We will take the word "windfall," as affording a ready illustration
of the pantomime charade. "Wind" may be represented by a German band,
puffing away at imaginary ophicleides and trombones, with distended
cheeks and frantic energy, though in perfect silence. "Fall" may be
portrayed by an elderly gentleman with umbrella up, who walks
unsuspectingly on an ice slide and falls. The complete word "windfall"
may be represented by a young man sitting alone, leaning his elbows
on his hands, and having every appearance of being in the last stage
of impecuniosity. To produce this effect, he may go through a pantomime
of examining his purse and showing it empty, searching his pockets and
turning them one by one inside out, shaking his head mournfully and
sitting down again, throwing into his expression as much despair as
he conveniently can. A letter carrier's whistle is heard; a servant
enters with a legal-looking letter. The impecunious hero, tearing it
open, produces from it a roll of stage banknotes, and forthwith gives
way to demonstrations of the most extravagant delight, upon which the
curtain falls.

In another the curtain rises (i.e., the folding-doors are thrown open),
and a placard is seen denoting, "This is Madison Square," or any other
place where professional men congregate. Two gentlemen in out-door
costumes cross the stage from opposite sides and bow gravely on passing
each other, one of them saying, as they do so, "Good morning, doctor."
The curtain falls, and the audience are informed that the charade,
which represents a word of six syllables, is complete in that scene.
When the spectators have guessed or been told that the word is
"met-a-physician," the curtain again rises on precisely the same scene,
and the same performance, action for action, and word for word, is
repeated over again. The audience hazard the same word "metaphysician"