
tears a. R,ees funeral, that Is used only 10
simulate grief many sigh was spent Tor him
by those whose business II is only to provoke
smiles and laughter
The rites were the solemn ones Of the Epis
copal Church, and as the minister uttered the
words "our deceased brother" we could not
forbear thinking OF the transformers OF
earthly distinctions. The same words are
applied TO the monarch ere he is conveyed to
the snrcophagus, and to the player VINO only
mimics mouarchs 10 the statesman and the
negro dancer 10 the fine lady of real life and
the nne lady OF the stage. To this complexion
must they come 1t last As the &C tors gather
ed around the coffin, the same men AID wo-
men who played, perhaps, last night IN HAM
let and by the bier OF mock Opheiia, the
thought must have occurred TO some OF Them
that life is, after ALL not all acting that the
shows Of the stage are indeed little when COM
pared with realities. Yet those whose life Is
passed in shamming have genuine feeling
perhaps portrayIng mimic woes makes them
more acu tely susceptible TO actual agonIes--
Al any rate no more decent or reyerent con-
duct could be displayed than by the people
whom SO many look upon as out OF the pale OF
ordinary sympathies. Because they serve us
10 amuse us, are apt TO fancy they know OF
nsthing but amusementsi because we see
them only in our own hours OF sport, we are
apt 10 forget that they, too, have their sorrows.
But when The proN0ker OF riotous mlrth Is
laid in his coffin, after struggling long with
age and poverty and disease, when one poor
handful of clay falls on that other beneath the
lid a locker on may be convinced that actors,
too, are human and he W no calls himself q
man will remember that nothing human
should be strange 10 him.-Nep York En-
press