The peerless reciter...

Front matter

fDNRULECoTl U.S.A.

iM

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Preface

THERE is an immense and constantly growing demand for the very best selections from the best authors for readings and recitations. No form of entertainment is more universally popular than this for Schools, Social Gatherings, Lyceums, Lodges, Church and Sunday-school Anniversaries, Christmas Exhibitions and many other public occasions. The cultured voice and magnetic personality of the successful reader are always charming and welcome.

This wide-spread demand for the best readings is fully supplied by The Peerless Reciter or Popular Program. This work is a rich casket of gems in Prose and Poetry, all strikingly adapted to instruct and entertain. They are suited to every conceivable occasion where a reading is in order, and are the best afforded by the whole range of literature, comprising Eloquence and Sentiment ; Pathos and Humor; Dramatic and Descriptive Selections; Juvenile Readings; Readings with Lesson Talks ; Readings with Accompaniments of Music ; Dialogues, Tableaux, etc., etc.

Part First : The Mind Speaking through the Body, contains Important Principles and Rules. In a very concise form it points out the best methods for strengthening and cultivating the voice and teaches the manner to be observed, the most effective attitudes and gestures to be employed, and the rules for emphasis and pauses.

This part is rendered attractive and valuable by helpful object lessons. It contains all the typical and most important gestures in outline drawings, to which frequent references are made throughout the work, showing the exact gesture that should be made.

Part Second : Readings with Lesson Talks, contains charming selections to which are added valuable suggestions as to the best manner of rendering them. These Talks are brief, pithy and right to the point. Verse by verse and line by line the reader is told how to deliver the thought and sentiment to the very best advantage, iii iv PREFACE.

Part Third : Readings with Musical Accompaniments, contains selections in which snatches of songs and instrumental music are introduced. No readings are more popular or more eagerly sought than these. The skillful recitationist of either sex, who can express some part of the sentiment by appropriate strains of music never fails to captivate the hearers and meet with hearty applause.

For this reason a number of well chosen recitals have been inserted, accompanied by suitable musical scores. These are both sprightly and pathetic. In some instances thrilling scenes are depicted by the text, and the music, properly rendered, adds greatly to the effect.

Part Fourth : Descriptive and Dramatic Readings, is a vast collection of gems in Prose and Poetry, all chosen from* the very best authors. They are such, and such only, as are remarkably adapted to illustrate the power and fascination of the reader's consummate art. Descriptions of startling incidents, feats of heroic courage, manly achievements, daring exploits, thrilling adventures and noble deeds, combine to give an unrivalled charm to this part of the work.

Part Fifth : Grave and Pathetic Readings, embraces a rare collection of recitals that touch the heart and arouse its deepest emotions. The great masters of pathos are here fully represented, and the scenes they depict with graphic power are among the choicest jewels the English language affords.

Part Sixth : Humorous Readings, is without a peer in those fascinating selections of satire, wit and humor which are absolutely indispensable to all public entertainments. These are the brightest flashes of wit and drollery from authors of world-wide fame.

Part Seventh : Readings for Juveniles, is a charming collection of sprightly and beautiful recitations for the little folks, suited admirably to every occasion on which the boys and girls are expected to appear. The grave, the gay, the beautiful, the serious, the fascinating, are all mingled here in a manner that delights all young people.

Part Eighth: Dialogues and Tableaux, furnishes a wide and varied collection of pieces containing several parts for as many reciters. These have been written and selected with great care.

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Part I. — The Mind Speaking Through the Body. PAGE

Important Principles and Rules 17

The Book— How to Use It 17

The Manner 17

Cultivation of the Voice 17

Distinct Enunciation 18

Rules for Expression 18

Rules for Gesture 18

Use of the Hands and Arms 18

Facial Expression 18

Correct Attidude 18

Rules for Emphasis 18

Rules for Pauses 18

Outline Drawings Showing Typical Gestures 19-24

Part II. — Readings with Lesson Talks. The Wreck of an Ocean Steamship Henry Davenport 25

Echo Dell Mrs. H. M. Miller 28

The Foot-Ball Game ." Robert Copland 31

The Race of the Boomers Richard Btcrton 35

Lesson Talk gy

The Inventor's Wife Mrs. E. T. Cor^^ gg

Lesson Talk ' , ia g9

True Patriotism Fishe y - r Ames. 40

Lesson Talk... y 4Q vi CONTENTS.

