The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1895-04-04
MOOUl MAGiClANS.
A Cabinet Trick That Would set Palefac
COuinrors DIZZY.

A Cabinet Trick That Would Set PaIeface
Coujurors Dizzy.
Paleface sleight-of-hand performers
and fakirs would do well to go west
and learn the true art from the Moqu
Indians of the southwestern New
Mexico. A paleface is not permitted,
however, to witness these religious
tests" unless he has first renowned
civilization and become what is known
among frontiersmen as "squaw man"
that is, a white man married with an
Indian woman.
This is the original cabinet trick:
The select audience of worshipers is
''discovered' in the estufa (church)
seated on the ground; all lights down.
Enter into the open space several men,
who move around in II circle to a solemn
chant to Il drum accompaniment. An
Indian drum is vessel partly filled
with water, with II hide stretched over
the top, The scene is weird and the
audience is as quiet as n spooll seauce
Presently there is heard rustlng of
pinions and feathers and the hooting
of an owl-a bird of ill-omen to the In
dian. The audience become terrified,
and frequently the squaws make IA
hasty exit. Then the noise becomes
fainter and fainter still, as if the bird
is making his exit through the flies or
tule roof Torches are brought in by
the supernumeraries and-presto,
change.
Lights down again and similar
noise is heard. The birds seem to be
flying all over the room. The lights
are again brought in and the illusion
shown. Finally the medicine man
squats down in the open space, cross
legged like Turk. One man holds him
by the knees, another by the arms
The lights are turned down or taken
out. There is rustling of feathers
and pinions and an apparent struggle
The lights are called for and the medi-
cine man is not discovered. The men
who attempted to hold him in this
position are the most mystified, and
cannot tell whether he went ont
through the barred door or the roof
The performance concluded with a
lightning and thunder scene. Thunder
reverberates through the room, and
ii'oiSo Va liNHbs Hts -HdS anu hOTlHOHbil
lines, play over the heads of the audi
tors, almost binding them. Some
times the room is so lighted with these
flashes that the auditors faces are ap-
parent to each other, and they plainly
see the medicine man in the open
space, with no stage paraphernalia
whatever, no wide sleeves or boxes,
and almost as nude as a living picture.
This wonderful magic trick is per-
formed in a room holding only about
fifty people, who are seated around
the shaman or medicine man. He is in
the center of an open space ten feet
square, and he has not IL table, chair,
or any property" whatever. He has
not even Il muStache to deceive you"
The shamen claim that these extra
ordinary powers are given to them
through their fasting and praying.
They fast and pray three days and
nights before each performance,
which, however, is only two or three
during a season, like grand opera.
They do not charge for admission,
claiming that it would be sacrilegious
to do SO, and that they would lose their
powers. But after the performances
the mystified and superstitious audi
tors heap upon the shaman all kinds of
presents, which, of course, he accepts.
just as prima donna does Il diamond
ring. -Philadelphia Times.