San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-09-14

From the Cleveland IIeraldl
I was smoking my chibouk on the
wide veranda Of bungalow, or Govern
ment inn, one day in Northern India
II was in January, but the weather was
intensely hot, and my Dakgahrra, with
its rough, unframed horses, had stop.
ped here for midday rest. My Hin.
dostanee servant, with an unpronounce.
able name, whom / had nicknamed
"Handy Andy" on account of certain
unhandy ways, and q merry twinkle OF
the eye that indicated no lack of Hiber-
nian humor, came up to the porch and,
with a salaam, said: "Would Sahib
like to see conjuror make tricksp"
"Yes, bring him on" l suspected the
fellow was consulting his own fondness
for amusement more than mine, but it
was too hot to sleep, and | was ready
for any thing that would kill time.
A tall, fine-looking Hindoo, with a
clear.cut, intelligent face, and eyes that
looked straight at you, next appeared on
the scene. He was dressed in the or
binary long white robe of his race, with
a rich cashmere shawl wound round his
waist, and his salutation and manners
were respectful, without the least shade
of servility. He was followed by two
attendants, carrying the various imple-
ments of his profession, which they
spread out before him, and a dozen or
two hangers-on of all ages grouped
themselves at respectful distance to
enioy the free show, The ground in
front of the bungalow was paved with
large, flat stones, and upon one of these
the conjurer seated himself, curling his
legs under him in Oriental fashion, and
asked in Hindostanee, "What special
trick would the Sahib like to seer" At
the same time he barred his arms,
long, we'll formed, but not
muscular, and united his shawl to open
his robe and show me that there was no
concealed mechanism about his per-
son. told him through Handy Andy
that would like him to perform the
mango trick (which l had seen once be-
fore at Delhi without being able to PEN
citrate its mysteries. He nodded assent,
and, taking q box about ten inches
square, filled it with earth, and in it
planted u mango nut about the size of
an English walnut, having first handed
it to me for examination. He then
made framework, or tripod, of three
sticks, six or eight feet long and tied to-
gether at the top, placed it over the box,
and covered the whole with piece of
white muslin. The only thing thus far
that looked like charlatanism was Il
incarnation, rolling up his
eyes, with outstretched palms, as if APP
pealing for aid to some higher power.
Again seating himself not more than
ten feet in front of the veranda, he
went through the most astonishing per-
formances of Straightforward tricks,
such as swallowing swords, tossing
pals in the air, drawing from his
mouth colored ribbons of interminable
ength, etc., some of which had seen
before, but never in broad daylight.
lie borrowed my watch, and after
MASKING it into flinders it was mystic
iously restored unframed to my
pocket. He burned my handkerchief,
hen poured from a phial some elixir
lpon the ashes, and the linen was re-
tored to me without any smell of fire
lpon it. These and many other equal
Y curious things he did for nearly an
lour, with the most intense gravity of
manner, and an air of candor that
would disarm suspicion. My eyes
Tere wide open, and l watched him SO
ntently as scarcely to wink, and yet
vas unable to detect single flaw or
ccount for one of these transforms
ions.
Some of the tricks he repeated at my
cquest, but the result was the same.
It the critical moment his motions were
uick rs lightning. In all cases where
re was used | noticed that he either
CURED some liquid or threw a whi,ish
owder upon the flames, which pro-
uced for an instant n dense smoke, and
,ft pungent aromatic 0dor in the air.
In the meantime the mango tree was
rowing. Four times, at intervals OF 10 ,
+ ID minutes, he raised the muslin cov-
r to report progress. The first time Il ,
prout, 5 or inches long, appeared, at 1
'hich he expressed satisfaction, and |
arefully watered it from small sprink. ,
ny pot. The next time it was foot
Ugh, and the leaves seemed Just form /
X. The third time it was fully two &
ret in height and appeared to be grow t
y most vigorously. AT the close OF t
is other performances he tossed aside {
lie enveloping cloth and tripod OF sticks, 7
nd 10! there was mango tree, or bush, ;
bout five feet high, with perfectly-form- I
| leaves and branches. He brought /, q
me, and satisfied myself beyond /
IeStion that It was real, live tree by :
reaking off branch, which kept for t
souvenir. He then pulled it up by b
e roots, TO which was attached the Il
At, partially decayed and covered with |
ne iibrous sprouts. He then emptied Il
e earth from the box to show that q
,thing was concealed within it. :
Through Handy Andy | otlSed him y
,-s.,.....s H., -.