Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-05
DAN RICE's OLD SONGS.
One Of His Circus Boys Recalls the
Clowns Love for Children.

One of His Circus Boys Recall h
own Love for Children.
Dan Rice, the pet Of the children years
agone, the clown Of all clowns. loved boys,
says a writer in the Chicago News, and /
never heard Of his misusing q youth OF
either sex. I knew Of one instance when
a young girl, fascinated with the sawdust
and spangle life, ran away from home to
follow his circus. Dan found It out, sent
for her, told her the truth about circus
life and it's consequences and sent her, PEN
itent, innocent and wiser. with q kind,
fatherly letter to her parents.
We boys knew how to work him. A dozen
or twenty Of us would gather round the
entrance of the tent and raise such q row
as to bring him out. Then something like
this dialogue would follow his appearance:
Chorus Of ~Boys-Hullo, Dan. Hulloi We
haven't got any money. Take u in, Dan,
pleased
Dan-You little devils. can't you keep
quiet?
Chorus-No-o, no-o-oi 0ong drawn OUT
.Dan-Then, darn your little hides, come
Inside where l can max you keep quiet.
When with three cheers for Dan We
would march inside and he would make US
all sit on the outer edge OF the ring, where
he would introduce us to the audience as
his little family" sometimes adding: Tho
girls had to stay at home to take care Of
the babies" This, Of course, made q hit.
Dan used to sing q song entitled THE
Raging Canawl." - which depleted q terrible
storm on that once popular th~oroughfare.
in the height OF which the waves ran as
high as saucers on that ragin' canawl,"
and they knocked down one OF the towing
horses which was "takin' in a sail"
We had a load OF Dutchmen and We slowed
They didn't appear to care for the welfare
of their souls.
The captain came on deck and implored
But all the answer he could get was. mix
come 'rous! Nix for stay!"
The lamentable drama OF Wilkins and
His Dinah' was another OF Dams songs,
not original, but adapted. He usually
wrote or had written his own lyrics. Will
kins, like many another father, wished
Dinah to marry. and she objected.
"oh, papa! oh. papa! I've not made up my
To marry just yet I don't feel Inclined;
To you my large fortune I'd gladly give
If you let me live single q year or two
more
The chorus Dan always asked US, his
family" to assist in
Tooral lal looral lal looral. lal lay.
four times repeated.
The papa" was obdurate and the sad de-
movement follows:
AS Wilkins was a-walkin' his garden
He spied his dear Dinah lyins dead on the
And a billy dux %a-statin' 'twss BY pisen she
died.
zoe Bowers was another. who intro
duced himself thus:
Oh. my name It is Joe Bowers. I've got a
1 come from old Missouri, all the way from
Pike.
Joe was smitten with the charms Of q
Pike county damsel, who cruelty deceived
him, as witness the last words:
One day I got a letter. twas from my
1t came from old Missouri; yes, all the way
1t brought the goI-darndest news that ever
How that Sally had married the butcher.
and the baby had red hair!
What Sol Smith Russell was to the stage
Dan Rice was to the sawdust arena.
without desiring to detract from the
ability of Dan Emmett as a writer of popu-
, lar songs 1t may be remembered that q
still older song than his Dixie" contained
similar ideas and versincation:
D Way down souf, in de state OF Alabama
Oars whar l used to lib, chalk down d.
'bana,
Ebry mornin' early msssa GLIB me liquor.
Jump in de skin. an down de yibber drn
An / kotch as many sof crab as any mig
ger lift.
once pom a drf' log, tink I see a alligator
Sculi my boat round an chuck him sweet
potater;
r Couldn't fool him bad nohow TO M 1t.
SO l up wild a brick, an / fotch him suef
An twas UNI but q pine knot pom 4
big stick.
Now my ole missus she marry Will d
weaber.
But she soon found out DAT ne was a gay
|; For he grabbed all her cash and he jinket
Il in his pocket,
An de way he cut he stick was a sin u
i Davy Crockett.