The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-25
FATHER OF MINISTRIES
Thomas Dartm outh Rice and His little Negro
Bits
Bits

innumerable yet unrecognized because
embryo tricks would it afford the street.
urchin of to-day could he be treated to
just weeks visit of the old Jim Crow"
of about half century ago. Not to see
him perform" before vast assemblage,
but to follow him about in his prone
nades of everyday life. For in this latter
role he would be found far more amusing
and novel, at the present time, than sing
ing his
Wheel about, turn about,
Do lis
An cherry time wheel about
l Jump Jim Crow.
The street attire of this jolly fellow was
most picturesque and eccentric. His cos
tune of bright and plaid trousers, corn
satin waistcoat and blue "claw-hammer,"
topped off with shining silken beaver, was
at first a startling but soon very familiar
sight in the respective towns in which he
played. His display of jewels was most
ridiculous. In the folds of his cravat
would nestle a cluster pin, containing
eight or ten costly gems. each unlike,
and sufficient in size and luster to
do service alone. His sunshiny waistcoat
would show for buttons double rows OF
gold guineas, but sometimes this extraor-
binary style would be supp lemented by an
even more unique set of fastenlngs in the
way of a representation of coins OF all ma
tons, one each of the highest denomina-
ton of the different countries being used.
Naturally the sizes varied considerably.
but what could be more attractive2 His
fingers were ever as beringed as possible,
and he invariably carried huge cane, the
gold top of which was studded with rubies,
sapphires and emeralds. This he handled
in jaunty. jerky manner, which insured
constant public attraction to the magnifi-
cent stones encrusted in the stick. Each
cuff-button would suggest the entire out
put of mine. To Rice's intense delight
noisy mob followed at his heels wherever
he went
In the early twenties Thomas Dartmouth
Rice first entered upon his theatrical career
by "doing little negro bits" between the
acts of plays. While in Louisville, the
theater at which he performed looked out
at back upon an old stable-yard, around
which there was constantly lounging an
old decrepit slave named Jim Crow, who
was SO frightfully deformed as to appear
inhuman.I His left shoulder sloped off
from theIneck in way that would indicate
that the bone had been inverted; his lower
limbs were dreadfully distorted, the left
knee being huge bony knot larger than
his head, which caused him TO move about
with aspitiful yet ludicrous hobble. This
forlorn darby was in the habit of Groom
ing queer old tune, and designated the
close of each verse by taking peculiar
step-"rockin' de heel" Rice closely
watched this unconscious performer and
conceived the idea of producing similar
stage character which, he felt assured, would
"take" wonderfully. Accordingly, he made
up precisely as the original and appeared
upon a Louisville stage singing score OF
humorous verses to the air, slightly changed
and quickened, of the poor, wretched Grip
pie The audience received this innovation
with bursts of applause, encoring him
dozen times the first night. And thus
''Jim Crow jumped into fame and i'm
mortality.
1t was in the year 1888 this bright and
clipper afternoon stroller came as tot
tering minstrel before the footlights under
the heavy load of bursting burlap bag,
and while cheerily singing:
Ladies and gentlemen, I'd have you to know
Use got little darby here to jump Jim Grow,
Emptied the contents of his bag on the
stage floor-these contents being none
other than our Joseph Jefferson, then 4
wears of age. The enraptured audience
fairly howled with delight and when this
little chap instantly assumed the "Jim
Crow attitude he looked such miniature
and exact representation OF the grotesque
and ungainly character he mimicked the
onlookers became uproarlous IN apprecla-
ton.
From Louisville Rice went to Cincinnati.
During his engagement a man who lay In
prison under death sentence for the MUIR
der of his wife used to write from twenty
to thirty excellent verses daily, hitting off
political and local matters, and send them
to Daddy Crow" as the comedian was
Avn oIlaj br woutd ejpu them at piphf
thus ever presenting new features. Rice
was very quick at improvisation, and wrote
many of his own farces, like "The Virginia
Mummy" ooh, Hush" and "Otello," a
number of which are now frequently given
from the minstrel stage The DANDY
Darky' was introduced to the public by
Rice and Immediately gained popular
1.-THE Virginia Mummy was the first
fancy coon" and entirely Rice's creation,
followed by that of DANDY Jim" from
Caroline. Rice did not play the darkies
himself but utilized the character, dress
ing and training another performer for
that speciality AS for himself he was
always the lame old mig
AS Rice became minstrel light, he &C.
mented many firm friendships and was
frequently dined by persons of high rank.
This tickled Mr.. Rice as nothing else could.
He immensely liked the attentions OF .peo-
pie above his own station in life and did
his utmost to please and amuse them,
though his unfailing good humor and in
exhaustible fund of lightning wit. One OF
his weaknesses was to always appear at
his hosts dinner table wearing white kid
gloves, which he would not under any cir
cumstances remove during the repast, and
insisted upon toasting his respective host
ess, whether it was in order or not, rhym-
ing off most fattering and elaborate
harangue regarding his entertainers
| merits which he never forgot to write out
the next day and present to the lady OF
the house, thinking, no doubt, she would
treasure the document as priceless mo-
mento from one so distinguished as him
self.
After amassing snug little sum on his
own continent, Jim Crow" betook him
self to Europe. He appeared at the Sur
rey Theater, and SO great was his success
as to force other houses to close up, ow-
ing to their lack of support, the place
going mad about 1.-THE burnt cork min
strel." Consequently he was in receipt OF
storms of approval nightly. This SO graft
he'd his longing for appreciation and atten-
ton that within him arose perfect mania
for hobnobbing with royal personages.
Among other ideas, he thought that Queen
Victoria and the members of the royal
family were unconsciously missing the