Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-03-15
HOW TO TELL A STORY.
BY MRS. sEBA SMITH.

No character is more genial TO a child than
a good story tcller-one tina, with serene
fulnrss pours ont incidental narrative, peril
and hair breadth 'scape," tale Of enormous
serpent or deadly beast, Of wild or chivalric
adventure, ill the old clock behind the door
is heard to tick with solemn londness, and
the cllers begin to yawn and stir the ashes
in token of WEAKNESS. Most heartily do
pity either man or woman who has no such
delicious Renaissance. Ii was my good for
tune when child to pass much OF my time
at an old country farmhouse, where the ma
nv retainers, the primitive and exact order
ing of the household had in it much of the
haroniil style of which we read amongst our
Saxon ancestors. The principal apartment
for ordinary occasions was a long hall, or di-
ning.room, in the centre of which was spread
table capable of holding the whole family
from the head down to the youngest SER
want. Our New England gentry are exact
observers Of precedence, and in the old fam
lilies where any degree of state is observed, "A
single glance at the ordering of the table be-
trays the relative position Of each member.
At the head sit the master and mistress, then
occasional vsiters, next the children ranged
according to the age of each, and then come
the upper domestics, as they might he term
ed, old, respectable retainers, who sometimes
ioin few words in the conversation at the
head of the table !; but always in snbdurd
and respectful voice-folowed next 10y the
younger servants, to the manor born as
it were, bat as yet too young TO share in its
dignirs.
After the morning and evening meal which,
is announced by the blowing of horn, each
member places his chair to the wall, and the
pairiarch of the family reads a portion OF
scripture from the "big ha' bible, once his
fathers pride," and then,
"The saint the husband, and the father prays."
At night when the household arrangement,
were completed, this long room with its din
recesses, its antique furniture and quaint or
naments. was the place to give impressive
ness to story. Here might one shudder a
the supernatural, stare al the marvellous, ant
thrill at the bold and magnanimous. Here
was the place, too, to bemoan the cruelty o
"Queen Eleanor" to "Far Rosamond,'
to weep for the lover by " Yarrow flowing,
and to rejoice in the re,rbution of the prou'
and 4" cruel Barbara Allen" These and ma
nv other ballads, such as the "Milk Whit
Doe,"" Fair Margaret and Sweet William,
"Lord James and Fair Eleanor" were pre-
served in rude manuscript and learned orally
and most have been in this way preserved b
tradition and brought over to this country b.
the first settlers; the writer having nnve
seen them in print till he found them in Per
rvs reiqucs and long after he had been IA
milar with them as chanted in the old farm
house.
The city is no place for -tcllng-no
thing is harmony. A story TO 90 we
must be either in a rich antique room, or old
Fashioned farm house, where things have
air of quaihtness and permanency in on
rough cottage with smoky rafers; or. betre
still, in some rude cabin upon the wild from
tier. In such places we abandon ourscve
to any fantastic illusion, and are not ashame
to yield faith, nor to be swayed by the emo
tons of the tale. A sea story need be tol
by some weather-beaten tar by the sea shore
by a dim wood fire with a fierce tempe
raging without; unless you have the goo
fortune TO hear it by the forecaslle itself.
good story-teller should be exceedingly care
full never to mis-ilme, nor mis- place his nal
rative. If his miserable fortune afford IN
nothing better than a carpeted room, with s,
fas and chandeliers, be sure To make ii
light dim; let il come from behind son
piece of statuary or heavy-stufled chair,
rose bush, or large geranium, that outline AZ
faint shadows be cast-ihen il he have aui
voice, and not too much of the detail, vel
good illusion may be produced.
Children, in whom the love of the marve
Gus is always predominant, and who new
weary at the twice-told tale, will adopt
sorts of expedients TO hear one. They mi
be found in the garrett turning over musty r.
-ljcs and old records. in the desire for sugge