Osage Valley banner. (Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo.) 1879-1881, 1880-05-27


more our wondering eyes beheld a live |
twelve-foot bamboo clothed with verdi |
ure, while from It's top blossoms and
fruit budded out luxuriantlyl Ono of
the conjurers then drew from bis mouth
some twenty yards Of strong silk cord.
which he adrotly knotted, and attached /
to half q dozen hooks that had been
drawn from the same roomy place. BY
the aid Of these lie gathered the bam-
boo fruit, and then, without once hav-
ing left the arena, he passed II around to
be handled and tasted by all who wished.
Another Of the conjurers took from a
tiny bag single handful of paddy,
which II rice with the husk still on.
He first lightened the soil Of about two
square feet Of the floor with two
pronged fork, and scattered on it the
handful Of paddy; then pouring on II q
cup Of water, he said:
Now you will please 10 wait until
my crop grows, aud see whether | am
not the best farmer you know"
He turned basket over his little
plantation, and sang a simple air, so
sweet and plaintive that we were not
surprised when bird seemed 10 an
swer his call. He lifted the basket,
and sure enough, there were the rice
plants, grown six inches high in as
many minutes, and in their midst nest
of real live rice-birds, and mother and
four nestlingsl The old bird fluttered
and tapped her wings, as IL fright
ened, then oooed softlyto her little ones,
and folded overthem her downy wings.
Meanwhile the basket had been lying side
ways on the floor where the iuggler ad
thrown II few minutes before. Now
he picked it up without leaving his
seat, and carelessly replaced it over
the rice-plants and birds. Yetthe next
time this mysterious basket was raised
nothing was TO be seen but q pair OF
deadly sun-snakes, writhing and twist
ing themselves as If in frenzy at hay-
ing been pinned in such close quarters.
They darted their forked tongues and
snapped their fiery eyes at one and an
other of the spectators nearest them,
TO the small terror of all. But the con-
| jurer had only to wave tiny silver
wand, and, in a droning, caressing
| voice,-to speak to the serpents, when
! they sprang into his arms, one cOiling
| Itself about his neck, the other kissing
/ his very lips and the tip Of his tongue,
aud then hiding its hideous form ia his
| bosom.
The wonderful power these conjurers
| gain over dumb animals is well proved
by the tricks they perform with tor
toises, perhaps the most sluggish and
unpromising subjects that could be
chosen. A juggler produces from the
bosom of his muslin vest eight or ten
! tortoises; some full grown, the Others
in various stages between babyhnod and
youth. Having placed them all on the
floor in q heap, he gently strikes his
! cymtal, when the tortoises begin at
once TO disentangle themselves, and TO
| file into long line, in the order OF
their sizes, the largest being at the head
of the column and the baby-tOrtoise
! bringing up the rear. Around and
around the small soldiers march, NOV
ing faster or slower to keep time with
! the music, and halting the very instant
it stops. Then, in obedience TO half a
dozen words of command spoken by the
master. the whole company put them
selves into position for getting upon a
table some ten inches high And queer
enough they look, as each, with his
mouth, lays hold of the hinder
part Of the shell of the one be.
fore him, When all are ready, the
leader puts out paw, the juggler lays
hold of it and helps him tC get upon
the table, where the knowing tortoise
sturdily plants himself, until the entire
column has gained the top. TheiI
spirits seeming to rise in proportion tC
their elevation, the tortoises turn tc
dancing, tumbling, fighting mimic bat,
ties with tiny wooden swords, and per.
forming a variety of antics as wonder.
full as ludicrous. They end the series
of maneuvers by this very queer one
I Putting their outstretched heads close
together for a moment, as IL In consul
tation, the entire band convert them
selves into pyramid in the center oi
the table, the largest tortoises uniting
to form the base, while the little one ai
the top then dances q regular four
footed jig. As soon as the tiny Terpsi
chorean stops the tortoises at the
bottom crawl away Ia opposite direo
tions, then off go the next, and so on
till of this whole living structure only
the top one remains. The little fellow
glanees around with n bewildered air
and then runs TO his master for protec
ton.
I Another trick was performed ON tn,
| occasion referred TO. A tall, muscula
man threw himself on his back, witt
both feet pointing upward; and, at
, single bound, ten-year-old lad
/ clothed in long, tight drawers Of silve
, sheen, conical cap and silvery wings
leaped upon the upturned soles AM
5 began TO smoke a cheroot. Then en-
D tered coolie, upon whose shoulders
head and arms one saw only woode
! buckets. These were Of the lightes