The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-12
The Man Who sat in the Air.

Inc tahd OF the hindu has ever been
famous TOT It's clever trieksters jug
gers ana slelght-oi- hand perform
erS' Many OF }he more famous OF
these wise and WHY ones nave passed
away win their best secrets sim un-
eNpialheo' except perhaps to a trust
ca descendant VINO is supposed to
carry inc BUSINESS on unui ne TOO
IS ready TO tell his secrets to his son,
or 10 some other near relative, Mys-
.il9ihs IN the extreme are many or
we FlGhs' lowers ploom from TINY
seSuS III le" minutes Tune, ana
snahes TURN TO heaNy canes ana BACK
again INTO Sefpents before ones Very
eyes Nothlng s@eins TOO alfhcut TO
ateihpt the tflekstef be OF Hlndu
pith'
Inc natives credit the more clever
"a THESE JdsgiefS with supernatural
sIts ana mold them IN reVerential awe.
II Is Very probable that some OF them
nave been very learned in the sciences,
ana that knowledge OF chemistry.
ior instance mas helped them essen
lial4y IN 'helr performances. In old
en- DAYS, as Is the case still. they
were welcomed everywhere. for peo-
pie rove 70 De amused the world over
ana are willing to pay their entertain
ers wei! for unusual treats.
The man who sat In the air" was
moro than ten days wonder IN
INDIA THIS clever fellow was
Bfanmln. skilled in tricks of all kinds,
nut his one performance of sitting In
the air brought him to the attention
of all tue civilized world, and while
his lucky star was In the ascendency
there was no more popular man in
all India
Nearly eighty wears ago there APP
peared notice in one of the papers
Of India stating that IN return for
parse Of gold high~c caste Brahmtn
would sit in the air for half an hour.
The sum mentioned was large one,
and no one felt like Offering the
money without due consideration.
HoaAes We're many and though the
announcement WAS read with consid
erabie interest, nearly every one
laughed and said. Another trick OF
clever fellow" 1t 50 happened,
however, that soon after the first an
nouncenlent the official gazette caused
no end OF excitement and comment
by stating that tho governor at Mad
ras would give on certain date
very unique entertainment to his per
sonai friends and acquaintances and
to all those connected with posts or
,
departments. This garden party was
to 100 beautiful affair, well worth
attending. for the guests were invited
70 see this self-same hoastful Brah-
min set IN the air for at least half
an hour and Ionge II desired,
When the day arrived the governor
and his staff received the guests In
full-dress uniform. cooked hats and
feathers. The gardens were
bower. respondent with the gay at
tire or the guests, who had turned
ont IN run force to make this social
All Of them were Interested and
All of them were Interested and
eager, but stu skeptlcal. as perhaps
the governor was himself. When the
guests had all arrived q sunaptuous
banquet was served in their honor,
while the Brahmin. limiting that his
performance Was a strain Wpora, hiIns
and dreading food touched by other
hands than his own servants made
his usual simple meal OF rice and
ghee and ripe plantains AS for the
people not hidden to the entertain
ment, they were consumed with
curiosity, and hhe governor good
/ naturedly opened his gardens TO all
| who could find room after his guests
We're accommodated. Madras buzzed
''ft'a N|NNitNiiftith A4'tii titt EpNtfIloT
general himself to the lowest palkee-
| bearer.
The banquet over. the guests, com
fortably placed beneath huge avn
/ ings, stretched out for the occasion.
famed by servants and refreshed
with cooling drings brought by
watchfuI attendants were now ready
TO give their undivided attention to
I the Brahmin. He came forward at
once at a signal from his host. and
bowed low TO the governor and his
/ guests, Proud he was in bearing.
aloof in manner. the Ipersonifica4
tiCn OF dignity, almost Of scorn, in
spite of his lowly obeisance. The
musicians began, to play on their
wind and stringed Instruments as the
Fra hmin summoned to him his two
servants. These attendants were huge,
| IN stature. and evidently Of marvellous
strength. Their first action was to
place a long slender pole in the
ground thrusting It down TIL only
about eight feet Of its length showod
above the surface of the earth They
then produced a very large SQUARE
81 white cloth aud threw It over the
top of the pole, much as children
make an impromptu tent o,1t of