The Meeker herald., 1897-04-24
INDIAN JUGGLERS.
American Redmen Who Perform
Bono Great Tricks.
An Eye Witasss Relates what He HAS
SECS the Cnlsttsrsd MAgiciaas
De n the Liss of Leg.

Christian missionaries have found the
Indian magic q serious obstacle to their
evangelizing Efforts. Sorcery is in
timately associated with the aboriginal
Worship, and the savages, after astonish-
ing the priests with their tricks, laugh
ut them, saying: "Your religion can't
do such things" l happen to know of
the case OF u Jesuit priest who some
years ago went to work among the
Arapahoes md Cheyennes, west OF the
Mississippi. He gave up the business
# saving their souls after awhile, and
came nway entirely discouraged. They
did things which, he declared. were en-
tircly beyond his understanding. The
mystery men would go out on the bare.
sandy prairie, where there was not
sprig of vegetation, and, after some
chanting md various performances,
Grass would come up out of the ground
quite a patch of it. green and growing.
Tie himself saw IL grow, and there could
be no doubt uboutit
The bravest act have ever known
WAS performed by one Of these Indian
jagglers. a favorite trick of his was
one that hns often been performed by
white magicians. It consisted in per-
Iuitting himself to be shot at, the hocus-
pocus being an arrangement by which
the bullet fell out of the barrel into n
cavity in the stock of the weapon before
the Inter was discharged. Meanwhile
he had another bullet concealed in his
mouth, which at the instant of firing he
pushed outward with his tongue, SO as
to make It appear that he had caught
the projectile between his teeth. Now,
it happened that this man had rival.
who was engaged in the conjuIing busi-
ness in a neighboring village. On an
occasion when the trick waste be per-
formed, the juggler announcing, as
usual, that he was ready to be shot ut by
anyone present, the rival stepped for
ward and said that he would do the
shooting. But he demanded permission
to use his own gun. Naturally the Jug
cler objected, but his protest WAS over
ruled.
1t was decided that the rival magi-
clan might use his own weapon. This
meant almost sure death TO the per-
former. yet he did not blanch. To re-
fuse the test would have been per-
manent disgrace. There was one chance
out of hundred, perhaps, that the
marksman might miss. He decided to
take that chance, and so permitted the
volunteer executioner to take deliberate
aim and fire at him from distance Of
half dozen PAGES. An instant later he
fell dead; the bullet had passed through
his brain.
In some tribes Of Indians 1t used to be
the rule that n nnrceraE who failed three
times must pay the penalty of death.
That regulation has been remarkably
widespread among the savages. un.
tlerstand it to have been accepted as
far south as Patagonia on this continent,
and undoubtedly it survives to this day
In parts of Africa and elsewhere. But
there was an ingenious magician of my
acquaintance who saved himself from,
this fate by little device of his con-
triving. Being permitted to furnish the
bullet by which he was to be shot, he
made one in q mold in which piece of
paper was inserted in such a manner
that the ball was cast in two hemis-
pheres. These he put together, caus-
ing them to hold by rubbing the edges
with his knife blade. In this way at the
same time the deception was concealed.
On being fired from the gun, the bullet
few in halves, which, being of such n
shape, scattered and left the man un-
touched. By this means he escaped Oh