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.