THE TOY PANORAMA.
The modern stereopticon has almost entirely superseded the old-fashioned panorama, so popular a quarter of a century ago.
Your parents will probably remember with what delight those itinerant exhibitions were greeted by the young people of those days; how the very handbills, those wonderful precursors of so many entertaining spectacles, were studied and commented upon, and when the happy day came, how we all rejoiced to see the manager enter the school-house door, and after a few words with the teacher, address the school, and offer to us children an afternoon exhibition, for the trifling sum of ten cents apiece, if enough could be induced to attend.
The panoramas the writer remembers most vividly occurred during the war of the Rebellion, and as the subjects of the paintings were of a very patriotic character, we had little difficulty in urging our parents to permit us to go; and the afternoon session of the school was gladly sacrificed for so good a cause.
The battle of the Monitor and Merrimac, was a favorite subject, and, as the vessels moved to and fro, and sent forth from their tiny port-holes volleys of real fire and smoke, while a big drum, out of sight, gave forth the answering boom, the scene was very impressive, and struck a kind of fascinating terror to our childish hearts.
After the many accounts and fine illustrations which subsequent readings have given, at the simple mention of that famous battle, my mind instantly wanders back to the darkened hall, filled with boys and girls, all intently gazing at the sham battle in progress before them; while far back in the rear end of the hall stood the two brass field-pieces, captured from Burgoyne at the battle of Saratoga, nearly a hundred years before, grim and awful, and silently waiting for the time when they should be called to take their place in the mighty conflict then so fiercely raging in our land.[[1]]
[1]. This building was erected for an armory, but served the purpose of town-hall as well.
But finally the war ceased; and after all, the only part the old cannon played was to thunder forth resoundings of joy, which shook our old town to its very foundations, when peace was again restored.
Although children’s hearts will never again be gladdened by these great, clumsy shows, there is no reason why the little toy panorama should also be banished from among us. The mere delight of making it is sufficient reason for its existence, and when it is once finished it will continue to be a source of enjoyment to each little member of the household in turn.
The simplest form this can have is represented in Fig. 1, the foundation being a small soap-box, the rollers, sections of a broomstick, with small wooden pins glued into each end, which extend through holes made in the box for that purpose. The pictures, taken from any illustrated paper, are all cut the same width, about an inch narrower than the length of the rollers, and pasted together at their ends, the only limit to the length of this strip being the capacity of the box.
When the paste is dry, attach an end to each roller. It is necessary that the upper peg of each roller be also fitted with a strong crank, as an even motion is requisite for the proper display of the pictures; and this crank can be made in two ways: first, like Fig. 2, where a piece of wood is nicely fitted and glued on the pin, or like Fig. 3, which is the better arrangement, where a stiff wire is bent into the shape a, and then passed through two holes pierced through the crank-pin as shown at b; this arrangement securing the needful firmness, the projecting ends of the wire are then bent, the upper one upward, the lower downward, so completing the crank.
After the mechanical part of the panorama is finished so that it runs smoothly, two strips of stiff pasteboard can be fastened over the front, corresponding to the dotted lines a and b in Fig. 1, which will hide the rollers and give a neater appearance to the whole. If liked, a second piece of the pasteboard can be cut, in length corresponding to the width of the box, and wide enough to cover the cranks, and extend down to the top of the pictures.
When exhibiting the pictures, place the box on a table with its front well lighted, turned toward the audience, and turn the pictures slowly, by an even motion of the cranks, pausing slightly at each scene, at the same time giving, if possible, a brief description of the thing illustrated, as this will add considerably to the enjoyment of the little folks. I forgot to add, in its proper place, that for a final finish the whole thing should be covered with any pretty paper at hand. Nice wall-paper or even common brown wrapping-paper gives it a neat appearance.
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