The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-08-09

cumstances were we 90 move, the man
took the tape in his hand, and, hold
ing it high above his head, seemed to
be invoking some power which he be-
held in the air above our heads. He
then stopped and touched the flame of
the taper to the end of the rope which
encircled u.s. 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
in very lifelike manner. The flame
crept around the circle, and the slen-
der line which we had all seen taken
from our own signal chest was sud-
denly turned to a twisting, cleaning
serpent, which coiled and twined
around our circle, kissing and darting
out its fangs al every motion. 1t was
one of the most deadly of the mFny
venomous serpents of the country, and
we shrank together with horror.
eff the strangers sit silent nothing
can harm, said the girl, with warm
ing gesture.
We sat still-we could do nothing
else-and the iuggler stood erect and
began again the melodious chant which
had accompanied his scattering of the
ashes. But then it was inarticulate I;
now he seemed demanding aid from
the higher power Tor lower, as you
choose), and his eyes were lighted up
until they seemed burning Goals, and
1 wondered that they did not scorch
my face when he glanced at me.
He raised the silver salver with its
contents, and, holding it high above
his head, waited for a moment in
silence.
A flash, and the powder on the salver
burst into flames. He lowered it to
the deck, and the flames died away,
leaving behind mist of smoke, family
fragrant, which settled lower and
lower around MS until we viewed all OBJ
iects through its dim haze.
I glanced behind to the hammock
where the two children were lying to
see if they were frightened, but baby
was sleeping and NerR was swinging
and humming to herself as she played
with her doll. She lay with her head
upon baby's skirts and he had one
little hand buried in her hair.
All this time the serpent had twisted
and writhed around us, and the Hin
doc had kept up his low, wailing
chant. The girl stood with bowed
head close beside him, and the smoke
seemed to bend and twine about her
form until it grew dim and seemed to
wave and sway rs if in q breeze.
Then all at once she raised her arms
and slowly, softly hoated upward on
the cloud waves like 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 up.
ward, still up until it was lost to sight
far above the tops of the masts.
Louder and louder chanted the Hin
doc. The smoke rose even thicker
and more dense. We had lost sight OF
the girl. 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 hands higher and his voice
took on deeper tone. Then from fal
up in the blue void above us we saw @
tiny spot scarce visible against the
azure sky. It foated downward.
Nearer it came, until we could see that
it was the form of the young girl.
Lower, still lower, she came, and we
could see that she held burden
clasped in her arms.b
The smoke grew more mistlike as
she descended, until it vanished. She
came down with the same swaying,
drifting motion Ishad noticed when
she assembled. Soon she was below the
mastheads, and in moment she
foated just above our heads. Then, to
my horror, l recognized the burden
she bore. 1t was the form of my baby.
She held him closely clasped in her
arms, and before / could move she
had hoated across and laid him in the
hammock, where ] had seen him calm
| ly sleeping but few moments before
we saw the girl floating upward in the
midst of the smoke. Before | could
move she stood again before the Hin
doc in the centre of the circle. The
powder in the salver had ceased to
smoke. The line encircling our group
was again nothing more dangerous
than simple hempen rope. My nerves
had been so thoroughly unstrung by
the sight of my child dropping through
the air when 1 had supposed him
sleeping safely by my side, that 1 did
not care for further exhibitions of the
wonderful power which the Hindoo
possessed. They received their re-
ward, gathered up their effects, and in
a few moments were rowing toward
the shore.
When we were little calmer, and
could compare notes, we found that
every one had seen the same wonder
full sight-the girl, with empty arms,
float away out of sight, only to de-
scend bearing the child on her bosom,
The only thing which differed in our
several experiences was in the first
vision. When the crystal had been
held up for us to look into each saw a
different picture. Each saw the one
of whom he thought when told to send
his mind back to his best loved friend
at home.
/ have not the time to give the diff
ferent pictures each beheld, but in all
the other wonders of the hour each
/ saw tbe gamp surnrisinp si0n We all