Part III. — Readings with Accompaniments of Musiu. Sandy's Romance Henry Davenport 41

The Drowning Singer Marianne Farningham 43

The Soldier's Cradle Hymn Mary McGuire 45

The Cradle Song 47

Milking Time Philip Morse 47

Part IV. — Descriptive and Dramatic Readings

Wedding Bells Charlotte M. Griffiths 49

The Drummer Boy... 52

The Old Man in the Palace Car John H. Yates 56

The Battle of Waterloo Victor Hugo 57

Asleep at the Switch George Hoey 58

The Black Horse and his Rider George Lippard 66

Echo and the Ferry Jean Ingelow 67

Andre and Hale Chauncey M. Depew 71

Orange and Green Gerald Griffin 73

To a Skeleton 76

The Majesty of Trifles Victor Hugo 77

The Fire Hugh F. McDermott 78

Heroes of the Land of Penn George Lippard 80

\ Kate Shelly Eugene J. Hall 84

Independence Bell — July 4, 1776 86

Mary Queen of Scots H G. Bell S9

One Niche the Highest Elihu Burritt 92

The Charcoal Man J. T. Trowbridge 95

V To-Day and To-Morrow Gerald Massey 97

■^Vashington Charles Phillips 99

Th^^ ove_ Knot Nora Perry 100

Lookjmrt Mountain George L. Catlin 101

The BuXj 1 " 1 ^ °f Chicago Benjamin F. Taylor 104

Bin the E\lS' neer • • Bettersworth 105

The Actor's\J tor y George R. Sims 109

Zarafi.. \ Lamar tine 113

CONTENTS. vii

My Hero John Preston True 115

The Destruction of Troy Publius V. M. Virgil 117

The Triumph of Hector Homer 121

The Besieged Castle Sir Walter Scott 122

Boadicea William Cowper 126

The Race Lyof Tolstoi 127

The King's Tragedy Dante Gabriel Rossetti 131

The New South W. H Grady 136

Love Lightens Labor 138

A Schoolroom Idyl Charles B. Going 139

One of the Heroes Eben E. Rexford 140

The Grave Henry Davenport 142

A Battery in Hot Action 144

Sam Albert Hardy 147

A Tribute to Columbus Joaquin Miller 143

My Lover Emma Mortimer White 150

The Ride of Paul Venarez 151

La Tour D'auvergne Maida Buon 153

The Prairie Mirage 157

Hunting a Madman John F. Nicholls 158

The Drummer Boy 160

John Maynard Horatio Alger, Jr 164

A Race for Life W. W. Marsh 167

•^The Swan-Song Katharine Ritter Brooks 169

A Romance of the Revolution 174

The Engineer' s Story 179

Johnny Bartholomew Thomas Dunn English 179

The Lifeboat George R. Sims 181

The Spanish Mother Sir Francis Hastings Doyle 185

In the Signal Box George R. Sims 189

Men Who Never Die Edward Everett 192

A Laughing Chorus 193

Wrongs of Ireland Henry Grattan 194

A Ballad of Brave Women Philip Bourke Marston 195

Influence of American Freedom Reverdy Johnson 199

On the Rappahannock Charles H. Tiffany 200 viii CONTENTS.

