The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-01-04

took place was the Grand Panorama OF
the Harper's Ferry Instruction. This
grand panorama came round shortly
after the instruction had taken place
and was to show at the school-house. 1t
was represented that the cost of this
panorama was something enormous, and
of course we were all anxious to see it,
About seven o'clock l presented myself
at the door with the customary pail of
water.
What's that for?" said the man at the
door.
''For?" 1 answered, "why, it's for to
wet the canvas"
''Wet- the canvas!" cried the man, in
establishment. "What are you going to
wet the canvas for?"
why" said, they always wet the
canvas"
81 guess you think this is a magic
lantern show" said the man, with in
dignation. mo, my boy, that dodge
don't work. These paintings are painted
right on the canvas, and this is grand
moving panorama of the Harper's Ferry
Instruction, and you don't get in with
no pail of water past me-"
There was gloom and detection amoug
the boys when tho nature of the show
was made known to them. We had no
time to make new plan Of campaign,
and the man at the door was memorable.
AT last our agony was intensified by
hearing the lecturer begin his discourse,
and we on the outside. 1t was summer
and the windows were open, and we
could hear what he said as he pointed
out the beauties of the pictures showing
Ilarpers Ferry, and this set us wild 1t
was agreed, however, that if we didn't
have any fun out of the show the rest
of the people shouldn't, and so we set up
the awfulest yell and howl that ever was
heard in that district. The school-house
was of wood with siding on it, and by
means of a stick we could make the most
frightful noise down along these clap
boards, and soon it became evident that
the lecturer inside was not able to make
himself heard. He was very indignant
at this and threatened to stop the ex-
hibition, but somebody told him that if
he did stop it he would have to give back
the money and SO there was saw-off on
that. Finally he said:
isn't there enough people here to put
a stop to this racket"
The constable rose and said that if he
would stop the panorama for minute
he would go out and see what could be
done.
There's nothing to DO DONE" said the
lecturer, except to arrest the crowd:
that's whatought to have been done long
ago."
The conStable's own son was one of
the mob, and as soon as he heard that
his father was coming he cut under the
school house and hid. The constable
came out and said that if we didn't quit
this noise he would arrest the whole
crowd of us. suggested that he would
have to catch US first, which view of the
subject seemed to commend itself to
him, and then one of the boys said:
''Now, it's just like this, we are going to
see that show else the folks amt agoing
to hear it,
"Well,' said the firm constable, "I'll
go and talk to the man at the door and
see what he can do"
So he went to the man at the door
and they had confab, and the con-
stable told him that he was powerless in
the matter and the best thing he could
do was to let usin-there were only half
dozen of US anyhow, the worst boys in
the town, he said, and if he allowed us
to come in every thing would go along
quietly.
So the constable's son crawled out
from under the school house and the
rest of US got in and saw the great NOV
ing panorama of the Harper's Ferry in
surrection painted on the canvas.
l think the worst disaster that ever
took place in the show business in that |
village was the affair at the acrobat |
Show. There came to the village |
troupe entitled the Royal Acrobats and |
Grand Spectacular Exhibition of Con-
tortionist Wonders. The Marvel of the |
Age" This combination was refused |
the use of the school-house. They had |
no pictures of the flood or the animals |
going into the ark, and their show was |
not historical panorama that was ed
ucating and elevating in its tone, so the
trustees agreed that it was not at all |
the sort of thing to encourage, and they
refused to allow them into the school
house at all. Some years before man
had started to build in the village a
tavern that was so evidently too big for
the place, that people wondered at such
a reckless waste of money. He almost
the downstairs part of the
editice, when his money gave out, and
for several years this building stood a
to the recklessness of the
builder. The doors had been boarded
up, but by and by those partitions were
broken down, and we boys used to have
a great racket throughout this building,
which we called the big Frame" be-
cause it was the largest place in town.
The room that had been intended |
for the bar-room, and which was one
of the amplest rooms in the house, had
been lathed and plastered, and in this
building this acrobatic combination
agreed to give their show. This was
pie for the boys. We knew just exactly
how we could corral that show without
spending cent. In the afternoon of
the day that the show was to be held
we went up stairs in the big frame"
There was no stairway, but we boys
as we had often done before, and
we hOred Soma dozan of ho1as tbroupb