A dramatization of Longfellow's Hiawatha: A spectacular drama in six acts

								


Transcriber’s Notes:


Underscores “” before and after a word or phrase indicate italics

    in the original text.
Small capitals have been converted to SOLID capitals.
Typographical and punctuation errors have been silently corrected.

                         A DRAMATIZATION OF

                            LONGFELLOW’S



                              HIAWATHA.



                  A Spectacular Drama in Six Acts.



             Delineating the Characteristics and Customs

                                 OF

                  THE NATIVE NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN.

           Re-written, Revised, Arranged and Dramatized

                        By A. L. DE VINE.



      Entered According to Act of Congress in the Year 1895

                          By A. L. DE VINE.

    In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.



                        ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.



      Copyrighted in Great Britain and British Possessions,

                       France, Germany, Italy,

           Belgium, Denmark, Portugal and Switzerland._

INTRODUCTORY.



      To ye whose hearts are fresh and simple

    Who have faith in God and Nature,

    Who believe that in all ages

    Every human heart is human,

    That in even savage bosoms

    There are longings, yearnings, strivings

    For the good they comprehend not,

    That the feeble hands and helpless,

    Groping blindly in the darkness,

    Touch God’s right hand in that darkness

    And are lifted up and strengthened,
Is submitted this portrayal of the primitive life of the American
Indians in their native forest home. Fully realizing how rapidly the
race is becoming extinct before the onward march of civilizing
influences, and how little the people of this and other countries
really know of such customs, dress, and peculiarities, it is believed
this spectacular drama will be found historical, an educator to the
young and interesting to ALL. In thus depicting the higher and better
life of the Indian race, their mode of living, dress, pastimes, feats
of skill, dances, wooings, wedding feasts, festivities, death scenes
and legends, the author has adhered to the original language of the
poem as closely as is consistent with a faithful dramatization thereof.
This is the first and only known drama of this kind or character in
existence, and no other subject, throughout the wide and varied field
of poetry, offers like opportunities to the facile pen of the skilled
playwright.

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES AND INCIDENTS.

    ACT I. THE PEACE PIPE.

         Gitche Manitou (Great Spirit) descends from

         Heaven and admonishes the tribes to cease warfare

         and bloodshed—Indians discard weapons and war

         paint—Gitche Manitou promises to send Hiawatha as

         a guide—Fashions a Peace Pipe—Sets fire to the

         forest and vanishes in smoke.



    ACT II. HIAWATHA’S CHILDHOOD.