Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-02-15
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"Mark Twain, " in the Alta Californian
tells the following entertaining history
Of the Scriptural Panerama'
There was a fellow travelling around
IN that country, said Mr.. NickeTsonl
viii a moral religions shOw-a sort oI
-criptural panorama-and he hired q
/ wooden headed old slab 70 play the piano
! for him. After the first nights perform
anee, the Snowman says:
"Aiy friend, you seem to know pretty
much all the tunes there are, and YOU
very along first rate. But, then, didu'
YOU notice that sometimes, last night,
the piece you happened TO be playing
was a little rough on the Proprieues, so
10 speak-didn't seem 70 jibe with the
general gait Of the picture that was pass
ing at the time, as il were-was a little
foreign to the subject, you knows il
you didn't either trump or follow suit
YOU understand
Well, no, ," the fellow said he hadn't
noticed. but it might be; he had played
along just As it came handy.
So they put il up that the simple old
dummy was to keep his eye on the pan
Drama after that, and as soon rs
stunning picture was reeled out, he was
TO fit it to dot with a piece of music
that would help the audience get the
idea of the subject, and warm them UP
Ike "A camp meeting revival. 'Ehot aor-t
1T uIfug would corral their sympathie-,
the Snowman said.
There was q big audience that night
mostly middle aged and old people who
belonged TO the church, and took a strong
lnterestin Bible matters and the balance
were pretty much young bucks and
heifers-tfey always come cut strong on
panOramas, you know, because il gives
them a chance TO taste one an0ther's
mugs in the dark.
Well the Snowman began TO swell him
Selfup for his lecture, and the old mud
IUbber tackled the piano and run his
fingers up and down once OF twice 20 see
that she was all right, and the fellows
behind the curtain commenced to grind
out the panorama The Snowman bal
gnced his weight on his right foot. and
prupped his hands on his hips, and flung
his eyes over his shoulder at the scenery,
and said:
Ladies and gentlemen, the painting
now before you illustrates the beautiful
and touching parable Of the Prodigal
son. Observe the happy expression just
breaking over the features Of the poor,
suffering yOuth-sO worn and weary with
his long march note also tine ecstacy
1eaming from the upiifted cUUnteuance
of the aged father, and the joy that spar
kles i'm the ewes Of the excited group Of
youths and maidens, and seems ready to
burst i'm a 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 ali ready, and the
second the speech was finished he struck
up:
cob, Wen an get blind drunk
When Johnny comes marching heme 90
Some Of the people giggled, and some
grOaned little. The Snowman couldn't 1
say a word. He looked at the piano
sharp, but he was all lovely aud serene |
he didn't know there was anything out |
Of gear.
The panorama moved on, and the I
Snowman drummed up his grit, and /
started in fresh:
Ladies and gentlemen, the fine pie /.
-ure now unfolding itself to your gaze 1
exhibits one Of the most notable events /
in Bible histOry-our Saviour and his |
disciples upon the Sea of Gahlee. How /
grand, how awe-inspiring are the reiiec- /
.ions which the subject invokes! What |
-ublmity of faith Is revealed 10 Us in this 4
lesson from the sacred writings The /
Savior rebUkes the angry waves, and I
walks securely upon the bosom Of the .
deep u'
All around the house they were whis-
Dering: 4" Oh, how lovely, how beauti- /
'ul " and the orchestra let himself out /
again:
on. a LIE on the ocean wave
And a home on The rolling deept"
There was a good deal of honest snick-
sring turned on this time, and consider
sble gToaning, and one or two old dea-
'Ons got up and went out. The Snowman
srated his teeth and cursed the piano
nan to himself but the fellow sat there
Ike a knot on a log, and seemed TO think
he was doing first rate.
After things got quiet the Snowman
h0ught he would make one more stagger
It it, anyhow, though his confidence was
TO get mighty sbaky. The
apes started the panorama TO grinding
dong again, and be says;
Ladies and gentlemen, this exquisite
,aiuting illustrates the raising of Laza-
US from the dead by our Savior. The
ubject has been handled with rare abil-
ty by the artist, and such touching
weetness and tenderness Of expression
las he thrown into it, that I have known
,eculiafly sensitive persons to be even
nected to tears by looking at It, OBJ
erve the half confused, half iDquiring
ook upon the couptenance Of the ava
.euing Lazarus Observe, also, the at
itude and expression Of the Savior, who
axes him gently by the sleeve of his
hroud with one hand, while he points
With the other towards the distant city, /
Before any body could get or an opin-
On in the case, the innocent old ass 81 the
iano struck up;
Come rise mp william Ri-i-ley.
And go along with met"