The Last Charge of Marshal Ney ./. T. Headley 203

^asca Frank Desprez 205

The Tea-Kettle and the Cricket Charles Dickens 208

What is a Minority? John B. Gough 211

St. Valentine's Day Helen Whitney Cla?'k 212

A Race for Life 214

Part V. — Grave and Pathetic Readings. A Child's Dream of a Star Charles Dickens 217

Hilda, Spinning 220

The Old School Clock John Boyle O'Reilly 223

Little Boj Blue Eugene Field 225

The Puritans Lord Macaulay 226

The Auctioneer's Gift S. W. Foss 228

Rhymes for Hard Times Norman McLeod 229

The Weight of a Word 230

An Old Valentine George Birdseye 231

The Song of the Spinning Wheel 232

Looking into the Future Gerald Massey 234

Poor Little Joe David L. Proudfit 235

"Kiss Me, Mamma" 237

}^Vhisperin' Bill Irving Bacheller 239

Out at Sea /. S. Fletcher 241

No Saloons Up There 242

The Tides : 245

A Child Once More 246

The Irish Woman's Lament 24S

The Last Hours of Little Paul Dombey Charles Dickens 249

Death of Hope Mary Evered 253

The Old Homestead Henry Davenport 254

Somebody's Mother 256

A White Lily Mary L. Wright 25S

Jack F. M. Stanley 259

The Old Wife Theron Brozvn 262

CONTENTS. ix

Born Dumb Norman Gale 264

Old Jack Watts' s Christmas 265

The Organist Matthias Barr 268

If We Knew 270

Small Beginnings Charles MacKay 271

Nellie's Prayer George R. Sims 272

Brought Back John F. Nicholls 278

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep 279

Part VI. — Humorous Readings. Barney O'Linn and the Leeches 281

How we Hunted a Mouse Joshua Jenkins 283

A Lover Without Arms Henry Davenport 285

Baby in Church Minnie M. Gozv 287

Where the Mince Pie Grows 289

The Pickwickians on Ice • Charles Dickens 291

A Tuexdo Romance Albert Hardy 297

Booh ! Eugene Field 299

Awfully Lovely Philosophy 300

Wash Dolly Up Like That 302

Proof Positive 303

The Song of the Printing Press Henry Davenport 304

Pomona Describes Her Bridal Trip Frank R. Stockton 306

Cause and Effect 308

The Puzzled Dutchman Charles F. Adams 309

Mrs. Smart Learns How to Skate Clara Augusta 310

A Boy's Poem on Washington Henry Davenport 315

How Three Were Made One Edward H. Peale 316

The Goat and the Swing John Townsend Trowbridge 317

The McSwats Swear Off 319

The Telltale 321

The Knight and the Lady Richard Harris Barham 323

Jimmy Brown's Sister's Wedding 332

The Old TymeTayle of ye Knight, etc.... Jack Bennet 335

The Soft Guitar , , p. H. Bowne 340 x CONTENTS.

