as we are, count upon gaining the affection and esteem of all around
us! (_A Youthful Rustic, with a tendency to heckle._ "Ef 'ee plaze,
Zur, which on 'em be Valentoine?") Valentine, we may be very sure,
would not be absent on such an occasion, although, owing to the
crowd, we cannot distinguish him. But, wherever he is, however he
may be occupied, he little thinks that, before long, he will have
to encounter the terrible Orson, the Wild Man of the Woods! Ah,
dear children, we all have our Wild Man of the Woods to fight. With
_some_ of us it is--(_He improves the occasion._) Our next picture
represents--(_To Assistant._) Sure this comes next? Oh, they're all
numbered, are they? Very well--represents a forest--er--the home of
Orson. If we were permitted to peep behind one of those trunks, we
should doubtless see Orson himself, crouching in readiness to spring
upon the unsuspecting Valentine. So, often when we--&c., &c. The next
scene we shall show you represents the--er--burning of Valentine's
ship. Valentine has gone on a voyage, with the object of--er--finding
Orson. If the boat in the picture was only larger, we could no doubt
identify Valentine, sitting there undismayed, calmly confident that,
notwithstanding this--er--unfortunate interruption, he will be guided,
sooner or later, to his--er--goal. Yes, dear children, if we only have
patience, if we only have faith, &c., &c. Here we see--(_an enormous
Bison is suddenly depicted on the screen_) eh? oh, yes--here we have a
specimen of--er--Orson's _pursuits_. He chases the bison. Some of you
may not know what a bison is. It is a kind of hairy cow, and--(_He
describes the habits of these creatures as fully as he is able._ _The
Youthful Rustic_. "Theer baint nawone a-erntin' of 'un, Zur.") What?
Oh, but there _is_. Orson is pursuing him, only--er--the bison, being
a very fleet animal, has outrun his pursuer for the moment. Sometimes
we flatter ourselves that we have outrun _our_ pursuer--but,
depend upon it, &c., &c. But now let us see what Valentine is