Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-03-04

TIE MhGiC ROPE.
One day youth, having the bearing of a
person of rank, and with two attendants,
presented himself at the palace gates and de-
manded an audience with the emperor. After
some little delay they were led before Tai
Tsung, who, clothed IN a robe Of cloth of
gold upon which was IA ring wrought In gems
OF indescribahle variety and splendor, sat
upon throne in the court garden.
What have We heref' he asked, as the
youth approached,
The name and fame of Tai Tsung has
reached my fathers kingdom in the far west,
and he has sent me to show him things that
he knows not Of" was Lhe reply
Many have told like tale aud been dis
appointed, +" retorted the emperor; but what
arc theyg'
Il have three tests wish to submit" au-
swered the youth. Two had their origin In
thy country, o, Tai Tsung, and the other
comes from my people, Taking a package
from one Of his attendants he placed it upon
the ground and displayed the contents to the
emperor. These were simply coil of rope,
an umbrella of native make and small box
Your imperial majesty observes said
the stranger, that we are three, surrounded
by the officers and unable to add to our num-
bers or to deplete them without thy wish
ct loOk!" and seizing the rope the young
man, who had thrown aside his outer gar
ments and now appeared In a suit of gleam-
ing silver, tossed ii up INTO the air The ef-
fort was slight one, yet the rope rose as if
propelled by great force, and when above
the palace walls disappeared A moment
later down 1t came, ana upon it the emperor
and his officers saw sliding down a human
form, and before they could recover from
their astonishment young man had reached
the ground and, saluting his ma jesty, handed
him square package wrapped in rice paper
"Can5t thou tell me from whence came
this messenger asked the youth
Perhaps he came over the palace wall 4"
suggested one OF the emperor's advisers
Surround the wall with soldiers" said the
youth, who overheard the remark, and these
precautions being taken he took his cast off
garment and threw it over the newcomer
who crouched upon the ground Over this
was placed the large umbrella Then utter
ing an invocation the young man tore aside
the robe-the newcomer had disappeared
Did not the messenger leave a pacLageT"
said the youth
True, he did" said the monarch, who now
unfoided the package, which had remained
forgotten in his hands, finally holding up to
view small painting representing pastoral
scene. A range of snow capped mountains
were seen in the distance, skirting fair val
ley covered with green grass, and in the fore
ground, in bold relief, stood pure white
COW
The picture is gift to your majesty -
said the youth, land possesses this peculiar
ity That while the COW is but the express
sion OF the skill of the painter, it has certain
OF the instincts of the living animal Your
| majesty observes that now, i'll the light of
the day, the COW is feeding; but take the
picture into the darkest room in the palace.
or examine it at night, and it will be found
that the COW, thinking it night, has passed
into an inclosure and is lying down"
TIE PAINTED COW
Tue courtiers smiled and the emperor
laughed aloud. And dare you risk your
life upon this cowi' he asked.
Make the test, and | will abide by the
result, was the reply
Watch this man" said the emperor, that
he does not fly away like his messenger, ~
and, with his chief adviser he took the pict-
ure and retired to dsrkened room At the
entrance he halted to again look at the paint
ing, and saw the cow standing upon the
green. Crossing the threshold and drawing
the curtains the emperor was amazed to see
the picture stand out 10 startling distinctness,
when all else was invisible in the room: but
the COW was now TO be lying down behind
a fence. Can you explain itl" asked the
emperor of his attendant
1T is magic" replied the latter
Il see you cannot explain it, retorted
Tai Tsung, and, until you can, this prince
| shall have your place"
As they returned to the garden the COW
the strange youth, the emperor said: You
are my adviser, for / cannot explain your
works, and now, for my consideration, ex-
hibit the third test -
''As thy adviser would suggest that the
third test be made to thee alone. 1t is called
the talking string and, by its use, one of thy
| subjects can hear thy words from atar"
Leave US alone,n said the emperor to his
attendants, and when they had departed the
youth unwound from an ivory stick cord
having upon each end a bamboo cup.
Hold 1t to thy ear, sire, he said, ''and
for great distances it will carry my words to
thee
The emperor was incredulous, vet he held
the cup to his ear, and when the prince had
reached the end OF the court yard and the
cord had become stiff with the tension, he
listened, and out of the bamboo cup came a
soft voice saying: 20, mighty emperor
have no wish to be thy adviser, but thy
friend. II have shown thee that there are
things Yet new TO thee in high life and other
| things yet to learn, my mission is ended The
talking string is thine"
To the emperor the acts and gifts were
nothing less than magical; but in reality
they were simple affairs The appearance
of the young man apparently descending
from the clouds is bit of jugglery familiar
| in India even today. The picture WAS skill
fully made by using phosphorescent paint,
prepared by the natives Of certain portions
| of the east nearly thousand years ago. BY
| using ordinary paint for the day picture aud
| luminous paint for the one at night the illu-
| sion was created. In other words, the COW
| pictured lying down behind fence was put
| on In luminous paste and was seen only at
| night-a simple arrangement, easily accom-
| plished today. The talking string" was
the telephone, which, like many of the sup
| posed modern inventions, was known CEN
| turies ago and used as toy by the people,
| appearing TO many rs having some mys-
| terious significance.-Phiiad Times
What II Cosrs
Muot no carefully considered by the