The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-06-24


passed slowly around orr little circle
lingering for a moment as it met SOM
eyes, and passing rapidly over others
L thought he paused longer as he gaz
ed ieto my face than he did 1T an
other, but that may have been i
nation. When he had compl t. ! tn,
circle he raised the crystal glope anC
held it poised upon one hand anC
spoke some words to his young com
panlon in TIE strange musical tongue
inwhich he had carried on all his con
versatlon since coming on board. She
| turned from him and repeated to us
his words: Tell the strangers to each
think of the dearest one in his OWL
far off land and 20 look deep into the
magic crystal if he would learn what
that loved one is doing at this in
slant"
We each fixed our attention upon
the globe, and i wondered what my
sister wonld think if she could see
me sitting here before this strange
Indian looking into the depths of a
glass of water (if water the globe con
tained, and wishing that | could real
ly see her for but one moment. As
these thoughts passed through my
mind | gazed steadily at the globe
and saw the contents glitter and rip
pie as If moved by some wind which
we felt not Slowly across the sur
face passed dim clnud, which gre "
rapidly more and more Opaque.
Then suddenly | saw corner of
the old familiar dooryard in my far
off home. The big maple tree grew
into form before my eyes; its leaves
tluttered and swayed in The unfelt
breeze. The green grass beneath its
branches waved and tossed as if it
felt the fresh air of morning passing
across its verdant face. A slender
form came swiftly ont OF the dim
haze which filled up the background
to the picture. 1t was my sister. and
a look of wonder shone in her hazel
eyes as she seemed looking straight
across the thousand miles of water
wE'ch divided us. | started up and
the picture faded away, | saw moth
ing but the HIndoo squatting before
me, holding his crystal globe aloft and
Watching the faces before him with a
keen lntentness.
He sat silent for a moment. then
rose to his feet and began his perfor.
nance by giving us some of the less
importrnt tricks of the juggler, all
the time his eyes rowing from face to
face as if he wouId read each heart to
its depths, and / for one felt snre
that he could so read mine, for
could feel his gaze sink deep into my
brain. | was half afraid of him, bnt
wholly determined to do nothing to
break mp the sitting
After some minor tricks of sleight
of hand and of the more common
class of ledgerdemain, he spoke to the
girl in harsh, quick tone She
brought out from under her volumi
nous robe a small, fiat silver salver.
which | noticed was entirely covered
by an intricate pattern Of engraving.
This the man put carefully down mp
on the exact centre of his mat. and
taking from his bosom small silk
bag he scattered the contents, white
powder, on the salver. He addressed
the girl in earnest tones, and then
took his seat again upon his mat.
with his head bowed upon his head
and his hands gripped closely togeth
er as if he was making some despe
rate effort or was bearing some ter
rible agony. The girl lighted small
taper which had been among the ar
ticles they had brought with them
and put it down beside her master.
Then she also stood with bowed head
and clasped her hands for moment
as If awaiting some signal from her
matter. She waited but for a mo
ment, for with shudder he raised his
mead and spoke 10 her in a quick,
shrill voice.
She in turn repeated to us his re
quest that we should promise, tha. no
matter what happened, we would not
move from our place. Ii we should
one could tell what terrible ac
cident might happen. OF course we all
promised, more or Jess readily. and
the man. to make sure of our obedi
ence, beckoned us to sit closer togeth
er in a ring almost touching the mat
upon which he sat We did so, laugh
ing and crowding together, and when
we had taken the required position
he spoke to the girl, who Immediately
caught up the signal and proceeded.
to arrange 1t IN ring surrounding
our little group as we sat around our
As soon as she had com
pleted her task she took her station
within the ring,and dropping her out
er robe, stood in a closer fitting IN
der garment which let her slender
limbs uncovered from knee to ankle,
from wrist to shoulder.
When she had taken her place the
man arose and, muttering some mu
steal cantition In an undertone. be
walked around outside the wing form
ed by the rope and scattered the ash
es over the line, covering it from
sight. He then took his place With q
the circle and took the tape in his
hand and holding it high it above his
head, seemed to be invoking soaae DO
wer which he beheld in the ar above
our heads. He then stooeed and
touched the flame of the saper te.the
end of the rope which e@circled rs.
The flame crept around the circle, and
the slender line which We had all
seen taken from our own signal chest
was suddenly turned to a twisting,
cleaning serpent. Kissing and dart
ing out its fangs at every motion.
1t was one OF the most deadly of the
many venomous serpents of the coun
try. and we shrank together with
horror
We sat still we could do nothing
else-and the juggler stood erect and
began again the melodious chant
which had accompanied his scattering
of the ashes His eyes were lighte.j
up until they seemed burning Goals
and l wondered that they did not
scorcn my face when he glanced at
me.