The Florence daily tribune. (Florence, Colo.) 1898-1903, 1898-09-13
ANCIENT TRICKSTERS
QUEER CONJuRiN6 FEATs OF THE
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

Conjurers in ancient times wore not
very respectable members of society
when successful, they enjoyed the repu-
tation of having sold their souls to the
evil one, and when Of inferior ability
they gained notoriety by being either
drowned or burned. The medieval ma
gioians as well us the Egyptian magi
and the Chaldean sages were only a
strange mixture of chemist, conjurer
and oharlatan, and as these gentlemen
were in the habit of using their sup
posed occult powers to their own advan-
tage they were naturally unpopular.
The feats of jugglery performed by
these craftsmen were intended for the
mystification and not the amusement of
the public and for centuries conjurinS
had to it only black side.
The amateur conjurer of today is not
always popular individual, SAVE with
children and the unsophistoeatcd yolel.
To the general public he is merely
bore of greater or less magnitude, whose
performance is so obvious as to deceive
no one. 1t is hard to realize shat this
modern society, but in point of fact his
role is one of respectable antiquity,
for he is to be found treading close upon
the heels of the magicians and in the
days when witchcraft was still rampant
This is significant of his reputation
even in those early times, for had any
one taken his tricks seriously he would
doubtless have been run to earth and
done to death as wizard.
In the middle of the seventeenth CEN
tury, in the earliest years of the res
toration, number of tricks were pub
hshed in one of those fncetious books
which seem to have occupied the press
to great extent at this time, but
which, owing to their popularity, have
for the most part persisted Tho chief
Recommendation to the greater number
of these tricks is that no apparatus be.
yond the utensils of everyday life is
necessary. Also it is suggested to the
performer that he can make some
small profit out of his entertainment by
prevailing on his audience to bet with
him on the result of the trick.
''To set horses or an asses head
upon MANS head and shoulders
seems impossible out Of the land Of
FNery. but we are informed that by
boiling the head cut off from living
animal, 1.-THE flesh boyl'd may rune
into oyle. and then by mingling the
hair beaten into powder with this oil
and amounting the heads of tho ISLANDERS
by, They shall seem to have horses or
asses heads'-a costly experiment. and
fearsome if successful.
But besides this. one can "malse peo-
pie seem headlesse," and this without
bloodshed and by the following simple
receipt: Break arsenick very fine, and
boyle it with sulphur in covor'd pot
and kindle it with now candle, and
the standers-by will seem to be head
Lessee" Doubtless a strong imagination
is necessary for success.
Some of the tricks are such rs would
nowadays cause tho performer to bt
disliked, to put it mildly For instance
"have nut filed with ink, and give
this unto another and bid him crack it
and see what he can find in that,
which being done will cause much
laughter. "
ITO keep Tapster from frothing Liz
Pots must have been an amusement to
the ways of the period, and for this
provide in readinesse the skin of red
Herring, and when the Tapster is absent
do but rub little on the inside of his
pots, and he will not be able to froth
them, do what he can. in good while
after.
ITO counterfeit a diamond with
white saphiI'" is most useful accom-
plishment, but the fraud is likely in
these days to be discovered and is more
chemical experiment than trick.
Several tricks are recommended which
have animals as their subject and are
for the most part brutal to our modern
ideas Perhaps the least Objectionable
is ito seem to kill Horse and cure him
again." which may be thus accom-
plished:
'"Take the seed of henbane and give
it the Horse in his Provender, and it
will cast him into such deep sleep
that he will seem dead. If you will re-
cover him again. rub his Nostrils with
Vinegar. and he will seem to be re-
vived.' The seem to be- revived
sounds rather. ominous, and it is to BIO
noted that the correct quantity of hen
Dane is not mentioned, Sc that L; might
be best to try this experiment on some
one else's horse.
ITO make shoal of Goslings draw a
Timber logge" sounds interesting. but
unfortunately the directions are vague.
ITO make shoal of Goslings or Gag.
gle of Geese to seem to draw Timber
logge is done by the verie means that
is us'd when Cat draws fool through
Pond, but handled somewhat further
off from the Beholders- " = London
Standard.
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