A Receipt for a Racket. 342

Shacob's Lament Charles F. Adams 343

Be Brave May Cooper 345

He Tried to Tell His Wife 346

A Russian Courtship 348

Pat's Love Letter , 349

My Neighbor's Call „ Georgia A. Peck 351

A Woman's Watch 352

An Incomplete Revelation Richard A . Jackson 353

Mr. Eisseldorff and the Water Pipe . 356

The Watermillion 357

^ An All-Round Intellectual Man , Tom 3/asson 358

Wakin' the Young Uns John Boss 359

Naming the Chickens Mrs. L. B. Bacon 361

Needles and Pins „ 362

Too Progressive for Him Luran IV. Sheldon 363

The Low-Backed Car Samuel Lover 364

The Old Fisherman 366

Kittens and Babies 367

A Similar Case 368

A Fly's Cogitations 369

The Charge on Old Hundred 371

A Married Love-Letter 372

The Ruling Passion William H. Switer 373

A Complaint B. A. Pennypacker 375

Sunday Talk in the Horse Sheds Robert J. Burdette 377

We All Know Her Tom Masson 379

Too Bad 379

The Wrong Train M. Quad 3S0

How Father Carves the Duck 384

The Men who Do Not Lift 385

Going on an Errand 386

Her Excuse 387

Asking Mother .Henry Davenport 388

CONTENTS. xi

Tit for Tat 389

The Glorious Fourth 390

Mr. Maloney's Account of the Ball William Makepeace Thackeray 392

"There Was a Crooked Man" William Edward Penney 394

The Noble Stranger 396

Mickey Coaches his Father Ernest Jarrold 398

Aunt Tabitha O. W. Holmes 401

Gossip May Cooper 402

Farmer John 403

The Witness , 404

Socrates Snooks 406

How Girls Study Belle McDonald 407

VII. — Readings For Juveniles.

Kris Kringle's Surprise Henry Davenport 409

Little Dora's Soliloquy 410

"Little Jack"" Eugene J. Hall 411

The Little Angel 412

A Mercantile Transaction Francis A. Humphrey 413

Planting Wheat Mrs. M. M. Anderson 413

The Brave Little Maid 414

Take up the Collection 415

Better Whistle than Whine 416

The Little Sunbeam , 417

I Would if I Could 418

Measuring the Baby , 419

A Thanksgiving Dinner Lesbia Bryant 421

Mr. Nobody 422

Is It You? Mrs. Mary Goodwin 423

Lulu's Complaint 424

Little Tommie's First Smoke 425

The Robin-Redbreasts Aunt Effie 's Rhymes 426

"They Say" 427

Suppose Phoebe Carey 428

The Speckled Hen E. W. Denison 429

No Stockings to Wear 431 xii CONTENTS.

Santa's Secret 432

Johnny's Pocket 433

How He Does It 434

Our Christmas Julia Anna Wolcott 435

What Might Happen Eva Lovett Carson 438

Our Dog Henry Davenport 439

I Wish I Was a Grown-Up Mrs. M. F. Butts 441

Going After the Cows 443

The Road to Yesterday 444

Charley's Opinion of the Baby 445

The True Story of Little Boy Blue.. 446

Running a Race 44g

Part VIII. — Dialogues, Colloquies and Tableaux. The Model Lesson 449

A Consensus of the Competent Dorothea Lummis 457

Fox and Geese Anna M. Ford 458

The Portrait Isabel B. Bowman 461

The Competing Railroads 465

Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare 466

How Mrs. Gaskell Did Not Hire a Cook 472

The Excitement at Kettleville Epes Sargent 479

Corporal Punishment Young Folks' Rural 488

The Frog Hollow Lyceum H. Elliott McBride 490

Little Helpers E. L. Brown 497

A School-Girl's Troubles , Annette Marsh 499

Tableaux , 501

Old King Cole 501

Little Miss Muffett 501

Little Jack Horner 502

Simple Simon 502

Jack and Jill 503

The Old Woman in the Shoe ' 503

Cinderella's Slipper. 503

Listeners Hear no Good of Themselves 504

MODJESKA.

AND HERE'S SOME FOR ME; WE MAY CALL IT HERB OF GRACE 0' SUNDAYS.

OPHELIA.

JOSEPH JEFFERSON.

WHERE IS MY DOG SCHNEIDER?

Rip VAN WINKLE

PART I. The Mind Speaking Through the Body

IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES AND RULES.

The Book.— Hold the book in your left hand, and keep the place open with the thumb and little finger, supporting the book with three fingers placed on the under side. Let your eyes glance frequently from the page to your audience. Be so familiar with the selection that your eyes will not be bound to the book, and will be left free to act their very important part in the expression of the thought and sentiment. Your reading will be more effective if you have the selection committed to memory, and can lay aside the book entirely.

The Manner. — Be perfectly natural. Get into touch with your hearers. Stand or sit among them, as it were, and talk with them ; do not place a cold distance between yourself and them, and then speak at them. Do not be stiff or stilted. Have all your powers under command. Take possession of yourself, as in this way only can you take possession of your audience. If you are ill at ease, your listeners will be also. Keep the body erect, yet not rigid or defiant unless the sentiment calls for it.

The Voice. — To have a full, rich, flexible voice, capable of easy modulations, is one of the necessary accomplishments of a successful reader. This, as a rule, must be the result of patient training.

Practice breathings. Stand erect, with the shoulders thrown back, and take in a full breath, filling the lungs to their utmost capacity. The breath should be emitted at times slowly ; again, more rapidly ; again, with quick, explosive force.

