The Ordway new era., 1915-05-14
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repeated to gentle lullaby airs. This
time the prostrate man receives the
bricks one by one as they, are aimed
square ON the bricks lying on his tenn
ple-and. Of course, is none the worse.
though he takes the risk Of . bad
shot.
The old conjurer CAME out again and
danced to the Russian Kamarinsky
air, holding a bamboo as II II were
his partner. and doing all manner OF
clever and amusing turns. The young
man who jusgled the tea tray on the
chopstick reappeared and did . dim
cult balancing trick. raising himself
on a trestle which rested on little
spheres on table. Then came two
most original items. the dancing OF
an old man in hve-yard liGen whip
and the rolling round the body Of =
rusty eight-foot scepter.
The man who danced made the
whip crack and roll out over the
arena in. splendid circles and waves.
and he was ever In the midst Of It
The juggler OF the scepter .cohtriyed
to roll the strange looking implement
all over his body. about his back and
his shoulders and his stomach. and
never let 1t touch the ground and new
er touched It with his hand-and at
the same time to dance 10 the music.
This was most attractive feat, and
was as pleasant to watch as anything
had ever seen in large city.
There was an interval and great
buzz OF talking and surmise. After
the interval came wrestling matches
and trick riding on bicycles-nothing
original. A clever little Mongol had
no difhculty In disposing Of those who
offered to wrestle with him, and q
Russian cyclist who rode on his han
dlebars received great applause from
the people Of Kopal. most of whom had
not seen q bicycle before. "a h
So the entertainment ended. and ev.
sryone was~Nell pleased. The Jug
Cling was q great mystification to the
simple Russians. and a heard many
amusing comments from those behind
me and beside. The conjuring forth
Of the steaming samovar was especial
fiy troubling to the minds Of the peas
ant women. and L.heard one say to
another: ~, s
God knows where he got It from"
And the other replied:
What has God got to do with it?-
it's the power O. Satan"
returned to the posthousei in q
pleasant frame of mind. took out my
sheets and blanket and slept in q
wagon in the yard. l said Kopal had
no barber. but next day found a
Sart. who shaved. Picture me sitting
onra rag of carpet on the floor OF a
mud hut, a red handkerchief tied tight
ly round my neck. A bald,headed old
Mahommedan holds in his hand a
broken mug containing vinegar He
dips his thumb in it and then mas
sages my cheeks and chin and neck
1t was queer torfeel his broad thumb
pounding against my skin and chin
bone. My hair IL fairly torn off with
an unhandy razor: mo water is given
me with which to rinse. but as the
stopping Sart finishes his job. he puts
into my hand three inches OF broken
mirror SO that can survey my new
countenance and Judge whether he
has done we'll. =
The Chinese at the posthouse be-
haved like Christians. or. rather. as
Christians should. with great humble
ness and altruism. giving up the sa-
movar to Russian visitors. fetching wa
ter to fill the washing bowls. cleaning
and drying the dishes after their
breakfast. and sweeping the post room
floor before they went away. The
postmaster's wife said there was .
constant flow of Chinese. and they al
ways behaved In that way.
Kopal. 1000 feet above the sea level.
is In the midst of fne scenery. and
the frontier all the way to Chugachak
and the shoulder of the Altai noun
tains is wild and desolate. The boun.
Diary Is marked by numbered poles,
but there are few soldiers or excise
men to question you II you cross eth.
er way. There is a certain amount Of
smuggling done. one OF the chief arti-
cles brought through being Havana
cigars. of which the local bureaucracy
Is very fond. az