Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-09-11

The American Journal Of Photography in
recent number, gives the following interest.
ing description Of how ghosts are made for
the New York theaters:
On.thc raising of the curtain for the ghost
scene, the lights Of the theatre were mostly
extinguished, the foot lights entirely, while
the stnge was dimly lighted from above and
at the sides, A murderer starts up out Of .
troubled dream full of ugly, fearfol sights,
rends the passions to tatters, a Ia Bowery,
when ghost No. l appears. This ghost is
simply skeleton which tho murderer takes
to be Death claiming him for victim, and
of course tho murderer begs to be excused.
&c. Death disappears, and shortly the ghost
Of lady deceased in previous act Of tho
play, fully arrayed in crinoline and Jewels
comes on the scene. This ghost No. 3 talks
Of course, in the manner Of ghosts. Ghost
No. 8 takes the place Of No 2, in the form
Of the old miser who had been lately mur-
dered, and displays his gaping wounds. ~.
nally the three ghosts appear at the same
time, the climax IL reached, and the curtain
falls on the narrowing scene. The ladies Of
the audience are oil in terror, the gentlemen
raise loud encore, but the curtain refuses
to move.
We proceed to give more accurate dcs.
cription. The ghosts are Of the normal size
Of humanity, and their position on the stage
is definitely seen. In size, form, color and
action, they are nearly like mortals. That
they are not human is, however, evident
from the fact that they appear and Disappear
without moving from the spot whore they
stand Moreover, their bodies are impslps-
Bile, and sometimes objects behind them are
seen through them the murderer stacks
them with his $ trusty STEEL" cleaving them
from head to heel without disturbing them in
the least. Our magic lantern and concaye
mirror theories melted sway before tl,e facts
we saw. The absence Of screen, the Iife~
size brilliantly illuminated, the natural move
mcnts Of the lips, eyes and hands, were quite
inconsistent with such explanations.
We went away the first night quite mys-
titled here were things which had not been
dreamed Of in our philosophy. We began to-
feel sympathy with those who said they
s.nelt sulpher, and believed they had seen
genuine ghost. Spirit.rappings and table
tippings are only m awkward afld Distant
approximation to the genuine ghost pi,enow
cna.
Yet the manner Of raising the ghost is rid
iculously simple; a little judicious yefiectiou
and the thing is accomplished. Thus: -
the front of the stage there is erected large
sheet of plate glass inclined toward the audi.
ence, at on angle Of about forty five degrees
with the floor. This glass is invisible TO tho
audience, and il does not 0bstruct the view
Of objects behind II. In front cf the gisss
and under it's inclination there is at1 opening
in the floor of the stage, atwhich the person
who acts the ghost is placed. Now when
he 1;ch sc Cd L.
Of him is seen by reflection from the glass;
the plate glass acts like looking glass No
thing is visible to the spectators bat the iaa-
the image or ghost is brought to any spot
by varying the intensity, color and posision
of the light, other interesting effects are Oh.
tanned. This explanation will probably b
sufficient to enable any Of our readers ifso
disposed to get up ghost for their private
use. Coming down Broadway now, every
day we see the ghosts Of horses, staSes, md
people. IN an the store windows.
->>--
ENIGRArlox TO IowA.--The epesink State
Of Iowa is being rapidly settled, the Amssi-
can Emigration Company greatly aiding in
this work. This ccfnp9ny Is made ur IS
wealthy capitalists Of New England who own
some half million acres Of land ID Iowa.
It sells only to actual settlers, and has agents
in different parts Of Europe, who ssll hn0t0
cmigrants and transport them to thsir dsoti-
nation at half regular rates Or lees, also ID
vancing means for the settlers 10 stock tlbsiv
farms with sheep.
AsRABAxT T. Allowsy.e = Sergeant 4 sonr
rany HI 3d Iowa Infantrv waa ahnA - n
oria. Mahasha county. 4 lex diva alnco - r