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Show xox-:-x-:-z-;-z-3:-:-x3:-:-x-:-xz-:-x-m-:-x-xoz-:-x-m-:-x-:-s.:-x-:-X'M-:-x-x-i- I Term "Jitney" Traced to Louisiana Negroes j The word "jitney," which has been used intermittently and in various sections sec-tions of the United States for many years, and which suddenly sprang into general use at the time the 5-cent busses and flivvers were striving to settle the local traffic problems of many cities, had a curious origin. A minstrel troupe was playing in Baton Ba-ton Rouge, La., in a theater where the highest gallery was reserved for negroes. ne-groes. No gallery tickets were sold, a member of the troupe being placed at the door to take cash. The door was in a poorly lighted space ; and later the collector discovered two-score two-score of plain metal disks the size of a 5-cent piece, that had .been passed as nickels. One of the minstrels showed the disks to a negro, who explained: "Dem's jitneys." They were jettons the metal disks used as markers in a gambling house. A negro attendant had stolen the Jettons Jet-tons and was passing them as money. The minstrel troupe seized upon the word, and thereafter a 5-cent piece was a jitney, and the word spread until it came into common use. Liberty. Lib-erty. i |