The human voice is capable of great cultivation, yet always within certain limits. It should not be strained or overworked. With a full breath give a prolonged sound, as you would in calling to some one at a distance. Do this on different keys, from the lowest to the highest. Practice quick, explosive sounds. You should know how to whisper ; a forcible whisper can be heard by every person in the largest audience.

Your voice should have what, for want of a better term, may be called

volume. It should have a certain carrying p<" -er that will enable it to reach the

farthest listener without rising to a shout A loud voice is not always the most

effective, nor can it always be heard at the greatest distance. A voice compara-

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18 THE MIND SPEAKING THROUGH THE BODY.

tively weak can press its tones forward and prolong them, thereby doing very effective work. Do not spoil your reading by shouting or ranting.

Do not mouth your words, nor jumble them together. You should enunciate distinctly, for the reason that you are trying to say something and wish your audience to understand what it is.

Expression. — The body, with voice, eyes, hands, arms, head, in short, with all its members that were made to talk, should express the exact thought and sentiment of the reading. How can this be done unless you make the selection your own ? It is your high work to bring the thought and sentiment home to the minds and hearts of others. The selection is yours for the time being, a part of yourself, and you are communicating it. The eccentric, celebrated Dr. Emmons, was once asked by a student to give him some rules for public speaking. The Doctor gave him two: 1st — Have something to say ; 2nd — Say it. You are supposed to have something to express, and you are to summon all your powers and energies of mind and body to give effect to the expression.

Make gestures only where they are required. A few, well placed and suited to the thought, are better than many given at random. Let the hand take any shape that is appropriate — the open palm — the pointing finger — the clenched fist — and do it all in an easy, natural way. In gestures requiring only one hand, make use of the right. Ordinarily the hand should be lifted from the side with a slight curve of motion. Do not let one gesture contradict another ; all should be in harmony.

Remember that your arms are arms, not sticks. The angular, ungainly thrust is a common fault. Let your arms be supple, easily bent. Do not use merely a part of the arm, as if your elbow had suddenly become your shoulder. Let the gesture rest on the emphatic word. It should not follow, but rather precede, the sentiment it is intended to aid in expressing.

Human emotions write themselves upon the face. The eyes and other features should express joy, sorrow, wonderment, fear, merriment, hope, despair, anger, etc., according as these are conveyed in language. Here, especially, the proficient reader shows his consummate art, and here is large opportunity for painstaking study.

Stand, as a rule, with one foot slightly in advance of the other, resting the weight of the body on the one farther back.

Emphases and Pauses. — There is a world of meaning sometimes in a word emphasized. Where the thought is intended to be emphatic there should be an emphatic expression of it. Emphasis is the life of antithesis.

The sentiment of nearly every recital requires pauses ; silence is often the most eloquent speech. Do not make the pause too lengthy, else a dreadful solemnity and dullness will result.

Take note that the cuts in Part I are intended to show only typical gestures. It would be impossible in this Volume to represent all the gestures required in reading.

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Fig. 2.— Announcing.

Fig. 3.— Revealing.

(SlUJ.

Fig. 4-.— Denying— Rejecting.

Fig. 5.— Defending.

Fig. 6.— Protecting— Soothing.

Fig. 7.— Presenting or Receiving.

Fig. 8.— Signalling.

Fig. 9.— Designating.

Fig. 11.— Secrecy.

Fig. 12.— Meditation.

Fig. 13.— Indecision.

Fig* 14.— Defiance.

Fig. 15.— Repulsion.

Fig. 16.— Exaltation.

Fig". 17.— Wonderment.

Fig. 18.— Gladness.

Fig. 19.~Anguish.

Fig. 20.— Remorse.

Fig. 23,— Dispersion.

Fig. 24.— Discerning.

MARY ANDERSON.

AND, IN THIS RAGE, WITH SOME GREAT KINSMAN'S BONE, AS WITH A CLUB, DASH OUT MY DESPERATE BRAINS?

JULIET

EDWIN BOOTH.

OH, THAT A MAN MIGHT KNOW THE END OF THlS DAY'S BUSINESS ERE IT COME!

JULIUS CAESAR

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