The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-28


Arrayed in gown Of spotIess white,
his coal black hair covered by a snowy
.turban, with many folds, an Indian
.5uggler, who calls himself the Nawab
of Jellabad, has been startling the peo-
eple of Paris nightly with trick and
then poking fun at them with his ex-
phantom of how simple it IS to do. 1t
as not so simple a trick, perhaps, to the
.unskilful for it is nothing less than
the production Of a bicycle from be-
meath that flowing cloak, where the
greatest dOubters in all the audience
EWould have sworn no bicycle could
have been concealed.
(. Inasmuch as it is manifestly impos-
Sible to carry a bicycle in ones pocket
tor under the arm without being seen
yfhe OnlOOkerS puzzle their brains in
vain to discover how on earth this
seemingly remarkable man is going to
fcarry out the promise he has made.
tThey are not long in discovering that
Ehe means to perform exactly what he
has promised. Suddenly there is thrown
ITO him by an assistant a large sheet
of ordinary muslin, folded. He unfolds
ffhis sheet in full view, and then, bow
dng politely to those who are watch
AAlS 4llllls Mugs II over nllnS6lI ana dis
appears beneath the muslin cloud.
Beneath the muslin he remains but
this muslin is in plain sight of every
one and too far from anything to per-
unit even the suggestion Of aid from an
houtside source. The cloth undulates
bike the tall grass on a rolling prairie,
fwhen the wind is blowing in stiffish
Fashion. There are regular pillows.
hoy
gestiOn Of some object All at once
the muslin shows the distinct outline
OF a wheel. Then the excitement be-
J comes intense.
= why, the man Is really going to do
it, is heard on all sides.
The cloth moves more violently. A
click, click sounds clear and distinct
from under the muslin. Then the
cloth shakes vigorously. Suddenly it
rises as If impelled by dozen hands
and almost simultaneously with that
rising there darts from beneath it the
figure Of the juggler, riding a silver
mounted wheel, upon which he makes
the circuit Of the stage several times
Then he alights as deftly as the great
est Of trick riders, and, bowling to the
audience, says: "Mesdames ct Mes
y0AOui D SII FOuS pldlI.
THE EXPLANATION.
1t is done. The juggler has kept his
word to the letter
And now for the explanation. The
NaWab smiles in his most charming
Indian fashion as he tells those who
are about him that what he has done
IS the simplest thing in the world if
only it is understood
Any one of you could do it, 1 am
sure" he says
Could they? Let us see. This is the
explanation, condensed from the elabor-
ate fabric Of language which the Indian
juggler rears for the enlightenment Of
those who have watched him In a
word, the secret is that the bicycle,
all in pieces, is hung about his body
beneath the cloak. 1t seems as if it
would be a difficult task to do that.
so that there would be no knObby pro-
Jections, but the Indian is a clever
man.
To begin with, the rubber tires are
allowed to empty themselves of air and
are then cOiled about the mans waist.
Each Of the SpOkeS folds in three places
and thus condensed about the hub of
the wheel, the whole hangs down to-
ward the mans heels like the big pen
dulum of a clock.
The handle bars are fastened about
the waist. The frame of the machine
is in five pieces, but fits together with
snap and locks that make it as firm
as if it were all cast in one piece. The
chain is wound around his legs. The
saddle is carried over his breast
With all this, weighing perhaps al
together eighteen pounds upon him,
the juggler has appeared before those
who have come to see the wonder he
has promised. The folds Of his cloak
SO thoroughly conceal the dismantled
bike that there is not the slightest
evidence Of Its presence. The usual
explanation Is made and then comes
the enveloping with the sheet. Instant
ly the sheet covers him, the juggIer
locsens from about him the sections
of the bicycle that make a complete
whole. First Of all he arranges the
frame. Then the two wheels are
quickly turned into proper shape. Fol
lowing this he blows air into the rub
Der tires and adjusts them. Then
comes the gearing, the adjustment OF
saddle and handle bars, and 10, the
wheel is complete and ready for use
Then the juggler dexterously filings
the sheet from him and at the same
moment mounts the wheel. The rest
has been told.