Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-09
SOME INDIAN SHOWS.
Curious Tricks Performed by Mystery Ms.-
Punch and Judy.

ny "ysttfy A0o-
Punch and Judy.
Mankind in all ages has enjoyed Illusions"
said Prof. Otis I. Mason TO a writer for THx
STAR. He has always evinced a surprising
fondness for shows Of any sort that depended
for their effectiveness upon the deception OF
the eye. Take little trick, for example, that is
performed by the Chippewa Indians. Anum-
Der OF the sorcerers or mystery men, az they
are called, gather in q circle closely with their
heads bowed together so as to shut out the
view from without Presently, after going
through some monkey business, they separate.
and 10! there is 4 century plant growing on the
prairie where nothing had been before-a plant
actually Of q dozen years growth and two or
three feet high. How is it done? don's
believe any white man can tell
you that with certainty, although doubt
feats performed by the native jugglers In India
Ny only theory is that there must be some hole
previously dug beneath the surface OF the
ground, in which the plant and a confederate
are concealed. When the performers are
gathered together in the way 1 describe. the
vegetable may be pushed up and the earth
made smooth again around it before the specta-
tors are permitted to see anything. But MANY
credible authorities. among them several
Catholic priests, have testified 10 having seen
tucre aDOftbilihl ettTN men 70 OUT the
baldest spot in plain and seemingly make the
grass spring up all over it for q distance Of
many feet within few moments.
KILLING A SEAL
another trick performed by the northwest
coast Indians is more strictly OF the nature Of
an optical illusion. 1t is a sort of stage play,
representing the capture of q seal through the
ice q double platform serving for the conceal
I
taken. To attract the prey the pretended
hunters scratch upon the platform with thef
spears, as they do on a real hunt Whereupon
the man who impersonates the victim, clad in
sealskins, ppears at a hole and is immedi-
ately thrust through with q spear and dragged
out. Apparently the weapon has gone clear
through his body and he is carried OF thus
impaled by two of his captors, each shoulder
ing an end Of the spear. Blood flows in
streams from his body and il is difficult for
the observer to realize that he has not really
been killed But few moments later he
makes his appearance before the audience as
sound as ever and smilingly makes his boz.
The secret Of the whole business is that the
spear thrust at him shuts up into the handle.
like q stage dagger. He grasps il close 10 his
body, while at the same instant a spear point
that has been concealed behind his back ID
jerked by a string, 30 as TO project outward,
while the hunters carry him sway, Q sort of
sling passing between his legs and under his
clothing serving 70 support his body. OF
course, the blood comes from hidden bladder
that is cut simultaneously.
However, the most civilized people are not
less appreciatise Of the enjoyment 10 be found
in optical illusions than are sayages They de-
light in nothing more than sleight-of-ha per-
formancee and stage deceptions Of all sorts, in
GLIDING the trickery Of the ear by ventrilo-
quism. Londoners seem 20 be more fond u
Punch and Judy shows than Of anything else in
the world At every other corner almost you
xUfll Ind and he off Ia afr ara.
30 familiar with the puppet plot and dialogue
that il the Snowman misses q word In IL they
will object They know il all by heart and yea
they never tire OF Il"