DEATH OF MINNEHAHA.

O the long and dreary Winter! O the cold and cruel Winter! Ever thicker, thicker, thicker Froze the ice on lake and river, Ever deeper, deeper, deeper Fell the snow o'er all the landscape, Fell the covering snow, and drifted Through the forest, round the village. O the famine and the fever! O the wasting of the famine! O the blasting of the fever! O the wailing of the children! O the anguish of the women! "Give us food, or we must perish! Give me food for Minnehaha, For my dying Minnehaha!" Through the far-resounding forest, Through the forest vast and vacant— Rung that cry of desolation; But there came no other answer Than the echo of his crying, Than the echo of the woodlands, "Minnehaha! Minnehaha!" All day long roved Hiawatha In that melancholy forest, Through the shadow of whose thickets, In the pleasant days of Summer, Of that ne'er forgotten Summer, He had brought his young wife homeward From the land of the Dacotahs. In the wigwam with Nokomis, With those gloomy guests, that watched her, With the Famine and the Fever, She was lying, the Belovéd, She the dying Minnehaha. "Hark!" she said; "I hear a rushing, Hear a roaring and a rushing, Hear the Falls of Minnehaha Calling to me from a distance!" "No, my child!" said old Nokomis, "'Tis the night wind in the pine trees!" "Look!" she said; "I see my father Standing lonely at his doorway, Beckoning to me from his wigwam In the land of the Dacotahs!" "No, my child," said old Nokomis; "'Tis the smoke, that waves and beckons!" "Ah!" she said, "the eyes of Pauguk Glare upon me in the darkness, I can feel his icy fingers Clasping mine amid the darkness! Hiawatha! Hiawatha!" And the desolate Hiawatha, Far away amid the forest, Miles away among the mountains, Heard that sudden cry of anguish, Heard the voice of Minnehaha Calling to him in the darkness, "Hiawatha! Hiawatha!" Over snow-fields waste and pathless, Under snow-encumbered branches, Homeward hurried Hiawatha, Empty-handed, heavy-hearted; And he rushed into the wigwam, Saw the old Nokomis slowly Rocking to and fro and moaning, Saw his lovely Minnehaha Lying dead and cold before him, And his bursting heart within him Uttered such a cry of anguish, That the forest moaned and shuddered, That the very stars in heaven Shook and trembled with his anguish. Longfellow.

One Male and Two Female Figures.

This affecting tableau is a representation of the death of the beautiful Minnehaha. The scene is at the moment when Hiawatha draws back the door of the wigwam, and there beholds his lovely Minnehaha lying dead and cold before him. The scenery of this picture is the same that is used in the tableau of Hiawatha and his Bride's Arrival Home. It is mid-winter, and the fields and woods are covered with snow; and to represent this scene it will be necessary to cover the ground with cotton flannel, instead of the green bocking which we used in the summer scene. The trees, wigwam, and vines should be covered with small pieces of cotton wool, to represent snow. Large bags, filled with straw, may be covered in the same manner, and placed around the doorway of the wigwam at each side of the stage, to represent snow banks. Minnehaha has on the same costume we have before described, and is reclining on a bed of robes near the entrance of the wigwam. Her body should be propped up so that she can be easily seen. A dark robe is thrown across the lower portion of her form, a calm, resigned look is on the countenance. Her hands are folded on her breast, eyes closed as if in sleep. At her side, sitting on a low seat, is Nokomis. She wears the same costume which is described in the return of Hiawatha, with a fur robe gathered about her. She is leaning forward towards the couch, and presses both hands against her face. Her eyes are cast down to the ground, while grief and melancholy are depicted on the countenance. The dying embers of a fire send up a curling smoke by her side. This should be placed in an iron furnace, and surrounded by the imitation snow. Hiawatha stands on one side of the doorway, and is in the position of one running. He clasps the door with his right hand, and is in the act of stepping into the wigwam. His eyes are fixed on Minnehaha; the left hand is pressed against his forehead; grief and amazement are depicted on his countenance. While the picture is being exhibited, a portion of the accompanying poem may be read by the announcer. The music should be quite soft, and of a plaintive character. The lights for this piece must be of medium brightness, and come from the side opposite the door of the wigwam.