The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-12-26

kinses. The pale man LAID MS chin
afectionately on his violin, the tall, lean
man drew a long breath and went through
a protracted process of fastening his lips
to the mouth of his flute, the short dumpy
man assumed an attitude as if his harp
was his long lost brother, and he was
about to embrace him, and-twinkle,
twankle, jingle, jangle, the music began.
The pale man called the changes, and
they danced with perhaps a little more
animation than some people consider
necessary, but they all enjoyed it, and
even Mr.. Fox, who had looked forward
to this moment with terror for weeks,
found himself getting along famously.
| Then the company assembled in the
large upper room before the mysterious
green curtain Imagine, if my request
is not too bold, the following tableaux,
after preliminary overture by the or
chestra
Tableau l. 1.-THE curtain rises half
way, disclosing blue dress, and then
sticks and falls again. Then it goes up
with rush. Miss Fanny Parkins, in
bespangled blue robe, and gilt crown,
standing on pedestal and looking to-
ward the ceiling. Great applause, part
ly because it is their hosts daughter,
and partly because Miss Fanny, who has
| her cheeks pentifuliy benouged, looks
very pretty. The audience are given a
second view, the perversity of the curtain
being overcome with still more difficulty. !
Tableau Ii. Miss Fuller in a robe of
some black stuff, plsntifully besprinkled
with stars, tiara of false gems on her
head, with a gilt crescent in front inten-
deI to aepresent the moon in one of its
phases. Applause, but not so marked
as in Tableau L., because Miss Fuller
was not so well known.
Tableau III. Benevolence A
wretched family, consisting OF Mr.. Full
Ter, in shabby shoes and coat very
much out at the elbows, and with several
deep lines in burnt cork upon his face
and forehead Misses Maggie and Mat
tie Brown and two young sisters also in
garments much the worse for wear.
Miss Sallie Brown in riding habit, hat
and gauntlets, in the act of dropping
sundry coins into the hand of Miss Mat
tie. Great applause, Notwithstanding
the manifest disposition of Mr.. Fuller
and the younger Browns to break out
into loud laughter.
Tableau ~. The parting Miss
Fanny Parkins and Mr.. John Townsend
in the costume of the period. Mr..
Townsend in the act Of pressing a kiss
on Miss Parkin's hand. Miss Parkins
fearful, with business of handkerchief,
ETC. Mr. Fuller in the background, in
the character of the faithful servitor
pointing to the door with the air of one
you'll be late for the train" Some APP
plause. An exchange Of chances between
several of the matrons of the company.
Tableau V. The curtain, evidently
tired of this sort of thing, stops work and
resolutely refuses to rise. \ mechanical
expostulation ensues and it is finally
overpowered. Judith with the Head of
Holofernes Miss Fuller, with her eyes
raised to heaven and the family carving
knife in her right hand, grasps with the
left the tangled locks of a wig on the
CORY head of Mr.. Fox, which has been
thrust through hole in the table, which
kindly conceals his body and legs with its
long cloth. Tumultuous applause. The
curtain is raised three times The effect
of the third representation is somewhat
marred by the conduct of the Head of
Holofernes, which is taken by surprise at
this third appearance before the audi
ence and forgets to shut its eyes.
Tableau VI. CONSERVATION A bright
fash is seen through the curtain A
cry of ''fre" is heard, and rush of peo-
pie to and fro behind the scenes. The
audience rise in a panic Mrs. Brown
faints Mrs. Parkins rushes toward the
stage and is met by Mr.. Parkins, who
energies from behind, clad in the costume
of Santa Claus with pack full of bon
bons. Mr.. Parkins, in a tremulous
voice, informs the audience that there
has been an accident, but that it is for
tunately all over now, and begs them to
go quietly downstairs. The audience,
with the exception of few intimate
friends, follow his advice in sadness and
wonder, and-the tableaux are over
1t happened in this way. The foot
lights had been forgotten until the last
moment, and a substitute was found in
two great globe lamps, which had been
placed one on each side of the stage, inn
mediately behind the curtain. Miss En-
lily Parkins, with a long, heavy flowing
white vail, or scarf, of some fimsy mate
rial, pinned to her hair-but fortunately, |
with less in1ammable dress-had APP
preached too near a lamp, and instantly
her head was enveloped in flames. At
that instant, by good fortune, John
Townsend happened to be coming on
with shawl. With great presence OF |
mind, he threw it over her head and |
smothered the fire. The vail being on
the back other head, Miss Emily's hair
was bSrned very short in some places,
but her injuries, although painful, were
certainly not dangerous. John burned his |
hands rather badly, but they were bathed |
and dressed so nicely by Miss Fanny, |
who dropped tear of sympathy on the |
bandages, and said, ''Poor fellow; oh, |
I'm SO sorry" that John went to bed that |
night in state bordering on ecstacy,
exclaimed, "Pm deuced glad of it, by
George I'm deuced glad of it," OF
course the party broke up. Everybody /
went home in an unhappy frame of mind,
except the musicians, who got several
hours extra sleep. '1ts an i'll wind"
etc.
There is very little more to be said
about the Parkinses, except that Mr.. /
John Townsend and Miss amy Parkins |
we're married last fall and this is not
much to say, because the reader of /
course guessed some time ago that this 1
would happen. Mr.. Parkins at first OBJ |
iected; he had set his heart on Fanny's /
marrying a professional man-young /
Screed, for instance-and then as Town |
send had saved Emily's life, why didn't
he fall in love with her? Emily hadn't /
much time to lose, and the match would |
not, all things considered, have been
such a bad thing. To all these objec-
tions Miss Pamela Parkins opposed such |
cogent reasons that Mr.. Parkins present |
ly succumbed. Townsend has been Ia