The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-01-03
THE sCRlpTuRAL PANORAMA.


"My friend, you seem to know pretty
much all the tunes there are, and you
worry along first.rate. But then, don't
you notice that sometimes last night
the piece you happened to be playing
was little rough on the proprieties, so
to speak-you didn't seem to jibe with
the general gait of the picture that was
passing at the time, as 1t werc-was q
little foreign to the subject, you know
AS if you didn't either trump or fol-
low suit, you understand ?'' .8
"Weil, no. the fellow said, the
hadn't noticed, but it might be; he
had played along just rs it came handy
$50 they put it up that the simple
old dummy was to keep his eye on the
panorama after that, and as soon as a
stunning picture was reeled out he was
to fit 1t to a dot with a piece of music
the idea Of the subject, and warm them
sort Of thing would corral their sympa-
thies, the Snowman said.
"There was big audience that
night-mostly middle-aged and old peo-
pie who belonged to the church, and
took a strong interest In Bible matters,
and the balance were pretty much
young bucks and heffers-they always
come out strong ON panoramas, you
known because II gives them q chance
to taste one another's complexions in
the dark. E.a.
swell, the Snowman begun 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 show
man balanced his weight ON his right
foot, and propped his hands over his
hips, and flung his eyes over his shoul-
der at the scenery, and said: ,
" Ladies and gentlemen, the paint
ing now before you illustrates the
beautiful and touching parable of the
Prodigal Son. Observe the happy ex-
preston just breaking over the features
of the poor, suffering youth-so worn
and weary with his long march; note
also the ecstacy beaming from the up
lifted countenance of the aged father,
and the Joy that sparkles In the eyes OF
the excited group of youths and mai
1ens, and seems ready to burst into tile
welcoming chorus from his lips. This
lesson, my friends, is solemn and in.
structive as the story is tender and
beautiful
"The mud-dobber was all ready, and
when tho second speech was finished,
struck up:
"Oh, we'll all get blind drunk,
When Johnny comes marching homo! -
"Some Of the people giggled, and
some groaned little. The Snowman
couldn't soy a word. He looked at the
serene-he didn't know there was any,
thing out of gear.
"The panorama moved on, and the
Snowman drummed up his grit and
started afresh.
"t Ladies and gentlemen, the fine
picture now unfolding itself to your
gaze exhibits one of the most notable
events in the Bible history--.our Sa-
vior and his disciples upon the sea of
Galilee. How grand, how awe-inspir-
ing are the reflections which the sub
ject invokes. What sublimity of faith
is revealed to US in this lesson from the
sacred writings! The Savior rebukes
tho angry waves, and walks securely
upon the bosom of the deep!'
&C. All around the house they were
whispering, sOh, how lovely, how
beautiful y and tho orchestra let him
out again:
"A life on the ocean wave,
And homo on the rolling deop!
There was good deal of honest
snickering turned on this time, and
considerable groaning, and one or two
old deacons got up and went out. The
Snowman grated his teeth, and cursed
the piano man to himself; but the fell
low sat there like knot on log, and
seemed to think he was doing first
rate.
"After things got quiet the Snowman
thought he would make one more stag
ger Mt it any way, though his conf
dence was beginning to get mighty
shaky. The supes started the panorama
grinding along again, and he says:
I" Ladies and gentlemen, this exqui-
site painting represents the raising Of
Lazarus from the dead by our Savior.
The subject has been handled with
marvellous skill by the artist, and such
touching sweetness and tenderness of
expression has he thrown into it that 1
have known peculiarly sensitive per-
sons to be even affected to tears by
looking at it. Observe the half confused
half-enquiring look upon the wakened
Lazarus. Observe, also, the attitude
and expression of the Savior, who takes
I, r., 4. IL