Page:Hallowe'en festivities (1903).djvu/176

172 II.Drop now into easy conversational tone and manner. After "in," in line 2, make very suggestive pause filled in with equally suggestive descending gesture, as you point to supposed location of regions below, then say "the world below." Emphasize "Essex deacon," also "homesick." On "mounted high" make ascending right-hand gesture, merging gesture into one of waving hand, as with forward attitude, head upraised and eyes uplifted, you speak of the "shadows against the sky." While hand is still in ascendant, depict imaginary "crossing the track of owls and bats." "Hugging" suggests double gesture, if one wishes so to finish stanza.

III.Consisting, as it does, mainly of description, this stanza may be omitted if the recitation is likely to take too much time. A spiral, serpentine movement of hand will serve to describe "sinuous glide of the snake." Use gestures of location as you say "Ipswich river," "its old stone bridge," "Far off Andover's Indian Ridge." Backward gesture will emphasize fact that the "terror" was "bygone."

IV.Again point downward as you again say "the world below." Now comes manner of voice to be employed in characterization of witches' complaining. The one most appropriate is most fitly described by "catty." It should also be slightly cracked and tremulous as to be aged. This is commonly supposed to be an attribute of a witch. Pause after "you're a good old—" and stutter out a "D," if you so desire.

V.During line 1 shake head negatively. Bring out line 4 in confidential stage-aside, and make strong point of it. If you must impersonate his Satanic majesty, give him a stentorian voice and do it well.

VI.Bring hands together, then swing them widely apart as you say "the gates swung open;" then fling both hands forward in manner descriptive of "out they flew." Always remember to