The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-18
ANCIENT SALAMANDERS
Juggling Tricks Performed With the d

ANCIENT SALAMANDERS
Juggling Tricks Performed With the De-
voaring Element and Their Origin.
Juggling with fire was practiced IN
very ancient times" said a learned pro.
fessor recently. MANY of the tricks
of that sort which are the best known
to-day were employed to deceive the
vulgar thousands Of years ago There
as nothing even now which does more
to excite the establishment of the igno-
rant than the breathing of fame, which
is deception handed down from remote
antiquity.
when the slaves in Sicily rose in re-
bellion about $50 b C. and took cruel
revenge for the wrongs they had suf-
Tered there was among them a Syrian
named EunuS He was a man of great
craft and courage, and, having seen
much of the world, he had become ac-
quainted with a variety of ittle-known
arts He pretended to have immediate
communication with the gods, and, as
usual in such cases, he confirmed his
divine mission by miracles. When de-
sirous of inspiring his followers with
courage he breathed flames and sparks
among them from his mouth.
''1t is said that in order to perform
this marvel Eunus pierced nut shell
at both ends, and, having filed it with
some burning substance. he put it in to
his mouth and breathed through It.
The same trick is performed much
better nowadays The juggler rolls to-
gether some fax or hemp into ball
about the size of a walnut, which he
sets on fire, permitting it to burn until
1t is nearly consumed. Then he rolls
around it more fax while it is yet burn
ing, nd by this means the fire may be
ret med in the ball for long time
v cen he is ready to do his act he slips
me ball into his mouth unperceived
and breathes through it His breath
revives the fire, SO that sparks proceed
from IL, and the performer sustains no
through his nostrils only. By this art
the Rabbi Bar-Cocbeba, in the reign of
the Roman emperor, Hadrian, made the
credulous Hebrews believe that he was
the long looked-for Messiah.
For receptions with fire the an
clients also employed naphtha, liquid
mineral oil SO combustible that it kim
dies when it only approaches flame
Pliny states that the means which
Medea chose for destroying Creusa, the
daughter OF Creon, was simply naph-
tina. She sent TO the unfortunate prin-
cess dress besmeared with it, which
burst into flames as soon as she ap-
preached the fire of the altar. The
priests of old undoubtedly used naph-
tina to make their offerings catch fire,
rs if spontaneously. in order to delude
the wondering mob. In modern times
persons who could walk over burning
Goals or red-hot iron, or who could
hold them in their hands and teeth,
have often excited amazement. To-
wards the end of the seventeenth CEN
fury an Englishman named Richardson
made himself famous by appearing to
chew burning Goals swallow melted
glass. pour melted lead upon his tongue
and SO forth. 1t has been suggested
that metallic mixture consisting OF
mercury. tin and hismuth, which melts
at n low temperature, may have been
for lead.
Various theories have been advanced
to account for the other feats men
toned 1t will be remembered that
during the middle ages the guilt or in
nocence of persons accused of crimes
was often determined by ordeal, the
being obliged to hold piece
of red-hot iron in his hand. This was
another case of Juggling. such trials be-
ing conducted by priests, who covered
the hands of those whom they desired
should escape with protective paste.
Very interesting scientific expert
ments have shown what great heat may
be endured by the human body DIR.
and Mr. Charles Blagden staid
In room where the temperature was
zoo degrees Fahrenheit for eight min
uteS A beefsteak was cooked in the
same atmosphere and was overd0ne in
thirty three minutes. Sir +. Chantry
and others remained for two minutes in
a furnace which was much hotter, the
they carried with them
indicating $40 degrees when they came
cut The peculiar property of mineral
salts such as alum in protecting articles
Of dress from fire has long been known.
The Chevalier Aldini. of Milan, devised
q costume consisting of a cloth covering
Tor the body. arms and legs which had
Deen stepped in solution of alum
The headdress was a large cap envelop- /
ing the whole head down to the neck.
with holes for the nose, eyes and mouth, 4
md the shoes were of asbetos cloth A /
metallic dress was added to this, con- 1
sistiug chiefly Of wire gauze. The cos
tune was intended TO be worn by fire. /
men. Clad in it man could walk on |
aot iron in the midst of high flames -
Star.
Cause For Libel - Cnasehem -
What's the matter between you and
Iiss Willkiss?" Vanderloin-"Oh
lade the remark 20 another man that
he was regular Tin de steele girl. and
seems the idiot went about telling
eople I'd said the girl was ninety-nine
ears old Truth.
Force Meat.-A half pound of lean