Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-07-31
] Juggling in India.

II - =
ao, gail Juggling in India. 4 tE
n. sEi, s,ji.-MITsl..l,s, st,f,. a., 49,, - !,
when il seemed as II one were walled in By
blazing fire; one Of those days which are
found nowhere else save in India. The
intense heat had silenced everything else
except aparrot. who was glibly chattering
mixture of broken English and oriental
to the delight of some newly arrived, re-
cruits. < group, of US were lying undes
the palms IN front .aof quarters canvsssing
the. prospects of a furlough and return to
England when our attention was attracted
BY the tinkling Of bell, and the next min
ute q native juggler came into the square
Leading little girl some five or six years
old. of very, prepossessing appearance.-
The pgglets costume was picturesque in
, the extreme. >. His loins were enveloped in
cotton cloth. falling gracefully behind. and
over this q robe Of blue muslin. His tur-
ban was Of scarlet silk. wrapped in grace
ful and heavy folds. and decorated in front
with mysterious Brahmin symbols. His
sandals. contrary to the custom of those
from the northern provinces, were OF leatll-
er from the anklets Of which hung little
silver bells. which emitted a musical tink-
ling aS he walked. Ruby drops hung from
his ears. His. bare arms were encircled
with heavy bangles of gold; massive broad
rings cleaned upon his fingers and toes.
Upon his flagreed zone were written vari-
Gus mystic characters from the Chaldaic
and Arabic The child was q sweet little
creature of slight figure and as graceful as
q fawn. but from her light complexion evi.
IDENTIFY was no kin TO the swarthy. ,iuggler.
He Approached us and after "a : profound
sslaam suggested his desire to perform
feat. a general contribution indicated an
assent he was not slow to appreciate. Be-
fore commencing he desired the officer Of
the day TO furnish him a guard to protect
him from the crowd already gathering, as
the feat he was abont to perform was very
hazardous one.-The guard-wss readily
granted. and stood rountl in acircle. The
only articles he used were a basket pro-
cure1 from the quarters and sword bor-
rowed from an officer He then spoke a
few words to the child in an unknown
tongue. pressed her to himself affectionate-
ly as If taking final leave of her. and
seating her upon the ground placed the
basket over her, lie then stepped back,
and casting his eyes towards heaven re-
mained apparently in prayer. Suddenly
his whole manner changed. His eyes
seemed to flash fire. His whole frame
quivered. Flakes Of foam oozed from be-
tween his set teeth. Great beads OF sweat
stood upon his forehead. Drawing the
| ...-o-J g. Al 80 .ll.-I b~O' r.
ward with q tiger like leap. and with the
rapidity Of lightning before any one was
aware of his purpose. he plunged the keen
blade through the basket. A cry of hor-
ror pierced through the air. and seemed to
freeze every heart. Again he plunged the
sworn into the basket and withdrew it reek-
ing with blood, which coursed along the
blade and ran down his arm in a ghastly
stream. Again that terrible cry pierced
the air, this time more horrible than before,
, seemingly from person in the death ago
ny. 1t was well the juggler had taken the
precau.ion to provide guard. for at the
sight of the blood the spectators became
frenzied and wildly pressed forward. The
guard with fixed bayonents kept them at
bay, or they would have torn the juggler
and seeming murderer to pieces upon the
spot. can hardly describe my own feel
ings. The terrible cries, the struggle be-
meath the basket. the apparently insane
juggler. the sword and arms of the man
bathed il blood. and the sanguinary tide
flowing already from beneath the ba. ket
seemed to me the surrounding Of most
atrocious butchery. There were no holes.
no caverns in the earth, and the guard were
surrounding the juggler.-How had the
child escaped? sat like one stupe6ed.-
could not convince myself that it was a
delusion. mime eyes were made the fools
O. the other senses" l was accustomed
to East Indian feats of magic, and
had witnessed Chinese jugglery of tle
most mysterious character. but never be-
fore such scene as this.
In the meantime the juggler murmurinp
. sort of weird chant, sounding like wal
over the dead. continued to thrust his sword
through the basket. The CT les which had
heen so terrible were none the less fearful
but grew lower. The child was evidently
with the loss Of blood fast losing strength
Lower and lower they grew, until they
changed into rapid moaning Fainter
less frequent and more undistinct the
moans and fewer fhe sword strokes. The
Ijuggler stepped up to the basket, plunged
the sword in once more with both hand,
clinched to the hilt. and leaned forward
uponit with his whole weight, his eal
close to the basket. We listened intently
A faint sigh like one gasping for breath. q
slight pcrceptible motion OF the basket
ard all was still. The juggler withdrew
his sword, and broke out into o Hindoe
song Of jubilstion. dancing rapidly round
the basket. At its close he resumed tn.
basket. and we eagerly sprung forward. of
ficers, guards. populace and all, expecting
! to see the mutilated corp.e of the little girl
Judge our surprise TO behold nothing there
) The basket was pierced through and thro'
but no child. The ground was not ever
| wet. Where could she have disappears
I: to? The ground was firm and solid
There was no opportunity for traps or hid
den springs. She could not have emerged
] from the basket without being seen. w,
!. looked snxiously to the jussler for an ex
PLANTATION. who stood among the Grove
coolly wiping his sword. He returned tn
I weapon. stamped upon the ground ant