The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-03-19

3 h4A1 CGu8LL s14A HAOgls GE SCEAb IT'S lCk
apart with nervous hand, straigllt
ened it against his knee, and hurIet
| them, darflike, towards the eagle.-
They glanced Upwards like 3 gildeG
fash, and instantly the eagle came
1attering down to the pavement il
our midst, dead, and three horrible
cobras coiled about him. and lifting
their hooded heads defiantly and fash
anger out of their elittering eyes. Ths
music shrieked still louder and tht
snakes coiled and plated themselves
together in a rhJ thmic dance, lifting
the dead eagle upon their heads, and
prestoi right in our midst there stood
the tripod again, with its hickerine
fame, and its insence-savored breath.
A more perfect illusion never wal
seen.
4 That is Norodom," whispered
Woun- -Tajac in my ear. Another &C,
tor now came upon the scene whom
recognized as the tall athlete, Tepada
Behind him came q smaller man, " hose
name, Woun-Tajac informed me. was
Manhmsn, and 3 boy, probably twelve
years old, called Tsin-ki. These fouI
began some of the most wonderful
athletic exhibitions that can be con-
ceived. Its impossible to believe,
unless you saw it, what work these
men put human muscles to. / am
not going to provoke the incredulity
of your readers by attempting TO des-
cribe q majority of them. In one feat
Tepada seized Norodom by his long,
white beard, held him of at arms
length, and spun round with him un-
til the old mans legs were on level
with the athletes shoulders. Then.
while they still spun with the fury of
derYishes, Minhman sprung mp, and
seized upon Norodom's feet, and spun
out q horizontal continuation of the
ancient, and, when Minhman wss
firmly established, the boy Tsin-ki
caught to his feet in like nzanner, and
the tall athlete, every muscle in him
straining, contiEued to Whirl the hu-
man jointless level around. AT last,
slowing slightly, Tepada drew in his
eTms till the old mans white beard
touched his body there was q sudden
strain, and the arm OF men, from be-
ing horizontal became perpendicular,
Norodom's head resting on Tepade's.
Minhman's head on Norodom's feet,
and Tsin-ki's head on Minhman's feet.
A pause for breath, then the column
of men was propelled into the air,
and presto Tepada's head was on the
ground, Norodom's feet on his, Minh-
mans feet On Norodom's head, Tsin-
kls feet on Minhman's head. Each
had turned q somersault, aud the coll
umn was unbroken
1 could fill several columns with
of the most remarkable
E1T. r,E
formed by these wonderful jugglers,
but I must refrain. One trick which
Mlnhman performed WAS very su-
perior version of the mango tree feet
OF the Indian jugglers. He took an
orange, cut it open and produced a
serpent. This he took down into the
and borrowed q robe from
one, cut the suake's head off and COW
cred it with the robe. When the robe
was lifted again fox was in place of
the snake. The fox's head was cut of,
two robes borrowed, and when they
were raised there was wolf, which
was killed with q sword, three robes
and leopard appeared lit was killed
with a javelin. Four robes covered
most savage looking buffalo, that was
killed with an axe. Five robes COW
cred in part but not altogether, lord
ly elephant, who, when the sword was
pointed against him, seized Minhman
by the neck and tossed him violently
up. He mounted feet foremost, and
finally, clung by his toes to the capital
OF one of the columns. Tepada now
ieaped from the stage aud alighted on
the elephants shoulders. With a
short sword he goaded the elephant
ON top Of the head until, shrieking the
animal reared upon his hind
egs, rwined his trunk around one OF
The great columnssaand seemed trying
10 liIt himself from the ground and
wrap his body around the great pillar.
The music cIasned out barbarously,
flashed forth dazzling fire
work OF some sort, aud the elephant
aad disappeared and 1epada lay upon
The stage, writhing in the folds of
grea boa constructor and holding up
upon his feet.
During three hours the exhibition
feats of the sort | have
each more wonderful than
that preceding it, followed each other
in rapid succession. / shall content
myself with describing the last. and
wonder of the startling
entertainment.
A perfectly formed and most lovely
nautch girl sprang out upon the stage,
and was hailed with universal excla-
lions of delight, everybody calling out
her name, Luan-Prabana, as if it were
! word of good omen. Her only
dress was q short petticoat of varia-
gated feather work. A wreath of rose
buds crowned her soft, short, black
hair, and she wore a pearl necklace,
Is we'll as broad gold armlets and
With brilliant smile, she
danced exquisitly for some moments
to the accompaniment of single pipe
then knelt and laid her head upon old
knee. The boy famed
her with a fan made of sweet fern
leaves, Minhman fetched lotus shape
golden goblet, and Tepada poured in
10 it from aquaint looking flask liq-
uid of a greenish hue. The old yogi
like Norodom took the goblet and
blew his breath upon its contents till
they broke into pale blue flame. |
This Tepada extinguished with his
breath, when Norodom held the COB !
let to Luan- Prabana's lips. aud she
drained the contents with sigh. AS !
Il Lransfgured she suddenly sprang
10 her feet, her face strangely radiant, !
md began to spin giddiIy around in |
0ne spot. First the boy, then Mimi
nan, then Tepada tried to arrest her,
out they no sooner touched her than |
she repealed them with shock that /
thrilled them as if she had impaired |
IN electric shock TO them. Spinning |
with bewildering, rapid |
notion, the girl now sprang of the
stage and ran down the hall, along by /
he foot of the columns, Tsin-ki, MIMI
nan and Tepada in active purfuit In I
Ind out among the crowd they spun,
he three chasing. Tepada seized hold |
If the chaplet that crowned her; it |
broke, and as she whirled along, a I
spray of rosebuds was scattered from I
Ter brow in every direction. Any
hing more graceful never was seen.
And now greater wonder. At the |
extremity of the hall the three sur
and would have seized her,
when, still revolving, she rose slowly |