Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-08-08

@th0AhH - &MA01Wm III III
wide veranda Of : bungalow, or Govern
ment mn, one day in Northern India
10 was in January, but the weather "a,
intensely bot. and nv Daeahrra, will
its rough, hntraincd horses. bad stoppes
here Tor . midday rest. My Hindos.
sanee servant, with an unpronounceabl.
name, whom had nicknamed III andy
Andy" on account Of certain unhandJ
ways, ard merry twinkle Of the eys
that indicated no lack of Hibernian hu.
NOR, came up the porch and, with I
salaam, saId "WoaId Sahib Iihe Il
see eonjuFeF make tricke F's Eyes,
bring nam Co. susneelea fha fellow
- s0nshIxink lsIS own IDndAesB f0s
amusement more than nine, but IL was
too hot 10 sleep, and was ready fos
anything that would kin time.
A tall, fine-looking HIndoo, with q
clear-cut, intelligent face, and eyes
that looked straight at you, neAt ap-
peared on the scene. He was dressed
in the ordinary long white robe of his
race, with rich cashmere shawl wound
round his waist, and his salutation and
manners were respectful, without tho
least shade of serviliiy. He was fol-
lowed by two attendants, carrying the
various implements OF bis profession,
which they spread out before blm, and
dozen or two hangers-on of all ages
grouped themselves at respectful dis
tance 10 enjoy the free show. The
ground in front Of the bungalow was
paved witt fiat stones, and upon one
OF these the eonjurer seated himself,
curling his legs under him in Oriental
fashion, and asked in HIndostanee.-
"What special trick would the Sahib
like TO zee I" AT the same time he
barred his arms, long, well formed, but
not muscular, and united his shawl, 70
open his robe and show me that there
was no concealed mechanism about his
person. / told him through Handy
Andy that would like him 10 perform
the mango trick-which had seen
once before at Delhi without being able
to penetrate its mysteries. He nodded
assent, and, taking q box about ten
inches square, filed il with earth, and
in il planted mango nut about the size
oil an English walnut, having first handed
il 10 me for examination. lie then
made framework, or tripod, of three
sticks, sax or eight feet long and tied To-
gether at the top, placed il over the
box, and covered the whole with q
piece oil white muslin. The only thing
thus far that looked like charlatanism
was q muttered incarnation. rolling up
bis eyes, with outstretched palms, as IL
appealing for aid to some higher pow
er.
Again seating himself, moi more than
ten feet in front OF the yeranda, he
went through the most astonishing per-
formances Of sleight-of-h tricks such
a. swallowing swords. tossing balls IN
the Dir, drawing from his mouth colored
ribbons of interminable length, etc.,
some OF which had seen before, but
never in broad daylight. He borrowed
my watch, and after smashing il to 6in-
ders ii was mysteriously returned un-
harmed to my pocket. He burned my
handkerchief, then poured from a vial
some elixir upon the dishes, and the
linen was restored to me without any
smell of fire upon it. These and many
other equally curious things he did for
nearly an hour, with the most intense
gravity oil manner, and an air of candor
that would dlsarm suspicion. My eyes
were wide open, and | watched him so
intently rs scarcely to wink, and yet |
was unable to detect single flaw or ac-
count for one Of these transforma-
tons.
Some of the tricks he repeated at my
request, but the result was the same.
AT the critical movement his motions
were quick as lightning. In all cases
where fire was used / noticed that he
either poured some liquid or threw q
whitish powder upon the flames which
produced for an instant dense smoke,
and left pungent aromatic odor in the
AR.
In the mean time the mango tree was
growing. Four times at intervals of ten
or fifteen minutes, he raised the muslin
cover to report progress. The first
time sproat, three or four inches long,
appeared, at which be expressed satIs-
faction, and carefully wateredi it from q
small sprinkling pot. The next time il
was foot high, and the leaves seemed
just forming. The third time ii was
fully two feet in height. and appeared
to be growing most vigorously. AT the
close of his other performances he
tossed aside The enveloping cloth and
tripod Of sticks, and lol there was a
mango tree, or bush, about Eve feet
high, with perfectly formed leaves and
branches. He brought It to me, and i
satisfied myself beyond question that IT
was . real, live tree by breaking of a
branch, which kept for souvenir
lie then pulled il up By the roots, TO
which was attached the nut, partially
decayed and covered with fine iibrous
sprouts. He then emptied the earth
from the box to show that nothing was
concealed within il.
Through Handy Andy / offered him
twenty rupees if he would disclose to
me the secret Of the mango tree. ]
doubled and trebled the offer, but he
only shook his head, and presume a
thousand rupees would have been nc
temptation. I rewarded him with a
generous 'stip." and for the moment re-
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