Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-03
AN EASTERN JUGGLER.


While travelling through India, be-
tween Surat and Nagpore. my body
servant one day informed me that a
great juggler and snake charmer
wished to have the honor of showing
me something OF his skill.
What can he dc?" | asked.
Almost everything that is marvel
lous. I've been told" was the an
swer | received
admit him
My servant withdrew, and returned
with small withered, old man,
about whom saw nothing remarka-
BILE except his eyes, which were small
black and piercing, and seemed to
have lightning imprisoned IN them.
l do not know that the man could
see in the dark, like cat; but there
was at times that peculiar, fiery ap
pearance of the balls which is so
often observed in night prowling an
imals.
He wore white vest, Turkish
trowsers, sort of crimson petticoat.
worked with strange devices, tur
ban of many colors. and red morocco
shoes, pointed and turned up at the
toes. His arms and neck were bare;
and, with the exception of a couple
of heavy gold rings in his ears. he
displayed no extraneous ornaments.
His age l judged to be sixty, and his
short mustache was almost white.
He made a low salam. and then
appear ed to wait to be addressed
Your name?" said l in Hindoo-
stance.
"Paunjar, your exceilency.'
Il am told you wish to show me
some wonders
If your excellency wills"
"Well, what can you dor
He suddenly produced-from
where l did lot see, and cannot tell
"a large ball of twine, which he ap-
peared to toss into my lap, keeping
hold of one end, so that it unrolled
the whole distance between him and
me, at least ten feet, saying as be
did SO:
"Will your excellency please ex-
anime what you see?"
Now, I honestly aver that l saw
that ball of twine when he threw il
as plainly as 1 ever saw anything il
my life-saw it come toward me, saw
it unroll, and apparently drop into
my lap, so that l brought my knees
quickly together to catch it-and yet
when I put my hand down to take it
and looked down for it, it was moi
there; and at the same instant l per
ceived the juggler balancing it on thu
end of his finger.
"Pshaww said I; you deceived
me by making me believe you threw
it toward me-"
Does your excellency think
have it," he asked-and, before
could answer l saw, in place of tn,
ball, a large, beautiful rose, whicl
he was balancing by the stem, ant
vet he had not altered his position
and scarcely stirred finger.
Ibegan to be astonished.
While yet I looked, 1 saw in hi
right hand cup, and in his left tn
rose. He stepped forward few fee
laid the rose down on the grounc
, and placed the cup over it.
Here. it will be obsel we'd, there wa
no machinery to assist him--no tabl
r with a false top. concealed apar'
. ments, and confederate, perhaps, t
effect the change, as we see simila
? tricks performed in a place fitted b
y the magician for the purpose hr
= only my own quarters, in the fu
y bright light of day. with myse
closely watching him within five fee
u and my attendants grouped aroun
/, almost as near. -,
Having covered the rose with IL
p cup, as I would be wiling to NAL
, oath-for saw the rose distinctly,
y the hollow vessel, held by the to
. : went slowly down over 1.-THE col
/, jurer resumed his former place, ar
a said:
II "Will your excellency be kir
enough to lift the cup and see VIII
is under it,"
OF course l would have wagered
, heavy sum that the rose was st
= there for one thing because, expec
20 ing some trick, 1 had kept my g.
y 70 on it to the last moment, and W
= certain there was no possibility of
. being removed after the hand b;
&c let 20 of the cup at the top.
40 l complied with the reque'
40 -, stepped forward, and raised the GU
ie ;n but il stantly dropped it, and bound
20 20 back with a cry of terror--for thel
80 10 instead of the rose, was one Of t
ne little, green, deadly serpents OF Ind
aJ coiled up and ready for a sprin
IN with its small glistening eyes fix
~ intently Oil mine. Snakes Of a
~ kind are my horror; and this o
y ~ not only Mortified me, but all my
I.n tendants, who, with cries of a!ar
Nc Nc enlarged the circle very rapidly,
ho they knew it's bite to be fatal.
~; No more such tricks as the
. conjurerw said l, sternly.
=, 1T is perfectly harmless, your {
~, nv cellency," grinned the old man, wa
- ing up to it, lifting it by the ne
ho h putting its head into his mouth, a
allowing it to run down his throat
| Ishuddered, and half believed
10; iuggler possessed of devil. if moi
I'd, devil himself.
Is He next produced tube Il
of looked like brass, about two feet lo
he and half an inch in diameter. &
ad next, the ball of twine again.
me Where these things came from
be- went to, l could not tell. III
of seemed to be in his hands when
No. wanted them; but 1 never obser
L.. b.c1. D,.o;pn paor his dr