, 1876-01-16

Il Winter Evenings Amusement

!Ne,o Y.r* le:tr 81. Lous Eeputs.an.
Tho old amusement OF acting charsdss is re-
viycd this Mi:4tar at little gatherings and e:est
deal of fun can DO made bv little ingenuity.
On Christmas eve. in certain jolly family. q
multitude Of these simnie devices vera acted,
and u more rldiculoasIy-funny performance
never witnessed. Unlike tho. more ancient
cha.ade. which WAS presented in svllabses. ono
scene represented whole word. often an entire
sentence. An archway in Which hung damask
cu .tains was backed BY couple OF whlta shee's.
High III in the centre was DISPLAYED with each
scene placGrd inscribed with the legend the
action tia.,sp1riug beneath was supposed to rep
resent As the curtain dtop2ed, wild and scat
tesug guesses we're made oy the attentive auls
euce, which. falling t. hit the mark, powerfn'lv
spelled sjgn was suddenly rim ont On the red
damass aud as the Eoars Of laughter died away
up would 20 the cu.tan on another more con
yulslva III character than the preceding. But
two gentlemen performed On this uccason. As
some Of tue devices may he amusing to read, ns
well as suggestive in getting up thus append
few:
The curtaiu rolled of. The two geotleruon
walked on from the sidas, solemn, si1, aud prlg-
glsh, spect1cles Oh their noses aud cotton nm
t1e!las under their arms, felt each others pulsaa
and walked oI1. As the placar1 above stated the
a1:ice to bo guessed was
IA learned scientist"
rash voices suggested 'P1octors," 4 gas ho
il" Il Fellows" et:.
But the inter,,ew We had just Witnessed
meont
MET rhvsician."
as the elucidatln. paragraph unfolded on tho
curtain told us.
Away went the damask The name two came
on, jnst nodded, and passed each other.
THIS scene was entitled
"A short similitude."
and 0f course was met afora" (metaphor).
Then the eilarades got geographical i'll char
acter. The placard displa:ed the place to be
guessed was rlver III Maine.
t,oF lam mn tfkarn EAs
gan examining tao siSn. Number two came
cautiously up behind, stale his handkerchief,
and secreted it; first Old fellow takes suecss OF
and feeling for handkerchief to. wipe thens d!s-
covers his loss Number two o1citetty points OF
as it to tue thief. and the victim: dnshea OF iu
| pursuit, while tho thief wallis Laughing away
vita his ptnnder.
This resulted in tearing tue Atlas all to pieces,
and the answer,
"a rlse toukl,
wss received NTH t,foans. ATav went tue cur
tain and ono of thoae wonderful wooden AMI
mails. with plug tails an1 r.g lar ret spot. paint
cd all over beautiful sky-biae skin. stool alone
| on the carpe~ and tho p.assrd this t!ule read:
An island in an Eastern nrculpcla3o-'
This WAS guessed By clergyman to be
] .'Ih6o5.'
And certainly this was = triumph. es the ami
| NAL needed ssThe uss painted on it as much as
Johnnys iour-lesged table under which he writes
"a Kuw."
| The next tableau, there stood the fiery. untana-
| ed steed, beneath the sign which this tune
! reads:
s:Anothcr island in an Eastern Archipelago"
This dcies everybody, bur proves. amid much
| laughter, to be
| ;. '4Samos"
| (s3me oss).
| Hare followed sumner, scenic ulTertlsse-
| meat in four sections.
| Tic tirs1 ipstaineut representing. according
to the bill, Of the play, 1.-THE highest form OF con-
| yeational dec,rum."
The second embracing ia famous exclamation
| OF reproacl. :.
Tho third tae name OF "a noted prize-6shter;
! and the fourth
"a soecies Of large maple trse."
The properties were merely table on which
| s.. three sugar cats.
The artist walked o. and. with much grace
and histsionic ability, swallowed the nrss and
| smallest cat.
''lhis was tho highest form Of conventional
decorum, an1 was, therefore,.
+ s.Et a car.''
With much eo1emaity the second cat WAS do
molished, aud the famous exclamation,
''Et two Brute"
was fulfilled. The mlsti.atiso OF this last cal
| was accompanied With manifestations OF great
: delight, 60 that we we're prepared to soc ti1s
| noted ptize-hsnte~'s name sue!led
| Glad ho ate her
/ (liadia.orJ.
| Hereupon the third and largest cat was appar
| emily going to JOIN tho others. but the arts
turned with sadness away. aud walked OF feavtu:
US to understand that the uama OF maple was
| ic his case,
| Sick o more
{Sycamore).