The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-03-14
xsGvAoE AND MAGIC PICTURES.

tahqatte3 d o. u Hh keeaanaeG.
ABut have told touh efeat deal too
much about poor Arick's s savage nature,
and now must tell you Of great
amusement he had the other day.
There came an English ship-of-war into
the harbor, and the officers good-na-
ttredy gave an tertainlAent Of songs
and dances and . magic lantefh,. to
which Arick and Austin we're allowed
to go. At the door of the hall there
were crowds of black boys waiting and
trying to peep in, as children at home
lie about 'ahd peep under the tent of q
circus; and you may be sure Arick
was very proud person when he passed
+ them sall by, and entered the hall with
his ticket.
II wish knew what he thought of
the whole performance; but friend
of the lean man, who sat just in front of
Arick, tells Inc what seemed to startie
him most. The first thing was when
two Of the officers came out with black
encd faces, like minstrels, and began to
-!ance. Arick was sure that they were
really black and his own people, and he
was wonderfully surprised to see them
dance in this new European style.
"But the great affair was the magic
lantern. The hall was made quite dark,
which was very little to Arick's taste.
He sat there behind my friend, nothing
to he seen of him but eyes and teeth,
and his heart was beating finely in
his little SCARED breast. And present.
ly there came out on the white sheet
that great bright eye of light that I Iam
sure all of you children must have often
seen. It was quite new to Arick; he
had no idea what would happen next
and in his fear and excitement he laid
hold with his little slim fingers like
birds claw on the,h Of the friend in
front Of him. All through the rest OF
the show, as one picture followed an
other on the white sheet, he sat there
graspirg and clutching, and goodness
knows whether he were more pleased or
frightened.
Doubtless it was very fine thing to
see all those bright pictures coming out
and dying away again, one after an
ether; but doubtless it was rather
alarming also, for how was it done?
At last, when there appeared upon the
screen the head of black woman las
it might be his own mother Or sister),
and this black woman of a sudden be-
gan to roll her eyes, the fear or the ex-
citement, whichever it was, wrung out
of him loud, shuddering sob. think
we all ought to admire his courage
when, after an evening spent in look
ing at such wonderful miracles, he and
Austin set ont alone through the forest
to the lean mans house. It was late
at night and pitch dark when some Of
the party overlook the little white boy
and the big black boy, marching among
the trees with their lantern. / have
told you this wood has an ill name, and |
all the people of the island believe it |
to be full of evil spirits; it is a pretty |!
dreadful place to walk in by the NOV
ing light of lantern. with nothing
about you but curious whirl Of shad-
ows. and the black night above and be-
7ond. But Arick kept his courage up.
md I dare say, Austin's too, with
perpetual chatter, SO that the people
.oIning after heard his voice long be-
'ore they saw the shining of the Ian
Robert Louis Stevenson, in st.
Nicholas.