Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-09-25
Mark Twain.


Mark Twain.
History of n Scriptural l'nnormn-A
travelling show The Unedu-
cnted Musician.
Mark Twain, in the Alta California,
tells the following entertaining his
tory of the Scriptuarl panorama:
There was Il fellow travelling around
in that country, said Mr.. Nickerson,
with a moral, religious show-a sort
of sc%riptural panorama-and lie hired
awooden headed old slab to play the
piano for him. After the first nights
performance the Snowman SAYS:
My friend. you seem TO know
pretty much all the tunes. there are,
and YOU worry along first rate. But
then don't o notice that some
times last night the piece you Happen
ed to BE- playing wasa little rough on
the propricties, so to spcak-didn't
seem to jibe with the general gait of
the picture That was passing at the
ann time. as IT were-w Il little
foreign to the subject. you know-as
ifyou didn't either trump OIL follow
suit. you understand"
"Wcll, no." the fellow said: he hadn't
noticed. but it might be: he had play
ell along just as it had come handy.
SO they put it up that the old dunn
my was 10 keep his eye on the piano.
rama after that, and rs o % as stun
ming picture was reeled out, he was
to furnish it with a piece of music
that would help the audience to get
the subject. and warm them up like
a campmeeting revival. That sort
of thing would corral their sympa-
thies. the Snowman said.
There was n big audience that night
mostly middle-aged and old people
who belonged to the church and took
n strong interest in Bible matters, and
the balance were pretty much young
bucks and heifers-thev always come
out strong on panoramas, YOU know,
because it gives them a chanctto taste
ono another's mug in the dark.
Well, the Snowman began to swell
himself up for his lecture, and the old
m~ud-dobber tackled the piano and
run his fingers up and down once or
twice to see that she was all right,
and the fellows behind the curtain
commenced to grind out the piano.
rama. The Snowman balanced his
weight Oh his right foot, and propped
his hands over his hips, and flung his
ewes ovcrhis shoulder at the scenery,
and said
Ladies' aud gentlemen, the painting
now before you illustrates the beau
tiful and touching parable ofthe Prod
igal son. Observe the happy express
ion just breaking over the features of
the poor suffering youtlI-so worn
and weary with his long march mote
also the ecstacy bcaIning from the
upliited countcnancc OF the aged ia
Their. and the JOY that >parklcs in the
excited group of youths and
maidens, and seems ready to burst IL
welcoming chorus from their lips.
The lesson, my friends, is solemn and
instructive as the story is tender and
beautiful"
The ~mud-dobber was all ready. and
when The second speech was finished
he struck up:
"'bh. well nil get blind anil drunk,
When Johnny comes marchinghOJne -
some of the people gigglcd, and some
groaned q little. The Snowman
couldn't say q word. He looked at
the pianist sharp, but he was all
lovely and serenc-he didn't know
there was anything out Of gear.
The panorama movd on. and the
Snowman drummed up his grit 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 the Bible li~istory-our Sa-
vior and his disciples on the sea of
Gaiilee. How grand, how awc-in-
spiring are the reflections which the
subject invokcs, What sublimity of
fnitt j revealed to us in this lesson
from the sacred writings! The Savior
gcbuke- the angry waves, aud walks
securely upon the bosom of the deep"
All around the house they were
.Shi-p"ring: "Oh, how lovely, how /:
Jeantitul :" and the orchestra let him 4,
elf ont again: {
20, III. ON the ocean wave ,
Anlf "ptn- on the rolling deep"
There was a good deal of honest |
~-nickcring turned On this time, and
Considerable grooming, and one or {
~ . old deacons got up aud went out. !
The Snowman grated his teeth, and ]
cur-"d the piano man to himself, but I
IN" fellow sat there Ikea Knot OH a
Jog, and seemed to think he was do
ny first rate. I
After things got quiet, the show !
man thought he would make one
more s'.2gsr at il, anyhow, though
ma confluence was beginning to get I
mighty shaky. The supes started
he panorama to grinding along again. u
and nc says:
Ladies and gentlemen. ,his exnui. r
lite painting illustrates the raisin,l
II Lazarus from the dead by our s, d
.ior. The subject has been handlea d
with rare ability by the artist, and u
rach touching sweetness and tender.
ncss o~fexpression has lie thrown into J
t that ] have known peculiarly sen l
'iiiye persons TO be even affected 10
ears by looking at it. Observe the |
j'aIf confused, and half inqniriDg look !,
the cnuBteDane Of the awakened I
Lazarus. Observe, also the attitude '
nd expression Of the Savior, who
'Ikes him gently by the sleeve Of bis ,
arnnd with onc hand, while hepoinis I,
the other toward the distant !,
~" !,