Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-10-13
Miscellaneous.
4 Scnptural Panorama.

Long ago, before he got famous and
made DO X. Mark Twain wrote this
entertaining history. and he has done
nothing better. simply because it can't
be eXcelled.
There was fellow travelling around
with a moral religions show-a sort Of
scriptural panorama-and he hired a
wooden-headed old slab 10 play the
piano for him. After the first nights
performance. the Snowman saws:
My friend. you seem To know pret-
" much all the tures there are. and
YOU worry alvnS iii >. rate. H.. .i.uu
don't YOU notice that last night the
piece you happened to be playing was
little rough on the proprie;ors, so to
speak-didn't seem to jibe with the
general gait of the picture that was
passing at the time, as it were-was
little foreign To the subject. YOU know.
a ii you didn't either trump or follow
suit. YOU understand -
We'll. no." the fellow said he
hadn't noticed. but it might be; he had
played along just as it came handy.
50 they put it up that the simple old
aummy was to keep his eye on the
panorama after that, and as soon as a
stunning picture was reeled out, he was
to 90 it to dot with a piece Of music
thai would help the audience to get
the idea of the subject, and warm them
up like camp-meeting revival. The
sort of thing would corral their SYM
pathies. the Snowman said.
There was big audieuce that night
mostly niddle-aged and old people who
belong TO the church and took a strong
interest in Bible matters, and the bal
ance were pretty much young bucks
and hefers-they always come out
strong ON panoramas, you know, be-
cause it gives them a chance to taste
one another's mug in the dark.
Well. the Snowman began to swell
himself up for his lecture, ana the old
mud-dauber tackled the piano and ran
his fingers 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 show
man balanced his hands over his hips.
aud flung his eyes over his shoulder at
the scenery, and said:
Ladies' and gentlemen, the painting
now before YOU illustrates the beauti-
full and touching parable of the Prodi-
gal Son. Observe the handsome ex-
preston just breaking over the fea-
lures of the poor suffering youth-so
worn and weary with his long march !;
note also the ecstacy beaming from the
nplifted countenance of the aged fa-
ther, and the joy that sparkles in the
eyes of the excited group Of youths
and maidens, and seem 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-dauber was all ready, and
when the second speech was finished,
he struck up:
..Oh, wen all get blind drunk,
When Johnny comes marching home.D
Some of the people giggled. and
some grOaned. The Snowman cOuldnt t
say word. He looked at the pianist
sharp, but he was all lovely and se-
rene-he Didn't know there was any
thing ont Of gear.
The panorama moved on, and the
Snowman drummed up his girt and
started in fresh =
Ladies and gentlemen, the fine pic.
ture now unfolding itself to your gaze
exhibits one Of the most notable events
in Bible history-Our Saviour and his
disciples upon the sea of Galilee. How
grand, how awe-inspiring are the re-
dections which the subject invokes
What sublimity of faith is revealed to
us in this lesson from the sacred writ
ings! The Savior rebukes the angry
waters and walks securely upon the
bosom Of the deep!"
All around they were whispering
-''Oh, how lovely, how beautiful r
and the orchestra let himself out
again: