298 MARK TWAIN'S SKETCHES. 



couldn't say a word ; he looked at the pianist sharp, but he was all lovely and 

 serene — he didn't know there was anything out of gear. 



" The panorama moved on, and the showman drummed up his grit and started 

 in fresh. 



" ' Ladies and gentlemen, the fine picture now unfolding itself to your gaze 

 exhibits one of the most notable events in Bible history — our Saviour and His 

 disciples upon the Sea of Galilee. How grand, how awe-inspiring are the 

 reflections which the subject invokes 1 What sublimity of faith is revealed to 

 us in this lesson from the sacred writings? The Saviour rebukes the angry 

 waves, and walks securely upon the bosom of the deep ! ' 



" All around the house they were whispering, ' Oh, how lovely, how beautiful ! ' 

 and the orchestra let himself out again — 



" ' A life on the ocean wave, 



And a home on the rolling deep ! ' 

 « 



" There was a good deal of honest snickering turned on this time, and consid- 

 erable groaning, and one or two old deacons got up and went out. The show- 

 man grated his teeth, and cursed the piano man to himself; but the fellow sat 

 there like a knot on a log, and seemed to think he was doing first-rate. 



" After things got quiet the showman thought he would make one more stagger 

 at it any way, though his confidence was beginning to get mighty shaky. The 

 supes started the panorama grinding along again, and he says — 



" ' Ladies and gentlemen, this exquisite painting represents the raising of 

 Lazarus from the dead by our Saviour. The subject has been handled with 

 marvelous skill by the artist, and such touching sweetness and tenderness of 

 expresshsn has he thrown into it thatj have known peculiarly sensitive persons 

 to be even affected to tears by looking at it. Observe the half-confused, half- 

 inquiring look upon the countenance of the awakened Lazarus. Observe, also, 

 the attitude and expression of the Saviour, who takes him gently by the sleeve 

 of his shroud with one hand, while He points with the other towards the 

 distant city.' 



" Before anybody could get oflF an opinion in the case the innocent old ass 

 at the piano struck up — 



