The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-09
NEGRO NANNY her MODEL.
Mrs Jeanette Robinson Murphy has
Found New Way 10 Earn Living.
A NEW YORK WOMAES SCHEME.
Former Belle Of Louisville and a Cousin
ofLew wallace-Using the Rsb-
bit Foot to steal
Chickens.

1t might seem that womans ingenuity
in deviSing ways and means for earning
her living had been exhausted when she
turned her attention 10 the duties of
game keeper and street-car conductor,
but she is constantly making new discov-
cries. This time IL IS an occupation which
does nct trench upon mans domain IN
the slightest degree. On the contrary, II
Is one which the veriest prude could not
regard as beyond the borders OF wOman's
traditional sphere" IL IL something that
no man has ever thought OF and which
no woman has ever attempted before as
a distinct profession. IL is the society
woman in a new role-namely that OF
rendering the negro folklore and songs
exactly as they are sung and told by the
old Southern mammies. a class OF Ameri-
cans who are rapidly becoming fewer and
fewer as the years progress from that
dark and mysterious period from which
everything in the negro history dates, de
time befO' de wah'
Il is an entirely new field IN which
there are as yet no rivals. New York
fashlOnabes, ever on the watch FOR
new diversion. have taken up the idea "a
a FAD and the ingenious little woman
who gave IL 20 them is being passed
Gale and is being petted and praised az
much as II she were not earning daily
bread thereby for herself and two little
ones.
This new discovery OF a means OF live
lihood Is only another case in which the
society woman has turned her experience
and talents 20 practical account upon md
ing herself reduced IN circumstances With
no one TO provide for her or hers.
such was the experience OF Mrs. jean
nette Robinson Murphy, who is a
cousin Of Lew Wallace and before her
marriage was one Of the bellies Of Louis
vllo society down In odd kaintucky.
After her marriage she was pursued BY
the ravages OF sickness and death until
the idea OF turning her talents into
money forced itself upon her As jean
natte Robinson. the daughter OF south
ern college president she had been nnrs-d
and fondlod by one OF the old mammies
who clung to the families that provided
FOR them years after the war. and as she
grew up she had been carefully educated,
giving particular attention 10 her natur-
ally fine soprano voice.
The combination Of a good voice and
a lifelong association with the real
Southern negro. who has not forgotten
faculty OF imitation. has enabled Mrs
Murphy to give a representation which
is as entertaining as 10 is unique and IN
structive.
To The Northerner, accustomed 20 re-
gard such songs as My Old Kentucky
Home" Little Alabama Coon and Il
want Yer. Ma Honey" as first class
darkey songs. the rendition OF the real
negro music which is actually composed
by themselves. comes Ike q revelation.
and excites interest in the negro sayings
and dOings which has never been inspr-
"a by any but Joel Chandler Harris him
self IN his famous Tales OK Uncle Re
mus"
As Mr. Harris Is said 10 have recounted
The stories to which ne actually listened
when q little boy I'm the constant COM
panlonshlp Of old Uncls Remus. so Mrs.
Murphy faithfully depicts the colored
NANNY in her supersttions and her
songs. interspersing the while brief eNpla-
| nations Of the origin and meaning OF
| both.
To sing 2 real negro song, with all the
| almost inpercepthle quavers which rem
der its reduction 10 white mans notes
and bars impossible. IS a task whose diff
| fculty no Northerner can appreciate until
he tries #. Indeed. IL is Mrs. Murphy 8
| EXPRESSED belief that no white man or
! woman is capable Of composing a real
| negro song. and this Notwithstanding tho
| fact that she has written two or three
| herself which are very creditable imita-
! lions OF the genuine article.
The stories which she tells and the songs
which she sings are gathered directly
/ from the negroes themselves and none OF
| them were ever published until after she
| introduced them. Most Of the songs are
] Of the religious order one OF the most
| interesting in her repertoire is "Gawd
| bless dem Yankees. we Inv 'em sweet
| a favorite with many old mammies long
before they had any realization Of the
true meaning Of the words they were
| singing. An old Virginia nanny (whose