The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-02
....s @ y telt The fresh air OF morn.


The thousand miles OF water when di-
yIded ms. / started up and Che picture
faded away / saw nothing but me nm
A. souattinr before me. holding MS
crystal globe aloft and watching the
faces before him with keen intenthess'
He sat silent for moment theh rose
10 his feet and began his performance
by giving us some OF the less important
tricks OF the juggler, all the time MS eyes
rowing from face 10 face, as IL ne wouIu
road each heart 10 Its depths, and Tor
one felt sure that he could so read mine
for I could feel his gaze sink deep INTO
NV brain. was half afraid OF him, put
wholly determined TO do nothing 10 preah
up the sitting. ... -,
hand and Of the commoner class OF lsfer-
demain, he spoke TO the girl In a harsh'
quick tone. She brought out from unner
her voluminous robe small, nat slNer
salver. which | noticed was entirely COW
cred by an intricate pattern OF ensravlns'
This the man put carefully down upon
the exac, centre OF his mat. and taking
from his bosom small SILK bag ne
ecottered the contents, white powder,
mon Tho salver. lie addressed the girl
a. earnest tones, and then took tis seat
AGAIN unon the mat, with his head bowed
mon his breast and his hands grippeu
closely together as II he was mahins
some desperate effort or was peafh's
some terrible agony The girl nghtea
n small taper which had been among
the articles they had brought win the'n
and nut IL down beside her master.
Then she also stood with bowed head
and clasped her hands COR moment
as II waiting some signal from her mas
ter She waited but Tor moment, Tor,
he
smoke 10 her in a quick, shrill voice.
she in turn repeated 10 us his request
TINT we should promise that, no mater
what happened, We would none OF US
move from our place. IL we "houid
move no one could tell what terrible
accident might happen. OF course we
nil promised, more or less readily, aho
the man, TO make sure Of our obedlence'
beckoned us to ait closer together IN
ring almost touching the mat ipon "hicl
he sat. We did so. laughing ana crowd
ing together. and when we nad TAKEN Up
the required position he spoke 10 tne
Girl. who Immediately caught up ne sig
nal line and proceeded to arrange IL IN
ring surrounding our little group as
we sat around our entertainer
As soon as she had completed her task
she took her station within the ring, ana
dropping Ter outer robe. stood In closer
fitting underfarment. which left her sleh-
der limbs uncovered from knee TO ankle
from wrist to shoulder.
When she had taken her place the man
arose and mutterlng some Incarnation IN
musical undertone, he walked around
outside the ring formed by the rope and
scattered the ashes over the line, covering
It from sight He then took his place
again within the circle. and after the
girl had again impressed upon US that IN
der no circumstances were we 10 move
the man took the taper In his hand ana,
holding Il high above his head. seemed
TO be invoking some power which he be-
held I'm the air above our heads. He then
stopped and touched the fame Of the
taper 10 the end Of the rope which en-
circled us The flame crept along the
cord. and wherever il lighted a change
took place in the substance OF the cord.
IL began TO writhe and twist I'm very
life-llke manner The flame crept around
the circle and the slender lire which we.
had all seen taken from our own signal
chest was suddenly turned to. twisting
cleaning serpent, which cooled and twined
around~Gur circle. kissing and darling out
iis fangs at every motion. II was one
Of tie most deadly of the many venomous
serpents Of the country. and We shrank
together With horror.
"If the strangers sit silent nothing can
HARM" said the girl. with a warning
gesture.
We sat still-we could do nothing else.
and the juggler stood erect and began
again the melodious chant which had ac-
companied HIS scattering OF the ashes.
But then IL was inarticulate. now he
seemSI demanding aid from the higher
power (or lower. as you choose and his
eyes were lighted up until they seemed
burning Goals, and / wondered that they
did rot scorch my face when he glanced
at me.
lie raised the silver salver with It's CON
tents. and. holding II high above his head
waited for a moment in silence.
fash. and the powder on the salver
burst into flames. lie lowered # to the
deck. and the flames died away, leaving
behind n mist of smoke. family fragrant,
which settled lower and lower around
us until we viewed all objects through
its dim haze.
| glanced behind TO the hammock where
the two children were lying to see If they
were frightened but baby was sleeping
and Nera was swinging and humming
10 herself as she played with her doll
She lay with her head upon habys skirts
and he had one little hand buried in her
hair.
All this time the serpent had twisted
and writhed around US and the Tind0o
had kept up his low waiting chant The
girl stood with bowed head close beside
him. and the smoke seemed 10 bend and
Irvine about her form until II grew dim
and seemed 10 wave and sway as II in a
breeze.
Then all al once she raised her arms
and slowly. softly foated upward on the
cloud waves like a leaf rising on the
| eddying winds. The chant grew more
rapid. the smoke more Dense but still
| through its vaporous waves we could
see the light form floating upward. still
up, until II was lost 10 sight far above the
top Of the masts
Louder and louder chanted the Hirdoo
| The smoke rose even thicker and more
| dense. We had lost sight Of the giri.
! All eyes were turned to the spot where
she had disappeared far up above our
| heads
The Hindoo stood erect IN The midst OF
the circle. his form swaying in rhythmic
measure with his chanting. He held his
arms higher and his voice took on a
| deeper tone. Then from far up In the
| blue void above us we saw tiny spot
scarce visible against the azure sky. II
/ foated downward. Nearer II came, until
| we could see that ii was the form OF the
! young girl Lower. still lower, she came.
and We could see that she held a burden
clasped I'm her arms.
| The smoke grew more mist-like as she
| descended until il vanished. She came
down with the same swaying. drifting
| motion ! had noticed when she assembled.
! Soon she was below the mastheads. and in
o moment she fioated Just above our
heads Then. 70 my horror ! recognized
! Tic hnrl-n .hn bore. n WIS the form nf