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Home Pastimes; or Tableaux Vivants

HIAWATHA AND HIS BRIDE'S ARRIVAL HOME.

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Pleasant was their journey homeward! All the birds sang loud and sweetly Songs of happiness and heart's ease; Sang the blue bird, the Owaissa, "Happy are you, Hiawatha, Having such a wife to love you!" Sang the robin, the Opechee, "Happy are you, Laughing Water, Having such a noble husband!" Thus it was they journeyed homeward; Thus it was that Hiawatha To the lodge of old Nokomis Brought the moonlight, starlight, firelight, Brought the sunshine of his people, Minnehaha, Laughing Water, Handsomest of all the women In the land of the Dacotahs, In the land of handsome women. Longfellow.

One Male and Two Female Figures.

This interesting tableau is a representation of Hiawatha on the return to his home accompanied by his beautiful bride, Minnehaha. They have just arrived in sight of the lodge of old Nokomis, and are seen in the background of the picture emerging from the forest. A large tree lies in the pathway, and Minnehaha is in the act of stepping over it. She grasps Hiawatha's hand with her right, while the left is pointed towards the wigwam in the foreground. She has just asked Hiawatha if the lodge she sees is his home. Her countenance is lighted up with pleasure. Hiawatha is leading her by the hand, and is a little in advance of her. His face is turned towards her as he gracefully assists her over the fallen tree. His left hand clasps hers, while the right holds carefully his trusty bow.

Hand in hand they went together, Through the woodland and the meadow.

Hiawatha's face is lighted up with pleasant smiles as he looks upon the face of his bride, and tells her that yonder lodge is to be her new home. The lodge of old Nokomis is in the foreground of the picture, at the right of the stage. Minnehaha and Hiawatha are in the background at the left. The door of the wigwam is open, and seated in the doorway on a log is old Nokomis smoking her pipe. In front of the tent are the half burned embers of the camp fire; a light smoke is curling up to the sky, and all is quiet and still. Nokomis is gazing vacantly into the embers of the fire: perhaps she is thinking of the days when she

Nursed the little Hiawatha, Rocked him in his linden cradle, Bedded soft in moss and rushes, Softly bound with reindeer's sinews.

Hiawatha, Minnehaha, and Nokomis should be dressed in Indian costume, which can be cheaply made with a little ingenuity. Hiawatha's coat may be made of light brown cambric, cut frock style, and belted around the waist. The skirt should reach to the knee, and be ornamented with two rows of fringe three inches wide; one should be red, the other yellow. These fringes are also to be placed on the seams and bottom of the sleeves and around the collar; round pieces of brass should be fastened on various parts of the coat and around the belt. The leggings are made of buff cambric, fitting tightly to the legs, and ornamented at the side with red fringe. Black cloth shoes trimmed with beads are worn on the feet; the head is adorned with a gold band, in which are inserted bright-colored feathers. The belt around the waist should be made three inches wide, of red morocco, and contain a small knife and tomahawk; a quiver of arrows is fastened to the back, which can be fashioned of card-board, and covered with bright-colored paper or cloth. The exposed parts of the body should be stained a light brown, the hair brushed up to the top of the head, and confined with a band. Minnehaha's dress is of red cloth, trimmed with yellow fringe intermingled with colored beads. The waist of the dress should be of flesh-colored cloth made to fit the body very snugly. A scarf of ermine is worn over the shoulders, and tied at the left side. On the right side of the skirt is an over-skirt or side-apron, made of a darker colored crimson, and trimmed with ermine; it commences at the front of the body, and extends half way around the skirt; it is scalloped at the bottom, and ornamented with yellow fringe and beads outside of the ermine. The neck is adorned with a large necklace of white beads, while the head is encircled with a band of gold, ornamented with beads and showy plumes. The hair should be left flowing over the shoulders. The wrists are to be decorated with large gold bracelets. The leggings are to be of crimson cloth ornamented with yellow fringe, and small bands of yellow running around them at intervals of four inches. The feet are encased in shoes of black velvet studded with beads. A quiver of arrows is fastened to the back of the dress, and the exposed parts of the body stained light brown.

Nokomis has on a loose coat of brown cambric fringed with yellow, leggings of buff cambric fringed with light blue, dark shoes ornamented with beads and red binding. The hair should be black, and left to hang loose on the shoulders; a blue blanket trimmed with crimson fringe is gathered about the shoulders, and a black belt encircles the waist. The person who represents Nokomis should be of large figure and face. The features must be painted to represent old age. The scenery consists of the following articles, which should be arranged in perfect order to give the proper effect to the picture. The stage must be covered with green cloth, and should gradually rise from the fore to the background; small spruce trees can be arranged at the back and sides of the stage, with vines of flowers hanging from them. Two or three stuffed birds should be fastened to the top branches of the trees. The fire can be placed in a furnace near the wigwam, and surrounded with dried branches. The fallen tree and Nokomis' seat may be represented by artificial or natural logs. The tableau should receive the light from the right hand side, the greater portion of which should be thrown into the background. The accompanying music should be of secular and inspiring order.

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