The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1866-05-09

]. We have had pretty good Fill of Para
disc Lost, with all its paragraphic and pam
oramic particulars, but there is room Tor
Mark Twain's entertaining history of the
Scriptural panorama he saw, and after
wards described as follows in the Cdtyor-
aidp:
Mark Twain tells the following enter
tanning history Of the Scriptural panor-
anna: tf
There was a fellow travelling around, in
that country, Mr.. Nickerson), with a
moral religious show--a sort of scriptural
panorama-and he hired wooden-headed
old slab to play the piano for him. After
the first.night's performance, the Snowman
says:
my friend, you seem to know pretty
much all the tunes there are, and
Won worry along first rate. But then,
didn't YOU notice that some times, last
night, the piece you happened to be play
ing was little rough on the proprieties,
SO TO speak-didn't seem to jibe with the
general gait of the picture that was pas
sing at the time, as it were-was little
foreign to the subject, you know-as if you
didn't either trump or follow suit, you I'M
derstand?''
isWell, no." the fellow said; he hadn't
noticed, but it might be: he had played
along just as it came handy"
So they put it up that the simple old
dummy was to keep his eye on the piano.
rama after that, and as soon as summing
picture was reeled out, he was to lit it, to
dot, with piece of music that would help
= the audience to get the idea of the subject,
and warm them up like camp-meeting
revival. That sort of thing would corral
their sympathies, the Snowman said.
There was big audience that night
mostly midle aged and old people, who be-
lonced to the church and took strong IN
terest in Bible matters, and the balance
were pretty much young bucks and heifers
---they always come out strong. on piano.
ramas, YOU know, because it gives them a
chance to taste one another's mugs In the
dark. fl" J2ts
Well, the Snowman began to swell him.
self up for his lecture, and the old mud
dobber tackled the piano and run his I'm
gers up and down once or twice to see that
she was all right, and the fellow behind
the curtain commenced to grind out the
panorama. The Snowman balanced his
weight on his right foot, and propped his
hands on his hips, and flung his eyes over
his shoulder at the scenery, and said:
'sLadies and gentlemen, the paintin
now before you illustrates the beautiful and
touching parable of the Prodigal Son.
Observe the happy expression just break
ing over the features of the poor suffering
youth-so worn and weary with his long
march; note also the ecstacy beaming from
the uplifted countenance of the aged father
and the Joy that sparkles in the eyes of the
excited groupe Of youths and maidens
and seems ready to burst in welcoming
chorus from their lips. The lesson, my
friends, is as solemn and instructive as the
story is tender and beautiful
The mud-dobber was all ready, and the
second the speech was finished he strucl
up:
"oh wen all got blind drunk
When Johnny comes marching Home"
Some of the people giggled, and some
croaned a little. The Snowman couldn'
say word He looked at the piano sharp
but he was all lovely and serene-he didnt
know there was anything out of gear.
The panorama moved on, and the show
man drummed up his grit and started in
fresh.
'sLadies and gentlemen, the fine picture
now unfolding itself to your gaze, exhibits
one of the most notable events in Bible
history-our Saviour and his disciples on
the sea of Galilee. How grand, how awe
inspirinr are the reflections which the
subject invokes! What sublimity of faith
is revealed to us in this lesson from the
sacred writings The Saviour rebukes the
angry waves, and walks securely upon the
bosom of the deep!'
All around the house they were whisper
ing: oh, how lovely, how beautiful! and
the orchestra let himself out again:
Life the wave,
Home the rolling deep!
There was good deal of honest snick-
ering turned on this time, and considerable
grooming, and one or two old deacons got
I'M and went out The Snowman gritted
his teeth and cursed the pianO-man to
himself but the fellow sat there like knot
on a log and seemed to think he was doing
first-rate.
After things got quiet, the Snowman
thought he would make one more staggel
at it, any how, though his confidence wa
beginning to get mighty leaky. The supe
started the panorama to grinding again
and he says:
Ladies' and gentlemen, this exquisite
painting illustrates the raising Lazaru
from the dead, by our Saviour. The sub
iect has been handled with rare ability b,
the artist, and such touching sweetness AM
tenderness Of expression has beer
thrown into it, that have known peculiar
ly sensitive persons to be even affected t
tears by looking at it. Observe the hall
inquiring look upon the countenance of tn
awakening Lazarus. Observe, also, tn
attitude and expresson'of the Saviour, VIII
takes him gently by the sleeve of his shrou
with one hand, while he points with tn
other toward the distant city!'
Before anybody could get off an opin
ion n the cause, the innocent old ass at tn
piano struck up:
Come rise up, William Riily,
And go along with me'
It was rough on the audience, you be
All the solemn old fats got up in hu
to go, and every body else laughed till til
windows ratified.
The Snowman went down and grabbe
the orchestra and shook him up, an
says;
THAT lets you out, you know, you CHOW
der-headed old clam Go to the door-keel
or and get your money, and cut your sticl
vamose the rancho! Ladies and gentl
men, circumstances over which l have 4
control, compels me prematurely to di
miss. sa.t44.s @s.s~5 --55- ~ .
sSETTLED.-The Wisconsin people ha,
been violently exercised in the question !;
to whether lager beer is Intoxicating
Some of the courts have decided that lag
does really possess alcohol and in suffice