Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-08-02
ASTONISHING FEATS.
TRICKS PERFORMED BY AN OLD JUG.
GLER IN INDIA.

Piece Of Deception.
While travelling through India. between
Surat and Nagpore. my body servant one
day informed me that great juggler and
snake charmer wished to have the honor
of showing me something of his skill.
My servant withdrew and presently re-
turned with small. withered old man,
about whom | 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 me 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 wore a white vest, Turkish trousers,
q kind of crimson petticoat worked with
strange device. turban of many colors
and morocco shoes pointed and turned up
at the toes His arms and neck were bare.
and with the exception of couple Of heavy
gold rings in his ears. he displayed no ex-
traneous ornaments His age | judge to
be 60. and his short mustache was almost
white He made slow salam and then
suddenly produced-from where did not
see and cannot tell-a large ball of twine,
which he appeared to toss in my lap.
keeping hold of one end, so that it un-
rolled the whole distance between him
and meat least ten feet-saying as he
did so
"Will your excellency please examine
what you seer
Now. honestly aver that l saw that
ball of twine when he threw it as plainly
as | ever saw anything in my life-saw it
II -
parently drop into my lap, so that
brought my knees quickly together to
catch it. and yet when | put my hand
was not there-nothing was there. and at
dancing it on the end of his finger
WONDERFUL TRANSPORTATION.
Does your excellency think have it7,
he said.
And before | could answer | saw in
place of the ball beautiful large red
rose. which he was balancing by the stem
and yet he had not altered his position
In the least. nor scarcely stirred finger
While yet ] looked. | saw in his right
hand cup and in his left rose He
stepped forward few feet. laid the rose
down on the ground. and placed the cup
over it.
Here. 1t 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 performed in a
place fitted by magician for the purpose
but only my or quarters. in the full
light Of day. wit Dyself closely watching
every movement, within five feet of him,
and my attendants grouped around almost
as near.
Having covered the rose with a cup-as
! would be willing to take my OATH for
saw the rose as distinctly as the hollow
vessel. held by the top. went slowly down
over 1.-THE conjurer resumed his former
place, and said
"Wll your excellency be kind enough |
to lift the cup and see what is under it?"
OF course, | would have wagered a |
heavy sum that the rose was still there |
for one thing, because. expecting some |
trick, had kept my eye on it to the last |
and was certain there was no
possibility of it's being removed after a
hand had let 60 of the cup at the top
complied with the request, stepped |
forward and raised the cup, but instantly
dropped it with cry of terror-for there,
instead of the rose, was one of the little,
leadly green serpents Of India, coiled up
md ready to spring, with it's small
ylistening eyes fixed intently on mine.
Snakes Of any kind are my horror, and
his one not only Mortified me, but all my
attendants. who with cries of alarm en-
arged the circle very rapidly, for shey
new its bite to be fatal
1T is perfectly harmless. your excel
ency." grinned the old man. walking up
o it. lifting it by the neck, putting its
ead in his mouth and allowing it to run
own his throat.
THE TUBE AND TwINE
he next produced tube that looked
Ike brass. about two feet long and half
n inch in diameter, and next the ball Of
wine again. Where these things came
rom or went to could not tell They
eemed to be in his hands when he wanted
hem; but | never observed his hands
assing near his dress either when they
ppeared or disappeared. When | looked
II the cup that had lifted from the
1ake It was gone. and yet neither myself :
Or any of my attendants had seen this :
onderful man pick it up. It was indeed Z
lgglery, If not magic, of the most un- J
fashionable kind. ;;
Through the brass tube the conjurer =
lssed one end Of the twine. which he put .
,tween his teeth. He then put the tube
,tween his lips, threw back his head and d
I'D it perpendicularly, with tho ball of I
vine at the upper end. Then suddenly
70 ball began to turn, and turn rapidly,
I'd gradually grow smaller, till it entirely
as if the twine had run off on il
reel. What turned it or where it went n
no one could see. The juggler then b
t the other end up. and a new ball began @
form on the top, but apparently rib Fl
n of half an inch in width and different b
lors These rolled up as if on bobbin, a
! it formed a wheel two or three inches o.
diameter. when the performer seemed it
toss ribbon and tube over his shoulder, Ii
d that was the last saw of either. a
He next produced what appeared to be "
Q same cup had lifted from the snake, s
owing something that appeared to be cl
egg, advanced the same as before and d,
ICED the latter on the ground and the SC
'mer over it. and again requested me to q
IN it. which declined to do, fearing I W
ould see another serpent or something m
1ally terrifying W
At this he took up the cup himself and OF
oeared to throw it in the air, and there ds
in it's place beautiful dove, which m
v up and aighted on his shoulder He 10
k it into his hand and muttered over n
ne unintelligible words, seemed to cram
nto his mouth and that was the last
' of that also.-St. Louis Sayings. m