Marsena, and Other Stories of the WartimeFrederic, Harold
History
Marsena, and Other Stories of the Wartime
Frederic, Harold
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction; United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
"But you can do it so much better, my dear Mr. Shull!" she urged. "You
do everything so much better! Mr. Pulford often says that he never
knew such a handy man in all his life. It seems that there is literally
nothing that you can't do—except—perhaps—refuse a lady a great
personal favor."
Miss Julia put this last so delicately, and with such a pretty
little arch nod of the head and turn of the eyes, that Newton Shull
surrendered at discretion. He promised everything on the spot, and he
kept his word. In fact, he more than kept it.
The great evening came, as I have said, and when the lights were
turned down to extinction's verge those who were nearest the front
could distinguish the vacant chair which Mr. Shull had been occupying,
with his bass viol leaning against it. They whispered from one to
another that he had gone up in the gallery to work this new-fangled
contrivance. Then came a flashing broad disk of light on the screen
above the judges' bench, a spreading sibilant murmur of interest, and
the show began.
It was an oddly limited collection of pictures—mainly thin and feeble
copies of newspaper engravings, photographic portraits, and ideal heads
from the magazines. Winfield Scott followed in the wake of Kossuth, and
Garibaldi led the way for John C. Frémont and Lola Montez. There was
applause for the long, homely, familiar face of Lincoln, and a derisive
snicker for the likeness of Jeff Davis turned upside down. Then came
local heroes from the district round about—Gen. Boyce, Col. McIntyre,
and young Adjt. Heron, who had died so bravely at Ball's Bluff—mixed
with some landscapes and statuary, and a comic caricature or two. The
rapt assemblage murmured its recognitions, sighed its deeper emotions,
chuckled over the funny plates—deeming it all a most delightful
entertainment. From time to time there were long hitches, marked
by a curious spluttering noise above, and the abortive flashes of
meaningless light on the screen, and the explanation was passed about
in undertones that Mr. Shull was having difficulties with the machine.
It was after the longest of these delays that, all at once, an
extremely vivid picture was jerked suddenly upon the canvas, and,
after a few preliminary twitches, settled in place to stare us out of
countenance. There was no room for mistake. It was the portrait of
Miss Julia Parmalee standing proudly erect in statuesque posture, with
one hand resting on the back of a chair, and seated in this chair was
Lieut. Dwight Ransom, smiling amiably.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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