Home Pastimes; or Tableaux Vivants

by James H. Head

FLORA AND THE FAIRIES.

She haunts the spring beneath a fairy's guise, With unbound golden hair and azure eyes; A wreath of violets in each dainty hand, And round her sunny brow an emerald band; While all day long she strays o'er hill and glen, Through leafy bowers, amid the homes of men; And when night falls, from out the echoing dells, The lilies ring for her their crystal bells, And in the forest's depths she dreams till morn, Waked by the music of the wild bee's horn. Laighton.

Eight Female Figures.

This elegant tableau represents Flora seated in a beautiful car drawn by six fairies. The car is easily made of wood covered with paper or cloth, and decorated with flowers. It should be five feet long, and made in the form of a scroll, the largest part of which should be at the back of the car. Cover the centre of the scroll which forms the sides with crimson paper or cloth, ornamented with a border of gold paper three inches wide, and a second border of artificial flowers. Make the wheels of solid pieces of wood; the front ones, one foot in diameter; the back ones, double the size; cover them with crimson cloth, and ornament them with large gold stars; build a small seat at the back end, and extend the floor of the car one foot out from the back part, for the footman to stand on. The front of the car should be built in the form of a scroll, and should sustain a small vase of flowers on the top. Vases of similar shape, containing flowers, should be placed on each side of the seat; a long rope, covered with crimson cloth, should be attached to the front axletree. As only one side of the car is visible, it will be necessary to decorate only one side. A platform one foot high should be built on the front of the stage; a second one, three feet from the first, which should be two feet high; a third, in the rear of the second, should be three feet in height. These must be covered with green bocking, to represent turf. Place the car near the front of the stage, at the right corner; attach six pieces of green ribbon to the crimson rope, for the fairies to take hold of; six pink ribbons must be fastened to the waist of the fairies, and held by Flora, who is seated in the car.

The young lady who personates Flora should be of good figure and features, and rather small form. Her costume consists of a white robe, cut low at the neck; sleeves five inches long, trimmed with flowers; a belt of green cloth, adorned with artificial flowers, around the waist; a crown, made in like manner, encircling the head; a small bouquet of flowers fastened to the front of the waist. The hair is arranged in short curls about the head; a side view is had of the body, while the head is turned around to face the audience. The hands are employed in holding the pink ribbons and whip, which is made of a long, slender branch of the willow, with a few leaves on the extreme end. The countenance expresses pleasure and animation.

Seven small misses personate the fairies, and their costume consists of a short white dress, decorated with silver spangles. Strips of blue ribbon, one inch wide, should be placed around the skirt, running from the waist to the bottom of the skirt; these must be three inches apart. The waist is made of blue silk, and trimmed with silver paper and spangles. The hose are flesh color; shoes, white satin; the head is encircled with a wreath of flowers; the hair should be arranged in short curls, and small wings formed out of wire, covered with gauze, and ornamented with silver spangles, are fastened to the back of the waist. The fairies should stand in double files, one couple standing on the first platform, one on the second, and one on the third; they should be three feet apart, standing in the form of a half circle, so that each will be seen. One hand should grasp the pink ribbon, while the other is raised, holding a small bunch of flowers. The fairy footman's costume is like the others, and the position is on the back of the car, both hands upon the back of the seat, and at the same time holding the ends of a long wreath, which arches over the head of Flora.

The light should come from the side of the stage where the fairies stand, where should be burned a small quantity of the whitish-blue fire. Music lively.

THE SPECTRE BRIDE.

But, soft; behold! lo, where it comes again! I'll cross it, though it blast me.—Stay, illusion! If thou hast any sound, or use of voice, Speak to me: If there be any good thing to be done, That may to thee do ease, and grace to me, Speak to me; If thou art privy to thy country's fate, Which, happily foreknowing, may avoid, O, speak! Or, if thou hast uphoarded in thy life Extorted treasures in the womb of earth, For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death, Speak of it. Stay and speak! Shakspeare.