River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-10-12

have been permanent disgrace. There
was one chance out of a hundred, per-
haps, that the marksman might miss.
He decided to take the 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 it used to
be the rule that sorcerer who failed
three times must pay the penalty of
death. That regulation has been re-
markably widespread among savages.
understand it to have been accepted as
far south as Patagonia on this con-
tineht, and undoubtedly it survives to
this day in parts of Africa and else
where But there was an ingenious
magician of my acquaintance who saved
himself from this fate by little device
of his contriving. Being permitted to
| furnish the bullet by which he was to
| be shot, he made one in a mold in which
a piece of paper was inserted in such
manner that the ball was cast in two
hemispheres. These he put together,
I EduSlll8 liIGHl W ItOlu ny thC
| edges with his knife-blade. In this way
at the same time the deception was con-
cealed. On being fired from the gun,
| the bullet flew in halves, which, being of
such a shape, scattered and left the man
untouched. BY this means he escaped
on several occasions the penalty which
ought to befall the wizard who is a
failure. Finally, however, he was found
| out and executed.
| 81 once saw an interesting trick per-
| formed inside of a ceremonial wigwam.
| There was lot of dancing and mum
merry. in the midst of which a woman
came forward and struck the ground
| in the middle of the lodge. Then mys-
terry man took his turn and began
scratching with a stick on spot where
| the woman had struck. In minute or
two were exposed to view the leaves of
p full-grown wild turnip. The vegetable
was dug up and thrown among the spec
tators, to show that there was no de-
ception and to quell the appetite OF the
hungry public. Scratching some more
with his stick, the magician produced
several more turnips-two or three
dozen of them. 1t was really wonder
! full | should have been more aston
ished, however, if, being an initiated
member of the secret society, / had not
been present in the morning and seen
the woman bury the turnips.
! '.In the Menomoni tribe to-day there
| is a juggler of great reputation. One
of his best tricks is done with bears
/ claw and small dish-shaped pocket
mirror He takes the mirror in one
hand and the bears claw in the other.
Then. swaying his body from side TO
/ side and keeping upa monotonous chant
ing. he brings the claw nearer TO the
mirror. until finally there is contact
between the two and the claw stands
upon its point upright on the mirror
Presently, by a sudden movement. the
glass is turned upside down, and the
claw still remains attached 10 it by the
point 1t is quite surprising. but par
ticIe of ordinary spruce gum does the
whole business.
"The late Garrick Mallery, of the Blu
reau of ethnology. once told me Of soIs
thing quite unacoountable which he
witnessed at White Earth in 1850. There
was present famous mystery man.