Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-03-15
THE JUGGLERS OF INDIA.
Their Wonders May Be Classified As Modern
Miracles.

ldE JUGGLEkS OF INDIA.
Their Wonders May Be Classified as Modern
Miracles.
1t was in drinking resort on Pa.
cific avenue at Tacoma, and they
were speaking of these mystifying
tricks as performed by " Wizard
Kellar," and the late Hermann, the
Great" when the mate of sailing
vessel, which was taking cargo for
China, remarked:
Neither Kellar nor Hermann
were ever in it with the feats ac-
complished by the jugglers of India,
who l have seen work. Where their
power comes from has not been dis
covered as yet, SO far as l have
learned.
In witnessing the stunts OF an
India juggler one sees a wonderful
performance by a man who, appar-
emily, is not above the ordinary NOR
tai in intelligence, and the onlooker
is mystified. He is inclined to ask
himself: Is this a dream or start
ling reality? Am 1 under the in
fluence of some horrid fascination, or
do 1 see demonstrations of some
demoniacal power? Am I hypno-
tized, or in full possession of my
sensesH
"One may ask these questions,
but the answers will depend upon
the prediction of the persons who
reply. A minister of modern relig-
ion will probably tell you that it is
all humbug and delusion, that a
clever charletan is simply performing
his best tricks; he will probably be
supported by the modern conjurer,
the sort of man who. brings cups,
plates and baby shoes out of tall
hats and half a dozen new laid eggs
out of his left ear, who will also say
that they are all tricks, but very
clever tricks, that his observer
would very much like to have at his
finger ends. Others will hold differ
ent views, but one need not pause I'd
consider them, unless the Individual
be traveller from the Far East, who
instead of vapouring about what can
not be and what might be, will place
before you few bold facts, and ask
you to accept them as truth, if you
like, or deny them if you can. He
will not argue the point-he has seen
what he has seen.
Well, I am in this position.
cannot explain the various marvellous
performances seen by me during my
soiourn in Hindoostan, and am not
sufficiently well versed in the history
and development of magic to enter
upon learned disquisition on oc-
cultism, ancient and modern; but
in this respect am only in the
company of many others. You may
include the subject in the phenom-
ena of the psychology Of peoples,
and then it becomes a phase of an
interesting problem that occupies
the attention of some very clever
men of the present day, but the in
vestigation of magic itself is, l ven
ture to say-and I like to dabble
with it myself in limited way-un-
profitable, and therefore ask you to
receive my description of what
have seen with a fair amount OF
credence, asking for a moment also
to believe that l would derive nc
benefit from running over a lot OF
wild improbabilities.
You have all heard, no doubt, oil
the wonderful trick of the Indian
Fakirs, whereby little Chokra ap-
pears to climb up into the sky on a
piece of twine, and by the way, it is
the trick that the late Hermann, the
Great" offered $25. 900 to obtain, but
failed. This is, no doubt, the great
est trick ever invented, for it is per-
| formed in the omen air in any field or
open space, and without any of the
adjuncts-such as a cabinet or other
contrivance generally used on a
stage. Well, the young native boy
climbs up until he is to all appear
ance the size of a good-sized ball.
The Fakir appears to get into pas
sion at his Intellectual attempt to
again bring the twine to earth, and
himself climbs the twine and most
certainly finds the boy, as his head
comes rolling down from aloft. After
the descent of the man he opens his
bag and, 10, there is the boy quite
comfortable and smiling! They earn,
and indeed receive, very liberal do
nations of money from tourists.
There is also the basket trick
A young native is put under good
sized basket, the Fakir thursting
his sword through repeatedly, to the
accompaniment of the shrieks of the
youngster, who, through apparent
loss of blood (the Fakir will show
you the sword with the boys blood
on it becomes gradually weaker un.
til he is apparently dead. The
Fakir collects, on any portion OF
ground one chooses to select. the
loose earth, plays the inevitable
tom tom for while, making sundry
mysterious passes with his arms.