Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-05-16
TERMS: $500 PER YEAR


her entire body. She then began to
move round and round, uttering a low,
murmuring sound the while, gradually
quickehing the pace until she was
whirling ebout like top. A moment
of this and The light that had clunC
about her seemed to be vhirled off by
centrifugal force and assumed a pillar
like form before her. As sOon as this
was accomplished she stopped, turned
and began TO mold the light with her
hand, and though could distinctly see
her hands move through the light as if
it were q cloud, it began to assume hu-
man form. We saw the arms, hands
and legs all moulded, and finally face
and head-gear. She next called for
light, and the candles being relighted
there stood an utter stranger, a native
seemingly evolved out of cloudand.
He stepped forward and grasped me by
the hand; his hands were moist, as If
with perspirsticn, and he was very
healthy spirit. After he had talked AMI
drank glass of rack he took his place
beside the woman again and began to
Whirl about.
FADING FIGURE.
The lights were dimmed, but not so
that we could not see, and in few mo-
ments the figure began to fade, soon AS
Stunning the appearance of a pillar or
form oflight, and then attaching itself
to the woman and seemingly being alb
scrbed by her. All this was done in q
very short space of time, before the
eyes of at least fifty people, and not ten
feet from myself. The girl appeared
ta1 oft r1
would 10 explained by the splritualistS
as naturalization and by the psycholo-
gical society as some new sense or pow
er, etc, but, between you and /, who
know that all thing can be explained by
cold facts, it was merely a clever trick,
so skillfully done that did not diseov-
er II in any way or shape.
The man next took his place in the
ring. and, handing me large, highly
| ornamented sabre, he said: In tive
minutes by the clock wish you to be-
head me- objected, of course, but he
| insisted, and said it had been done a
dozen times. so l finally agreed. He
was searched, and in the dim light be-
gan to comfort himself in strang posi-
tions until he seemed to grow perceptlbly
smaller, and finally stood before us so
gauzy. that l thought could see right
| through him. 1t was now five minutes,
| so took the sabre and struck light
blow, only sufficient to knock a man
over, when to my honor, the blood
spurted into my face, and the head drop
ped with a thud upon the floor. As
soon as it fell the body stopped and
picked it up, held il in the air, then
placed it upon the shoulders. The full
light being turned on, there stood the
giant, grinning and warm.
The blood: That had faded away by
the time the light was turned up and +,
YOU must remember, that in all this.
though the light was dim, il Was not
sufficient to prevent our seeing every
thing. and seemed to be used only thai
we might observe the figures of light
that were evolved so suriously from tho
mediums, as our spiritualists would call
them.
| ANOTHER MYSTICAL TRICK.
"The next Trick was equally mystical
All the party now stepped into the ring
and began to chant and move about.
In few minutes they ceased, and we
observed that one was missing, though
nc one saw him 90. A moment after the
whirling was repeated and another was
found to have disappeared, and 30 on
until in fifteen minutes only the giant
was seen. More light being given us, a
noise was heard at tie door, and, upon
some one going TO it, there stood the
mystic five clamoring for admission.
That ended the performance for the
night, and sat up the rest Of it, or well
into the morning, trying to figure out
how it was all done. The natives &C
ceptel it as magic without debate, ana |
began to think that was the easiest way
out Of it.
"Tfe follow ing day another perform
anee as given at midday that was even
more wonderful. The giant, as called
him, caused the audience to sit on grass
plat. leaving a circle of about Senty-f Se
feet across, and in this the jugglers took
their places, the giant opening the ell
terta'nment by taking roll OF ribbon
and by o dexterous toss sending II up
fifty feet or 50, where We distinctly saw
a small hawk dart al il and carry it up
higher until we nearly lost sight Of H..
ID then seemed to On er a cloud that,
assumed, was caused by something burn
ing on the ribbon; but from the cloud
came sliding down, first dog, then
sEake-a good big one, too-that wrg-
gIed off the moment it touched the
ground and was captured by one OF the
men. Then a larger object was SET n
gliding along and one of the women
, leaped forward received and held 1t out
, of the crowd, a laughing native baby.
The giant had all this time held the end
of the nbbon and releasing it, it seemed
2 to disappear in the air; at any rate we
/ saw it no more. A few moments later
4 they all Joined bands and began TO move
about rapidly. Wien they moved tc
the right / distinctly counted twelve
7 persons in the circle; when the changed
, the movement we saw only eight, anc
a some one appeared TO be standing in thu
center.
MISSING MAN.
These are only samples Of the marvel
4 as might say. that they went through
o but the last one puzzled me as much
# ever. The party left, except the glanl
!, aud he, taking a large native parssol
1 asked If would carry il back to the inI
= for him. / sssented, and be then polite
v ly requested me to take 1t in five minute
by my watch. and, mind you, ne va
surrounded by q dense throng. Pre-
It ceeJing t. the center Of the plat b
e squa ted upon the ground and drew th
umbrella down over him like con
over dice, thus hiding himself complete
ly. In five minutes lifted the coverin
q and to nv amaEement he was gone.
"Yes it was empty and the sod wa
10 solid under il. The crowd looked up