Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-02-18
THE SNAKE CHARMER.

"An old, white bearded Hindoo, well
known In South London az q street ven
der Of pieces OF scented wood, wicker
baskets and deher Oriental trifcs, had
been knocked down and run over by a
butchers cart, In the shafts of which, as
Is the butcherly custom, a swift trotting
pony was driven by a reckless, baro
headed youngster. The old mans wrist
only was broken, but the shock to hts
system seemed likely to prove fatal ~ h.s
advanced age, which rumor fixed at con-
siderably over 100 years.
From the moment that the old fellow
vas put to bed, Mascarenhas, n Hindoo
attendant, was unremitting In his atten-
ton to him. He could converse with him
in his own language; he spent hour after
hour by his bedside and exhausted the re-
sources OF the hospital in making him as
comfortable as might be. One disciple of
Esculapius ventured to ssk him in tho
chatting style current at ST. Dots, II he
had found his long lost great-grandfather
The fire that blazed from the young
darkey's eyes at this was enough TO warn
his questioner that there was danger In
pressing the point, and he dropped the
subject like a hot potato.
"Thc old heather had only one visitor
during his four days lingering in the
ward-a young Hindoo cadger, who had
roamed the streets in his company, beat
ing a tom-tom and chanting some sort of
gibberish to melancholy tune. He
claimed TO be distantly related to him,
but the patient received him with such
undisguised dislike that he was requested
after second call not to repeat his visits,
which seemed to agitate the old man ex-
cessively
ny. hn ptvav 8 tHa r.. A..
old Hindoo gave up the ghost more from
old age than anything, and the customary
white screen was placed around his bed,
while the nurses prepared his body for
the visit OF the parish undertaken. A
hurried inquest had been held, In which
the old mans body figured as one Of q
batch submitted 10 the grumbling dozen
OF shopkeepers, who did duty rs Q Jury.
The coroner's order had been made out
for burial, and had fairly forgotten all
about the case, when q note from Mascar-
enhas, delivered at my lodgings, brought
me down to the hospital In eager curios-
fly.
''It was midnight when / reached the
house surgeons room at st. Dots, to find
Mascarenhas in q state Of wild excite
ment, surrounded by knot Of physicians
and students, whose faces wore an air Of
curiosity, mixed with incredulity. The
Eurasian was talking volubly as I en-
tered In his hand he held what ap-
peared to be dead snake, OF some non
venenous species, fangless and hoodless,
but marked along the back with scales OF
a peculiar green luster, which glittered in
the gaslight as he turned it about with
eager gestlculations. Among the men no
was addressing were some Of the most
learned and earnest OF the faculty at
tached to the hospital, men open to con-
viction, but not likely to be victims Of do
ception, even IL IL had been his wish to
deceive them.
az tell you, gentlemen he said, in tho
peculiar screeching tone he always used
when highly excited, i tell that you are
about TO witness a vindication OF that
eastern science for whose reality have
so often contended. The old man who
lies in the operating theatre yonder is q
Brahmin Of the highest caste, rs you may
see by tho sacred cord he wears, from
which, once assumed, his compeers never
part in life and death. He has been
the master of mighty secrets, a serpent
charmer Of the most advanced order, and
in his time high priest Of Mariatele. All
that Is involved In that description will
not attempt TO tell you, lest / should con-
vert your disbelief into ridicule. But I
declare that he has proved to me his
knowledge of the dread mysteries Of life
and death, OF the power attributed in
fancy to the tabled Frankenstein. have
promised you that within an hour YOU
shall SEQ the dead brought back to life.
And for this boon, conferred upon him by
my weak hands, he has sworn by his
goodness and tho sacred vedas to make
us partners In his knowledge. Is this
mighty secret worth an hours experiment
OF nor
"'Will you kindly explain the treat
ment you intend TO adoptT asked DR..
McP-, a grim old Scotchman, who re-
garded the enthusiast with the plying
expression of one who hears the vagaries
Of n hopeless lunatlc.
" The talisman Is here said Masca-
renhas, holding the limp body OF the rep.
tile aloft. This creature, lying appar-
emily lifeiess on my palm, has existed In
this state for unnumbered ages. The
perfect balance Of its natural juices re-
strains tho process Of decay and imparts
to 1t n magnetic power Of the highest pos
sible order. 1t has been preserved in the
Brahinin's family for countless genera
tions, and used, as we shall use IL to-
night, TO give vitality to the dead in days
before your western civilization was
dreamed OF. 1t is the sacred snake Of
Vishnu; II others of Its tribe are yet to I've
found they are In the possession Of the
members Of her priesthood, and their ex-
istence Is guarded from the vulgar as
dread and unattainable secret Yet its
images are worshiped to this day In count
less shrines, from Calcutta TO Kurrachec,
from tho Hindoo Koosh to Mysore.'
Clean madv muttered the old doctor
III properly applied within twenty
four hours OF death 10 q body in which
no vital organic leison has taken place.
continued Mascarenhas, 'reviviflcation Is
as certain as that steel strikes fire from
flint. But follow me, gentlemen, and let
me convince the most skeptical among
you. You shall see the dead man live,
move and possess his being again In re-
newed vigor, and the dread secret Of ages,
on which all the visions OF the Rosicru-
clans and other sects Of dreamers have
been based, shall be- mine and yours
''If unconvinced our curiosity was
powerfully excited. With rapid footsteps
we followed the young mystic through the
long, whitewashed corridors into the
operating theatre, where so many suffer
ing mortals had endured the incision Of
the merciful knife On the table, illumi-
mated by three strong argand burners
suspended from the ceiling, Law the naked