The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1893-06-15

An article ia = recent edition On the
jusgler- of India tended 10 throw dis
credit GA the eastern wizards tAat have
So long been held Ii esteem. Whether
or not the tricks tic jugglers perform
are wonderful J. matter to be deter
mined individually. At any rate. in q
vague way they haye the reputation.
Histories and books are full @ the ac-
counts Of the mir ii5u- feat that these
tricksters Of India can perform.
And now comes Mr. Kellar. a nine
teenth-century neutrality-suspicious.
llcian, who adds his testimonial to all
the rest as 10 the superiority q oriental
over occidental mage.
Mr. kellar, it seens. has also Travelled
in India in search for the wonderful
and succeeded il finding what he could
not understand
Professor Keilar in; very Old in years,
although his hair has a very wide part
in the center, but i You come t. count
mp his experiences Methuselah 1T in i
with him. There are few places on the
face Of this earth THAT he has lot seen.
and lis tra"els IN tn spirit world are
also qnib. extensive. lie has PULLED rab-
hits ont Of the pigtail Of the heathen
Chinee on his native heath: he has
wrung silver dollars from the lose #
the Australian kangaroo and has made
flowers 10 grow for the Zulu belle attired
in her sable costume Of bare skin.
Some years ago, says the professor,
Il spent considerable time in India trav-
cling through the country and Y. iting
the principal cities. That is the land Of
the magician, and nowhere on earth is
the art so thoroughly known. The Indian
magicians appear TO have been bon for
the business, and they have develc I'D
their natural abilities to such a Wont II
full degree that many Of the natives be
lieve them to possess supernatural pow
ers Indeed one almost finds himself
concurrng with the general idea after
he has witnessed some Of their feats.
II have attended many wonderful
seances, but | can remember none that
Impressed Inc more than one which !
saw.in the rooms of the Chuddermunzil
club at Lucknow. | was a guest Of the
club and was invited to attend the per-
Torrance Of one Of the native jugglers.
l gladly consented to he present, and to-
gcther with Captain jenkins. the presi-
dent of the club, and Captain Powers,
an officer in the queens navee. who had
just returned from the Zulu war, l took
a seat near the stage.
During the early part Of the enter
tainment there were half dozen jug
glers who performed only ordinary
tricks, and then the star Of the evening
was introduced. He performed one Of
the most wonderful tricks ever saw.
He took a board and placed il on four
glass goblets, thus elevating it from the
floor. A youngster sitting on the board
was then requested to place his hands to-
gether palms up. Then the juggler took
glass of water and poured il into the
outstretched hands Of the boy. In the
meantime the boy had been mesmerized,
and his attention was fixed ON point
indicated by the magician.
"Gradually the water turned green in
color, and then it developed into Jelly
which increased in density until it be-
came as solid as any stone article YOU
ever saw. Out of the center of this there
appeared the head of a snake, which
gradually developed until in the place Of
the water there appeared a kissing rep
tile. was amazed, | can assure you,
but the trick was not vet completed.
Hitting the reptile upon the head with
his wand the juggler took il up care
f,,1lt- apl ,,1u1a1 ~ 1nay ~, tba frlase
AS we looked it became transformed
into n Jelly, which in turn transformed
into greenish colored water Clearer
and clearer became the fluid until it was
of its original color and then the juggler
placed il to his lips and drank the entire
contents. That was the most wonderful
trick ever saw performed, and it is as
mysterious to me today as it was then.
There was another trick performed the
same evening which was not So wonder
ful, but was nevertheless remarkable.
"A woman with baby swung in a
bag around her waist entered the stage
and endeayored To balance bali upon
her nose. This She failed to do on &C
count of the Lindrance afforded by the
child. She repeated the attempt, but
met with no better success than on the
first trial. The jugglcr all the while was
standing ON the side of the stage. allar-
emily furious at the repeated failures Of
the woman, and finally in a rage he
rushed toward her and tore the babe
away from her The woman screamed
as she realized the danger INTO which
-. Il, Il -.