The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-10

mark Twain" IN the Alta Californian. tells
the following entertaining history of the Scrip
tural Panorama: mt
There was fellow travelling in that coun-
try with moral religious lava sort of
Scriptual panorama-and he hired wooden
headed old slab to play the piano for him. AZ
ter the first nights performance the Snowman.
said: "My friend, you Sc m to know pretty
much all the tunes there are, and you worry
along first rate. But then. didn't you notice
.s that sometimes last night, the piece that you
happened to be playing was little tough on
the prophecies, so to speak--didn't seem to
jibe with the general gait of the picture that
was passing al the time, as it were-was lit
tie foreign 10 the subject, you know-as II you
didn't neither follow suit nor trump, you I'M
derstandw CFEr HE
aWell, no. the fellow said. "He didn't no
ticed, but it might; he had played along just
as 1t came to hand" = - -
So they put it up so that the simple old
dummy was to keep his eyes the picture
za, after that, and as soon as a stunning picture
rolled out, he was to fit it to dot with piece
of music that would help the audience to get
an idea on the subject, and warm them up like
a camp meeting revival. That sort Of thing
would corral their sympathies, the Snowman
said. E AgN "a
There was big audience out that night
mostly middle-aged and old people, who be-
$50 longed to the church and took strong inter
est in Bible matters, and the balance were
young bucks and heifers-they always come
out strong on panoramas, you know, because
it gives them a chance to kiss one another's
mugs in the dark fas
Well, the Snowman began to swell himself
up for this lecture, and the old mud dobber
tackled the piano, and run his fingers up and
a. down once or twice to see that she was all
right, and the fellows behind the curtain be-
gan to grind out the panorama. The show
man balanced his weight on his right foot,
~ pfOpped his hands on his hips flung his eyes
on the scenery and said: q
"Ladies and gentlemen the painting now
si1 before You illustrates the beautiful and touch
in parable of the Prodigal son. Observe the
happy expression breaking over the features
OF the poor suffering youth worn and weary
from his long march; note also the ecstacy
beaming from the uplifted countenance of the
aged father, and the Joy that sparkes in the
81 eyes of the excited group of youths and maid
ems, and seems ready to burst in welcome
chorus from their lips. The lesson, my friends,
is as solemn and instructive as the story is ten
der and beautiful
The mud dobber was all ready, and at the
conclusion OF the speech, struck up:u vs
l-7 a'oh we'll all get blind drunk
cessna When Johnny comes marching homei" f1'
. Some of the people giggled, and some groall-
ed a little. The Snowman could not say a
word. He looked at the piano-man sharp, but
he was all lovely and serene-he didn't know
there was anything out OF geaI.
The panorama moved on 4I
Ladies and gentlemen, the fine picture now
unfolding itself to your gaze, exhibits one of
the notable events in Bible history-our Saw
ior and his disciples upon the sea OF Galillee
How grand, how awenspiring are the reaec-
s lions which she subject invokes"
All round the house they were whispering,
"Oh, how lovely, how beautfulp' and the or
chestra let himself out again:
r .-z 'sOh, a life ON the ocean wave
= To- And a home on the rolling Deep" g1
Ii There was good deal of honest snickering
turned on this time. - 50 4 -s.s -
-ss- After things got quiet, the Snowman thought
he would make one more stagger at it ANYHOW, |
though his confidence was shaky. The supes
started up the panorama again.
Ladies and gentlemen, this exquisite paint
ing illustrates the raising OF Lazarus from the |
dead by our Savior" al
,5 & Before anybody could get off an opinion of |
the case, the innocent old ass at the piano |
struck up.
X Dome, rise up. William R'i-l-e-N i
~ And come aleilg with me- II
All the solemn old floats got up in huff to |
go, and everybody else laughed till the win
dows ratified. ~ sr- rel
The Snowman went down and grabbed the |
orchestra, and shook him up and said:
THAT lets you out you know, you chowder-
headed old clam; Go to the door-keeper and
get your money and dust" ,6