Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1902-10-03
NEW JAPANESE MAGIC
Mysterious Act on the Stage Which
Nobody Can Explain.
The Enchanted Fountain" which
Bursts Forth from a Mans Head
or the Edge of a sword at
Performer Command.


One of the most interesting tricks
that those wonderful people the jap
anese have contributed to the -amuse-
ment Of the American public is the
enchanted fountain" act The orig
inator Of this feat is Pref. Shegiakusai
Ten-,chi OF Toxic, "juggler patroniied
and given gold medal by his Imperial
majesty the Mikado," TO quote his
visiting card, reports the Chicago
Chronicle.
In his country Ten-Ichi is accounted
a great magician and a wealthy man.
1t is said tGat he has a fortune CT &C.,
- yen, which is equivalent to making
him a many-times millionaire in this
country. He lives in a palace in the
environs of the japanese imf eriol city
and on his extensive estates has erected
a go-down, or storeh ouse, in (which he
has curiosities estimated to be worth
25o,o yens. Japs never keep their
yaluables or relics il the house in
which they dwell.
Years ago Ten-Ichi was a Buddhist
priest. Early in life he manifested a
desire to learn magic, and before he
had grown very old he found that the
practice Of that are would he extreme
ly profitable to him, so he abandoned
the priesthood and gave all lis time to
the cultivation of the art mystifying.
crosse rapidly in a profession which
fourishes in the Flowery Kingdom
He attracted the attention of the court
and the mobiles and the Mil.ado ap-
pointed him imperial magician, a great
honor. Ten-Iehi means the first man
in heaven" Ten meaning "heaven'
and Ichi one" This name he adopted
after the Mikado had honored him.
Fortune began more than ever to
favor the imperial magician. He or
gani2ed a company and travelled many
times the length and breadth Of the
island of Japan. The "enchanted fcun-
tain act gained for him grea fame.
For TIE "enchanted fountain" act
the stage is set with three chairs, be-
hind which a heavy dark plea .curtain
is suspended. Ten-Ichi comes on the
stage and draws beautiful sword
from its cabbard., To show how sharp
it is lie cuts paper with it and then
suspends it between two little posts
some two feet high the sharp side up
On his right there is pyramid of
three ordinary glasses or tumblers.
The magician pours from teapot into
the top one of these tumhlers, then
seats himself leisurely ON the middle
chair. AT the same time two pretty
japanese girls come in, one from either
side of the stage, and take the seats
beside him.
Ten-Ichi produces fan from the
folds of Lis gown and makes several
passes over the pyramid of tunblers
Instantly a stream of water, thin but
strong, comes out of the, tumbler 1t
spouts to a height Of five or six feet
He waves his hand, the stream ceases.
He waves again and for second time
the stream shoots up. Then he touches
the stream with his fingers and
it disappears. He shows that he has
absolute control over it.
\ young Jap comes in and is amused
at the trick. This Jap evidently is a
comedian, but as he talks only Japan
csc the spectator has to guess. lie asks
how tie trick is done and Is told. lie
gets the magic word, bui when he says
it nothing happens. He yells and
storms the magic word, but to n avail
The magician whispers it and the
stream reappears.
Suddenly Ten-Ichi makes pass with
his left hand and second fountain
spurts from the very edge of the sus-
pended sword. The comedian goes
over TO investigate and is surprised to
see third stream come from the top
of his head. He is amused, and more
so when second Jap boy, coming on
the stage suddenly develops a spring
of water in his head
This second boy brings on a torch
like little stick, which is lighted and
held by the two girls. Ten-lchi pro-
duces a short stick to the end of which
a little teacnp is attached. lie waves
his wand and little streams ef water
shoot forth from the teacups, from The
torches, from the heads of the assist
ants-in fact, the stage is a regular sea
OF fountains. The scene winds up with
all the streams playing.