Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-17

just begun. The band also played "The
! Ronnie-Blue Flag" my Maryland" and
| other patriotic airs. but none seemed to
catch the popular ear like Dixie"
THE ST. LAWRENCE HOUSE.
was then boarding at what was call
ed the 'St. Lawrence House." situated
| nearly opposite the present post-office
! building, and not far from the old Amer
( lean Hotel.
1t was opened by some northerners
upon the European plan, then quite novel,
and proved quite attractive, as the house
seemed always full. Most OF its patrons.
however, were from the North, and ap-
peared always eager to get the latest
southern news. When the ordinance OF
secession was passed by the Virginia con-
Ventlon. and upon the evening the people
were celebrating the event, by a grand
torchlight procession and illumination. /
noticed that the ST. Lawrence was not
lighted up, nor was there any show of
enthusiasm made, upon which I, with a
Few other boys, became so indignant. that
we got lot of Roman-candes, ran up to
the parlor and fired them from the win
dcws and yelled vigorously for seces-
sion, much 10 the CONSERVATION and dis
pleasure Of the proprietor and their north
ern guests. A few days after the hotel
was closed, and the northern symp1-
thizers skedaddled to their native land.
have always since believed that they
were merely abolition emissaries sent TO
watch and report the secession move
ment. This is the more confirmed. since
i observed that they had many more
negro servants than the house seemed to
require, and as the underground move
ment for the abduction OF slaves was
flOn N
became an active agent.
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
The extent Of the great depletion OF
negroes from the city at that time was
scarcely realized Even in 1S33 Governor
IhomaS w. Gilmer, who then represent
ed Albemarle in the Virginia Iegisla-
ture, In letter TO the late Richard Gam
Dill, mentioned the fact that $4,000 worth
or slaves had been then run off from
richmond within few months, and that
lncendiary pamphlets Were I'm circulation
from the North. We also now know that
the many bands of so-called "Gypsies'
which roamed over the State I'm 1850 were
only accessories OF the abolition move-
ment, preparing the negro for HIS COM
Ing freedom. The fact that the negroes
OF Richmond had long looked 10 the
North for their deliverance from slavery
was inferred from what / heard from
Lewis Lindsay. the noted negro orator,
who made himself so conspicuous just
after the war. / knew Lewis well, even
from boy, and often heard his per-
formances on the fiddle and banjo, when.
on such occasions, he would "norate" to
us schoolboys, and, pointing TO the Gov
ernors house, would exclaim, 81 gwine
Sit in dat ar house one day"
THE ACTING Or DORSEY OGDEN.
npa ne ha
messed during the war was the acting
of Dorsey ogden at the old Marshall
Theatre on Broad street. now obliterated.
II was in 1853, when a friend proposed
that we should go and see him I'm Mac
beth; the theatre was packed with sol
diers-indeed ogden would tell the door
keeper TO let them all In. as he wished
to give the boys" some pleasure, and
on such occasions would bear most OF
the expenses of the house himself.
The acting and dancing of the Parting
ton ssters-Mary and Jennie-always
brought forth yell OF delight: but this
was quite tame In comparison to the en-
thusiasm when ogden stepped upon the
stage, especially in the duelling scene,
when the whole audience would rise and
cheer itself hoarse.
Ogden was no mean actor: the stage
settings I'm those days of difficulties were
very poor, but he made up for all de-
fciencies. and when he strobe majestl-
cally across the stage and hourished his
sword, the poor scenery would appear
real. or escape notice. and his fire and
brilliant efforts would thrill the soldier
boys with admiration and cause them TO
forget for the moment all their cares.
JOHN II. RENTZ.
One OF the most prominent characters
connected with the orchestra of the old
Marshall was the late Mr.. John II.
Rentz.
On one occasion, when tho old drop
curtain from some cause failed 20 work,
and came tumbling down. falling nearly
upon the foot-lights, the audience sud
denly rose in great CONSERVATION, expect
ing to see the curtain take fire. which
would have caused a panic Rentz saw
the situation, sprang up. seized his o!S
fiddle. and began one of his loudest dou- I
-bassos. while most OF the other /
performers sat almost panic-stricken; !
but the grand notes Of the big bass SEEM /
ed to charm and quiet the audience. while /
the supers ran on and dragged the cur Z
tain out of the danger. / knew RentZ I
quito we'll He was a German, me 1
musician. and lived IN a little wooden cot }
tage on the corner OF Broad and Nlnth
streets. where he had his shop. In which
l would delight 10 sit aud hear his musi- ;
cal talk and see him work upon some 4
favorite old instrument. But, alasl The /
DAYS OF the old Marshall have passed 1
away, and with 1t many brilliant charac- !
ters who served TO sustain and 1
cheer the heart during those sad Con-
federate days. r. {. NJ.