The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-01-30
ORIENTAL MAGIC.


ORIENTAL MAGIC.
Astonishing Feats of Jugglery Seen In the
East-How the &c atlemanly Hindoo Made
the Mango Tree Grow Aystsriously-
Smashing Watches and Burning Hand
kerchiefs-A Wise Caveat.
l was smoking my chibouk one day
on the wide veranda of bungalow. or
Government inn, in Northern India. 1t
was in January, but the weather was
in ensely hot, and my LAX Gharra.
with its rough. unframed horses, had
stopped here for q midday rest NV
native servant, Chuddy-Lall. whom I
nicknamed Handy Andy" on account
of certain unhandy ways and merry
twinkle of The eye that indicated no
lack of Hibernian humor, came up to
the porch, and, with a sa aam, said:
s.W ould sab like to see Hindostanee
man make tr.cks?" Eyes, bring b M
on" / suspected that the fellow was
consulting his own fopaness for amuse-
ment more than mine, but it was too
hot to sleep, and was ready for any,
thing tina. would kill time.
A tall. tine-looking Hindoo. with =
clear-cut, intelligent face, and eyes that
looked straight at you, with no indica-
ton of ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain,n next appeared on the
scene. He was dressed in the long
white robe of his race, with a rich CASH
mere shawl round his waist, aud his
salutation and manner were respectful.
without the least shade of servility.
He was followed BY two attendants car
r ing the various implements OF his
profession, which they spread out be-
fore him. and dozen or two hangers
on of all ages grouped themselves ut .
respectful distance to enjoy the free
show.
The ground in front of the bunga-
low was paved with large fiat stones,
and upon one of these the conjurer
seate himself, curling his legs under
him in Oriental fashion. and asked in
Hindoostanee: ..What special trick
would the Sahib like to see?' At the
SAL e time he Jared his arms. long.
well formed, but not muscular, and
united his shawl 10 open his role
and show me that there was no con-
cea,ed mechanism about his person.
1 tsld him. through Handy Andy,
that would Ike to have him perform
the s.Mango trick. which had seen
on e before a. Delhi without being
able to penetrate its mysteries. He
nodded assent, and, taking box about
ten inches square, filed it with earth,
and in it planted q mango nut shout
the size of an English walnut, having
first handed it to me for examination.
He then made a tripod. or frame work
of three sticks. six or eight feet long.
and tied together at the top. placed it
over the eox and covered the whole
with piece of white muslin. The
only thing thus sar that looked like
charlatanism was muttered incanta-
ton. rolling up his eyes, with out
stretched palms. as if appealing for
aid to some higher power.
Again seating himself on the stone
Tagging, not more than ten feet rom
the veranda, he went through the most
astonishing performan, es of sleight-of
hand tricks, such as swallowing
swords, tossing balls IN the air, which
never seemed to come down, drawing
from his mouth colo-ed ribbons Of
in:erminable length. ETC.. some of
which have seen done before, but
never in broad daylight He borrowed
my watch. mashed it to flinders, and
then mysteriously re urned it I'M
harmed to my pocket. He burnel
my handkerchief, then poured from .
vial some elixir upon the ashes, and
the linen was returned to me without
the smell of fire ON its hem.
These and MANY other curious fh;rr-