Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1842-11-23
No. 81.
rseco..eesIo.gs Of a s.ro.ler.
De cHARLEs H. sAUNnERs.


by CHARLES H. SAUNDERS.
During my tour through The western country,
accidemliy stumbled npon The Iown # H..
in which place an old sho,ema was nightly ex-
hibiiing a'Fhe Wnnders of Nature aal An"
As happened TO .qie up" at The same tavern
where he chung out" was favored with his
acquaintance shortly alteFm arrival. iiews
Of The genus Yankee, and | avn no pbiI2>o-
pher, his repeated questions scen forced lf1m
mo the fact that belonged TO the theatrical pro-
fessiuii. and was or stroll for pleasure. i.0s-
sessed OF This information, he made me hts con-
fideni, and soon learned that the good people
of H. seemed 10 be devoid of curiosity To wit
ness the 'Wonders OF Nature aud Art" and my
Yankee friend was making losing game of IL;
he had been for some weeks engaged IN Tire
construction of piece Of mechanism, which
was now completed. and The bills announced
that "mniaure representation Of Battle On
the Ocean would shortly be exhibited" Now
old "Snuffle, Ito use his own expression, meant
10 .'come it strong" aud pressed inc TO trn,aiIi
till after the ''fIsl night" at any rate. and he
would pay me any sum wished. lie would
accept OF no excuse, and ! finally consented to
remain.
The "6rsi night" arrived-,he benches were
crowded and gr0aned beneath the weight ul the
corn-fed dignlaries OF H. The lille stage,
which was concealed from the audience by a
green tabIe-clolh, represented the open ocean.
Two or three lessons rendered me perfect in
my part of the performances and old "Snuile"
gave me my station. My posi- was beneath the
tvaters which were hung some four feet above
me; my agents were powder flask, big drunis
and small furnace in which were heating sew
er al pokerS which were TO enable me TO Touch
off with more facility the powder we should
use during The engagement; above me 1Saied
in apparent security, the American and British
Squadrons whose deslinies | was 10 WELD.
"Snuffle" undertook the management OF several
"seventy-Gours" which were 10 get dismasted
during the fight, and the rest were left to me.
The curtain rose! Lifting up my hand, grasp
ed the handle ofa frigale, and moved her through
the waters "hke thing Of lile"-placing her
in position, brought up the others. and they
Law in line. "Snuffie" then advanced with th,
"enemy," and told me in whisper, TO (snif.
sniff. sniff,) fire The first gum" | touched
ret hot poker 10 a few grains OF powder. whlcn
caused fash and Terrific whaek on the druar
made the report The fight now commenced
in earnest--now poker, now drum was The or
der. "Snuffie" diSmasted all his ships, AMI
1
then commanded me TO (sniff, suif,) ''to sink Oh
of the English vessels" First giving the drui'
mortal thump, seized a seventy-fOur anl
pulled her down 10 'sDauy Jones" in twinkliRs'
E"(Snif, sniff thunder and lightning" exclain
ed '.Snuf1e," you've sunk an Amerlcan vessel
and there you're moving ship along aboTl
ten miles an hour without bit of canvass ~
her--and The others under fill sail are standin
still"
In my hurry to remedy the evil l had caused.
and forgetting The ship was sailing, dropped
it. and of course that sunk also. Selling the
American ship had doomed so mai dpr0pOS To
destruction, lifted her up again to the surface.
but not calculating The distance in my conlu-
sion. exposed my whole arm to the audience.
holding in my hand the rescued vessel (Snia.
sniG) "Darnation," said Shuttle, "they See
your arm, take it down quick" instantly
dropped it, ship and all. and then came the hnai
catastrophe 4 button OF my sleeve caught or
| the slight frame work on which the ships tra'-
erscd, the sudden jerk tore ii down. and both
fleets were instanlaneously plunged into the
unla,homabIe depths. "A seventy-four hit me
ON one side of the head. and Shuttle hit me ON
the other, but was too much convulsed wish
laughter TO mind either blow. Shuttle disc haTs-
ed me ins,anter, and that was the last night uf
the new Panorama.