The sun., 1903-11-01
An Old Master Of Panora ma

Uncle RUFUS SoMERBY Snowman, died
In Cambridge, Mass, last week. A hand
some and venerable figure, whom you
might have taken for Bishop or retired
General or a statesman OF the old blue
dress coat and brass buttons school.
Uncle RUFUS was only seventy or so, but
the form Of the show business into which
he first entered, and by his long connec-
ton with which he still shines in the
youthful memories OF many Of us, seems
now about as ancient az the Pyramids.
There was time, the accomplished
Young women and Youths of to-day are
invited to know without too superior u
smile. when the stage was wicked
diversion; when athletics and country
clubs were not; when the great wave Of
urban fashions and ideas had not over
flowed the country; when Mr.. EMERSON
and DR.. HOLMES and DR.. CHAPLIN and Mr.
BEFCHER and Mr.. CURTIS were content
to lecture for $50 night when old
folks concerts We're regarded as n
rather genial gavety Of rural life.
Diversion was serious and must take
some intellectual and instructive form.
A man who had been to Europe was a
curiosity. A man who had been 'out
West" was centre of illumination. A
man who had seen Niagara Falls had
travelled further than the modern bog
trotter. The village sage who had been
in the Legislature or even on jury was
entitled to think well Of himself.
= hn, "a IS, has "
! which was at once a commodious means
Of travel and vehicle of art Children,
half price More than fifty years ago
Uncle RUFUS SoMERBY, with scarce down
upon his cheek. was exhibiting that
magical picture gallery called the Seven
Mile Mirror in old Melodeon Hall, Boston.
BY what a gulf Of time and experience
does that Boston of the "panoramy
seem divided from the Boston of the Art
Museum and Mrs. JACK GARDENERS
palazzo Afterward Uncle RUFUS had
a lecture on the Mammoth Cave; and
in ~the leading cities and towns Of the
United States and Canada" he showed
delighted audiences.
But the early sos must have been the
prime of the "panoramy. Uncle RUFUS
and plenty of other Uncle RUFUsEs gave
war "panoramys,' which had Il breath
less interest for every spectator There
never was on land and sea such color as
stared from those canvases. New York
in her clouds of soft coal smoke last
summer was pure light compared with
the battle smoke Of the "panoramy."
Flags in professions, artillery rushing
by, and so painted that you heard tho
clatter. officers waving their swords, the
only function Of officers in battle pieces;
fires, sunsets, mines exploding, battered
forts, the Merrimac. Il fabulous marine
monster, and the Monitor smaller than
hte; Generals, all long black hair and
black whisker5, if we remember their
counterfeit presentments right, and
keeping their uniforms wondrously spick
and shiny; an unusual am cunt of bayo-
net charging and hand-t -to-hand encoun-
ters; an endless river of fire and blood.
Perhaps one battle was very like an
other So il is 10 the layman till this day.
| ELLSWORTH and WINTHROP md LYON
and BAKER. who left the Senate to die
CoIone! at Pals Bluff; and some frayetl
or faded figures; FREMONT and his
ZAGoNYI, il it was ZAGoNYI, who charged
with some Magyar Four Hundred.
Most Of the audience had some friend,