The Penn's Grove record., 1884-05-31
Up In Smoke.

at occurred y said the amateur story
teller, "near Lonnock, in the East. |
was younger then, and was travelling
around the country with the idea III my
head that the office Of Americans was
to teach the world, and as a conse-
duence 1 often got left, as the Arabs
say. On this occasion. | went ashore
to spend the night at a native village
four or five miles inland, where it was
reported that a famous juggler lived.
We were a jolly party, all besides my
self being sailors, and having a hard
time riding on the native ponies they
had provided us with; but after many
capsizes we managed to reach our des-
tination, where we found the fakir and
made up a purse of about 81, without
which nothing could be done. Some
of his tricks beat any thing l ever came
across.
s'He was a tall, thin, olive-hued tel-
low, with long black hair caught up
behind and tied with a string. He was
extremely reticent, and all through
the performance neither smiled nor
uttered a word. The first trick was to
arrange u party about him i'll a circle
of about thirty feet in diameter, and
we were so close together that no one
could pass out without our knowing it.
To prevent such a possibility he gave
us a cord to hold. This being done he
and a smaller native with a bundle Of
wood took their places in the corner.
The young man arranged the wood In
a pile and lighted it, and when it blazed
up the older mar seized him, threw
him upon the flames, and held him
down. Immediately there arose a
desce, s%uffocating smoke that seemed
a mixture of flesh and sandalwOod. 1t
rose about their heads and spread about
until it completely hid them, and from
it came such groans and cries that
several of the men called out that we
had better take a hand, as the boy wa
being murdered. But I reminded them
that it was only-a trick, 10 matter how
realistic. We waited perhaps five min
utes, when the yells ceased and the
smoke gradually cleared away, and
there stood the old fakIr alone, the
young man having to all intents and
purpo e been burned. He was scoop
ing something from the 6r~e-eyidently
ashes into a flask which was handed
to US and passed around-the cremated
remains of the assistant"
But" interrupted a gentleman at
the foot of the table, "didn't he slip
out in the smoke?'' ''There was no
place to go to-" was the reply, las we
were in a clearing away from trees or
bushes. But the strangest part is to
come" he continued. after passing
the flask around he took it back, and
placed it in the center of the circle,
and putting some wood under it lighted
it. Almost Immediately the flask be-
gan to grow before III eyes; the fire
blazed, and a rich odor of sandal wool
flOated about. and in ten minutes the
flask had expanded until it was the size
of a large key. The fire was then put
out, and we were beckoned to come
near and examine. | touched it aid it
seemed a jar of earth made of plaster
OF mud; it had a ringing sound as
struck it with my seal-ring, and to the
hand was hot. After looking it over
we returned to our places; the old IA
kir then took a hammer, waved his
hands in the air, uttering some mystic
words, and struck the vessel a hard
blow that broke it in pieces, when out
stepped the boy we had seen-or
thought we had seen-cremated, as
bright as you please. should be glad
to have the trick solved, but have
never found any one who could explain
it satisfactorily. Some aver that the
old fakir concealed the young man
about his W person; but that was
simply impossible, as felt OF the fakil
myself and he had on nothing but a
shirt, open in the back, aud a pair of
trousers.