The sun., 1908-05-10

After the play Rice, having blackened
up. ordered Cun 10 dsrobe, and at once
proceeded 10 don the darky's clothing.
When the arran cement was completed the
bell rang and Rice habited In an old coat
forlornly dilapidated. with a pair Of shoes
composed equally Of patches and places
for patches on his feet, and wearing a COARSE
straw hat in a melancholy condition Of rent
and collapse over his negro wig, waddled
into view.
The extraordinary figure which the atidi-
ence saw produced an instant effect. The
aPparition was 80 novel and unexpected
that the audience suddenly became per-
! fectly quiet. Then there was a short pre-
lude by the orchestra, and Rice began to
sing, delivering the first lines by way Of
Introductory reoitative;
0, Jim Crows come to town, as you all must
know,
An he wheel about he turn about, he do jis 50,
An ebery time he wheel about he jump Jim
Grow.
As the song Was Of the topical variety
and contained as many verses as the public
would stand, or the actor could provide
without exhaustion, it was Of considerable
length. The chorus after each Of the
verses, was the simple couplet Of jumping
Jim Grow. Indeed that and the picturesque
character Of the actors makeup and his
impersonation we're the qualities which
gave the song it's hold on the public ad-
miration.
Edmon s. Conner and Sol Smith have
given different versions OF the origin OF Jim
Grow. each stating that the character was
discovered by Rice while the latter was
acting in Ludlow'S company in Louisville,
These versions agree In the main with that
already given here. but Francis C. Wemyss,
who in the days Of Jim Grow was widely
known in this country as an actor and
manager, in his volume Of "reminiscences,
published in iSi7. gives the Pittsburg ver-
sion. but without the attention TO detail.
wemyss. as manager Of the theatres in
which Rice played, IL entitled 10 belief when
he pronouces Jim Grow 10 have been drawn
from an original who was q negro in Pitts
burg Known as Jim CuI." Wemyss met
Rice whils be was engaged at the Walnut
Street Theatre Philadelphia, and says Of
him:
He was f)r time the lion OF the minor
theatres With an innate tact for business
he improved the opportunity his popularity
Afforded by collecting all the really beautiful
airs which the negro singS while perform
ing his daily labor and writing himself the
nbretto TO introduce a novel species OF en-
tertainment, with the imposing title Of
Ethiopian opera. His Bone Squash was an
amusing affair, the music truly delightful, !
and ably executed. The Virginny Cupids,
although vulgar even 10 groSsness, met q !
good reception
Very little is known Of the early career |
Of Thomas d. Rice. Born in New York
city. az has been told, he made no other |
attempt to play here after Hilson and |
Barnes insisted upon his discharge from |
the ranks Of the supernumeraries OF the |
old Park Theatre. He went South and |
West and fell in with Ludlow, who was
then touring az a sort Of Vincent Crummles.
This was about 1895
Rice improved and in 1S7s he was back |
in New York making hit in the oomical
part Of Johnny AtktnS In the farce THE
Mogul Tale This was performed at the
Lafayette Theatre.
There 10 In existencs q rare picture Of
Rice in this part, published that year, and
perhaps II 10 the first Of the actor ever made.
II antodAtes his Jim Grow epoch by At
least three years and seems 70 dispose OF
the popular impression that Rice vas Of
no account until his phenomenal riSe with
Jim Grow.
After he had toured this country with
Jim Grow, which seems TO have grown in
size a. II proceeded, Rice vent To Europe.
Before his appearance In London the song
= Jim Grow was known there, Ben jSmiAWeb
Ster, at the Adelphi Theatre. having given
II currency in one Of his "monopologues.'
IL was TO the Surrey that Rice went In
1888, and for time he Il said to have per.
formed twice nightly At two London thea
and Surrey The London