The Red Cloud chief., 1880-06-17

The wonderful power these conjurers
gain owe 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 babyhood and
youth. Having placed them all on the
floor in a heap, he gently strikes his
cymLal, when the tortOises begin at
nee To disen,anglc themselves. and 10
file into o long line, in the order Of
their sizes. the largest being ut the head
of the column and the baby-toTtOise
bringing up the rear. Around and
around the small soldiers march. NOV
ing faster or slower 20 keep time with
the music, and hating the very instant
it stops. Then, in obedience 10 half a
dozen words II 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. a. 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 a paw, the juggler lays
hold Of it and helps him 10 get up OF
the table, where the knowing tortoise
sturdily plants himself, until the entire
column has gained the top. Their
spirits seeming 10 rise in proportion 10
their elevation, the tOrtCises turn TO
dancing. tumbling, fighting mimic bat
ties with tiny wooden swords. and per-
forming a variety of antics a. wonder
full as ludicrcus. They end the series
Of maneuycrs by this very queer one:
Putting their outstretchcd heads close
together for 4 moment, a if in consul
tation. the entire band convert them
selves into a pyramid in the center of
the table. the largest tortoises uniting
Ia form the base, while the little one at
the top then dances a regular four
footed JIG. As soon a. the tiny Terpsi-
chorcan stops the tortOises at the
bottom crawl away in opposite direc-
tons. then off 90 the next, and o on.
till of this whole living structure only
the top one remains. The little fellow
chances around with a bcwildered air,
and then runs To his master for protec-.
ton.
Another trick was performed on the
occasion referred to. A tall, muscular
man threw himself ON his back, with
both feet pointing upward; and, at a
single bound, a ~tcn-year-old lad,
clothed in long, tight drawers Of silver
sheen. a conical cap and silvery wings.
leapcd upon the upturned soles and
began To smoke a cheroot. Then en-
tered a coolie, upon whose shoulders,
head and arms one saw only wooden
buckets. These were of the lightest
construction. and all of different sizes;
and the coolie piled them up by the
side Of the mar and boy. The lad,
reaching over, seized the top one, which
was the largest of the pile, and nimbly
as a cat he placed himself upon it, the
top of the bucket being turned down
ward, and resting on the man feet.
The second bucket was secured in the
same way and put upon the first; the
third had TO be handed To him by one
of the attendants, as it was too far off
to bc reached by the little fellow, but
he readily placed it in position upon the
second, stepping with all ease upon it.;
and so he went on until he had used the
entire heap. There were a dozen in
all, | should think; and the wee
knight. seated on this queer pile of
buckets, looked, ri that dizzy height,
more ike a shining statue of
ebony and silver than a real live boy.
Suddenly the man AT the bottom gave
a dreadful yell and lcaped out of the
arena AT a bound, while the buckets fell
pell-mell in every direction; but mi
of this chaos rose the graceful little
gymnast, not only unhurt. but evident
" quite amused at the looks of cOn-
sternatiOn on every face but his own.
Bowling gracefully he disappeared, fol-
lowed by shouts of applause.
More wonderful sill, a juggler will
appear to kill his son, cutting off the
legs and arms with a sword, and throw
ing a piece of blanket over the re-
mains. AT the same time he plants a
melon-seed in a ilower-pot filled with
earth. Presently, on lifting the blank
ct, the body has vanished, and a large
melon occupies the place on the ground
where the flower-pot had been. After
the melon has been looked at and
handled by all who wish, the blanket
is again thrown over it. On being
lifted. a few minutes later. the melon
is gone. but the boy, who had seemed
to be killed. and whose body had been
SO terribly cut TO pieces, sits there alive
and well, without a wouud.-FdRny R0-
per Fcudye, IN 50. Nicholas.