Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-12-19
The scriptural Panoramist.

|
"There was a fellow travelling around
in that country" said Mr.. Nick erson.
with moral-religious Shows sort of
seriptural panorama-and he hired
wooden-headed old slab to play the piano
for him. After the first nights perform
ance the Snowman SAYS:
Ny friend you seem to know pretty
much all the tunes there are. and Won
worry along first-rate. But then, didn't
you notice that sometimes last night the
piece you happened to be playing was a
little rough on the prophecies, SO to speak
didn't you seem to iibe with the gen
eral gait of the picture that was passing
at the time, as it were-was little
foreign to the subject, you know-as if
you didn't either. trump or follow suit.
/ yoa understand? 2 Esz 8 r
Well, no. the fellow said; 'he hadn't
noticed, but it might be; he had played
along just as it come handy
$50 they put it up that the simple old
dummy was to keep his eye on the pano-
rama after that, aud as,sOOn as stunning
picture was reeled out he was to fit it toa
dot with piece of music that would help
the audience to get the idea of the sub
iect, and warm them up like a camp-meet-
ing revival. That sort of thing would
corral, their -symPathies, the Snowman
said. ~ - z-
'There was a big audience that night
mostly middle-aged and old people who
belong to the church, and took a strong
interest in Bible matters, and the balance
were pretty much young bucks and
heifers-they always come out strong on
panoramas, as you know, because it gives
them chance to taste one another's com
plexions in the dark.
''Well, the Snowman began to swell
himself up for the lecture, and the old
mud-dobber tackled the piano and ran 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 panorama. The Snowman bal
anced his weight on his right foot, and
propped his hands over his hips, and flung
his eyes over his shoulder at the scenery,
and said:
'''Ladies and gentlemen, the painting
now before you illustrates the beautiful
and touching parable of the Prodigal
Son. Observe the happy expression just
breaking over the, features of the poor,
suffering youth-so worn and weary with
his long march; note also the. ecstasy
: beaming from the uplifted countenance
of the aged father and the joy that
sparkles in the.eyes of the excited group
of youths and maidens, and seem ready
to burst into the welcome chorus from his
lips. The lesson, my friends, is as solemn
and instructive as the story Is tender and
beautiful 2=tEEE Ei4>
''The mud-dobber was all ready, and
when the second speech was finished, he
struck up:
FOh, Wen all get blink drunk, q
| When Johnny comes marching homer
''Some of the people giggled, and some
groaned little. The Snowman couldn't
say word, he looked at the pianist sharp
but he was all lovely and serene-he did
not know there was anything out of gear.
"The panorama moved on, and the
Snowman drummed up his grit and start
ed in afresh.
Ladies and gentlemen, the fine pic
ture now unfolding itself to your gaze
exhibits Ole of the most notable events
in bible history-our Savior and his dis
ciples upon the Sea of Galilee. How
grand, how awe-inspiring are the refee-
tions which the subject invokes? What
sublimity of faith is revealed to us in
this lesson from the sacred writings? The
, Savior rebukes the angry waves, and
walks securely upon the bosom of the
| deep!'
"All around the house they were whis-
pering, EOh, how lovely, how beautiful =
and the orchestra let himself out again
''A life on the ocean wave,
And home on the rolling deep"
'FThere was a good doal of honest
snickering turned on this time, and con-
siderable groaning and one or two old
: deacons got up and went out. The show
man grated his teeth, and cursed the
piano man to himself; but the fellow sal
there like knot on log, and seemed tc
: think he was doing first-rate.
''After things got quiet the Snowman
thought he would make one more staggel
; at it any way, though his confidence wa
! beginning to get mighty shaky. The
supes started the panorama grinding
y along again, and he says:
= Ladies and gentleman, this exquisite
painting represents the raising of Lazaru:
from the dead by our Savior. The sub
ject has been handled with marvellous
skill by the artist, and such touching
l sweetness and tenderness of expression
J has he thrown into it that have known
peculiarly sensitive persons to be ever
affected to tears by looking at it. Observ'
, the half-confused, half inquiring lool
upon the wakened Lazarus. Observe, ,also
: the attitude and expression of the Savior
! who takes him gently by the sleeve of hi
shroud with one hand. while he points
with the other toward the distant CITY,
q "Before anybody could get off an opin
: ion in the case the innocent old ass at tn
piano struck up:
's'Come rise up, William Ridley,
And go along with me?
+. "Whe-ew! All the solemn old flats go
up in huff to go, and everybody els
# laughed till the windows ratified.
q ''The Snowman went down and grabbed
the orchestra and shook him up and says
% '''That lets you out, you know, yor
a chowder-headed old clam. Go to the door
n keeper and get your money, and cut you
:, stick-vamose the rancho! Ladies an
gentlemen, circumstances over which
have no control compel me prematurel
h to dismiss the house,
= Hold the Fort.
Everybody sings "Hold the Fort" bu
at 1ew know the origin of the remarzabl
song. The Chicago Inter Ocean gives tn