The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-12-21
AN EASTERN JuesLER.

While travelling through India, be-
tween Surat and Nagpore, my body SER
want one day informed me that great
juggler and snake charmer wished to
have the honor Of showing me something
Of his skill.
~ "What can lie do?" asked my SER
want.
s'Almost everything that is marvellous,
I've been told," was the answer re-
ceived.
sAdmit him."
NV servant Withdrew and presently
returned with small, withered old man,
about whom I saw nothing remarkable
except the eyes, which were small, black
and piercing, and seemed to have light
ming imprisoned in them. do not
know whether the man could see in the
dark like cat, but there was at times
that peculiar fiery appearance of the
balls which is so often observable In
night.prowling animals.
He were white vest, Turkish trou-
sers, kind of crimson petticoat worked
with strange devices, turban OF many
colors and red morocco shoes, pointed
and turned up at the toes. His arms
and neck were bare, and, with the excep-
ton of couple of heavy gold rings in
his ears, he displayed no extraneous or
naments. His age judged to be sixty,
and his short moustache was almost
white. He made low salaam, and then
appeared to wait to be addressed.
"Your name?" I said, in Hindo-
stance.
"Paunjar, your excellency."
II am told you wish to show me some
4 wonders?"
y eff your excellency wills"
"Well, what can you do?"
He suddenly produced-from where l
did not see and cannot tell-a large ball
of Irvine, which he appeared to toss into
my lap, keeping hold Of one end, so that
it unrolled the whole distance between
him and meat least ten feet, saying as
he did so:
"Will your excellency please examine
what you see?"
Now, honestly aver that saw that
ball of twine when he threw it as plainly
as ever saw anything i'll my life--saw
it come toward me, saw it unroll and APP
parently drop into my lap, SO that I
brought my knees quickly together to
catch it, and yet put my hand down to
take it and looked down for it, it was not
there--nothing was there, and, at the
same instant / perceived the juggler
balancing it on the end OF his finger.
"Pshawl said I, "you deceived me by
making me believe that you threw it to-
ward me-"
"Does your excellency think have
it?"s he asked.
And. before could answer saw, in
place of the ball beautiful, large rose,
which he was balancing by the stem
4 vet he had not altered his position in
the least, and scarcely. stirred finger.
I began to be astonished.
While vet I looked saw in his right
hand cup, and in his left the rose.
He stepped forward few feet, laid the
rose down on the ground, and placed
cup over it.
Here, it will be observed, there was no
machinery to assist him-no table with
its false top, concealed compartments
and confederate, perhaps. to effect
change as we see similar tricks per-
formed in place fitted by q magician
for the purpose-but only my own quar-
ters, in the full bright light Of day, With
myself closely watching every move.
ment within FIVE feet of him, and my at
tendants grouped around almost as near.
Having covered the rose with the cup,
as would be willing to make oath, for
saw the rose distinctly as the hollow YES
sci held by the top, went slowly down
over it, the conjurer resumed his former
place. and said:
evil your excellency be kind enough
to lift the cup and see what is under it?''
Of course / would have wagerei q
heavy sum that the rose was still there
for one thing, because expecting some
trick, I had kept my eye ON 1t to the last
moment, and was certain there was no
possibility of its being removed after the
hand had let 60 Of the cup at the top. :
X I complied with the request. stepped
forward, and raised the cup; but in
stantly dropped it, and bounded back
with cry Of terror-for there, instead
OF the rose, was one of the little, green,
deadly serpents Of India. coiled up and
ready for spring, with its small, glis-
tening eyes fixed intently ON mine.
Snakes Of any kind are my horror; and
this one not only Mortified me, but all
NV attendants, who, with cries Of alarm,
enlarged the circle very rapidly, for
they knew it's bite to be fatal.
"No more such tricks - these, con-
iurerr' said l, sternly.
"It is perfectly harmless, your excel
lepcy,"" grinned the old man, walking up
to.it. lifting it by the neck, putting its
head into HE mouth, and allowing 1t to
run down his throat.
shuddered, and half believed the
s---V--.--~~-~I - Aayi1 IL mot a