Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-07-22

Rhymes la Mode. A. Lang.
:------------------ -
PHOTOGRAPHY At HOME.
The man who conceived the brilliant
idea of introducing the amateur photo
graphic outfit should not be permitted
to 60 down to his grave unhonored and
unhu-that is. unsung He has dis
PEELED clouds of carking gloom and
dissipated chunks of depressing mo-
notony from thousands OF homes-in-
cluding the rural domicile OF Reuben
Higglesworth.
While Mr.. Higglesworth was in the
city during the holiday season, q small
boy thrust into his hand printed cir
cular headed Every Man his own
Photographer" Following this an
nouncement was lucid description of
an amateur Photographic outfit, where
by any person. without previous in
struction or experience, might take ar
tistic photographs of all the ANIMATE
and inanimate things in his neighbor-
hood, deriving both pleasure and profit
from the operation.
snow I call that mighty cute ar
rangement," said Mr.. Higglesworth,
putting the circular in his pocket.
"Guess I'll invest q few dollars in the
amachoor machine and take it home to
amuse Sary Ann and the children"
When he arrived home with his pur-
chase. Sary Ann Higglesworth and the
four juvenile Higglesworths examined
the contrivance curiously. Finally
Mrs. HIS pent-up curiosity exploded in
the interrogation
"What in the world is it, Reuben p
patent oil stove or a new kind OF
churn?"
"Well, your guess is away off. It is
. machine for making pictures. The
man who sold it to me, Sary Ann.
showed me the photographs of some
likely young women one of these ma
chimes made. and they was pretty
enough to make a man yearn to live
his counting days over again. A man
can operatesit by reading the instruc-
tions in this little book, and when I've
mastered them, Sary Ann, I'll just load
up the Photographic box and take your
picture first"
Mrs. Higglesworth's preconceived no.
ton of having a photograph taken was
something akin to having a tooth ex-
tracted. She had experienced the lat
ter torture, but was thus far exempt
from the former.
"Will it hurt, Reuben?" she asked,
backing away from the camera
"To be sure it won't hurt. The thing
won't explode-not before it is loaded,
anyway" he added, facetiously. "You
must slick up q little and make your
self look pretty, and I'll make your
photograph look handsomer than a
professional beauty"
In very brief space of period for q
woman-Mrs. Higglesworth announced
that she was ready.
"Now take seat in this cheer, Sary
Ann, and look pleasant and natural.
like. I'm not going to wedge your
head in pair of tongs and twist you
into position thatll make you look as
lifeless and wooden as cigar-store In
dian. Photographers who follow the
business for living always screw your
head into pair of diabolical iron
clamps, and make you set as you never
sot before in all your born days-and
never will again, unless you get your
photograph taken by one of the pro
fessional chaps. Now get ready to
look natural and easy"
Then Higglesworth looked through
the camera at his wife, who was vainly
trying to assume several different posi-
tions at one time.
Throw up your chin trife, Sary
Ann--not quite so high. Twist your
head a trife to the right. There
that's better. You can wink all you
want to. Now look pleasant, and smile
little at the corners OF your mou---
Great kingdom, Mrs. Higglesworth
don't open your mouth that way
Dye want to bust the plate and spoil
the picture? Think of something
cheerful, and keep your mouth shut
Think of the sleigh.ride we took before
we were married, when the horse ran
away and dumped us out in q demoral.
lied heap, and we had to walk three
miles through snow-drifta When ]
pull the cloth of the nozzle Of the ma
chine, the performance beginA Nowi'
The four children stood near the
camera. two on either side of the sitter
and Mrs. Higglesworth made heroic
effort to keep her eyes on the entire
quartette, and once raised . finger
warningly and gave o thundergustie
glance at Tom, the eldest, who waa
enacting IN original pantomime for the
delectation of his brother and sisters,
"There-it's all overl" said Higgles.
worth throwing the cloth over the noz'
zle of the camera.
"Sakes alive" exclaimed Mrs. Hig'
ellsworth, bouncing ont Of her chair
and giving Tom a smart box on the ear
"how quick that was done, and / was
waiting all the time to hear it 60 off
Do let me see it, Reuben
"Cant you wait till ] develop the
the negative ?" cried her husband, inn.
patiently. "I'll let you see it in a min.
ute," and lie rushed into his ozark
room," according to the directions, and
soon returned and held the plate up "a
the light. "There you sre, Sary Ann T.
"Do you call that me ?" said his wife,
gazing ct the picture with her eyes
bristling with astonishment why,
whatever it il, it looks ss black - 1
u
"Yes, I know" Reuben interrupted
but it will come all right whom il il
printed. The black will then be light,
and the light dark. Now. since Ivs
got sny hand IN I'll take gronp Of tha
! children. When every man becomsa